Fun Things to Do on a Snow Day

Every child waits eagerly for the announcement of a snow day. I remember the thrill of an unexpected freebie day. I and my 5 siblings, would all bundle up and play all day in the snow. We didn't come in until our hands and feet were numbed by the cold. Ahhh, the good old days. If your kids need a creative nudge, here are a few ideas to jumpstart them.

1. Dig out the sand box toys. Use the sand molds and buckets to build castles in the snow. Dig roads with shovels. Use bath tub boats as sleds for your icy kingdom. If the weather is consistenly cold, these play creations can last for a week or more.

2. Fill plastic containers half full of water. Sink smaller containers fill with stones or pennies(for weight), in the larger containers. Set outside to freeze overnight. The next evening, remove the ice from the containers and place tea light candles in each one. Line up on the walkway, sidewalk or deck, and light the candles to create a beautiful wintry luminary display.

3. If the snow is deep enough and packs well, pile shovels full in one place. Pack it down and keep adding until you have a mound at least knee high to an adult. Show your kids how to hollow out the mound to make an igloo. This is great for kids with lots of energy. Use the spray bottles from #1 to decorate. Use the sand molds form # 2 to create a moat or a wall surrounding the igloo.

4. Give your kids spray bottles with filled with water and a couple drops of food coloring. Send them out to decorate the snow fort.

5. Make Snow Ice Cream. You need a large mixing of fresh snow, 1 or 2 cups of whole or evaporated milk,1 or 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, 1/2 to 1 cup of sugar.

Bring the mixing bowl of fresh snow in to the kitchen. Quickly stir in enough milk to get the consistency of ice cream, start with a little and keep adding until it is creamy. Don't worry if you accidentally add too much. Just go scoop up some more snow! When you get the consistency you want, stir in the vanilla and sugar. Have fun trying different flavors like maple extract, peppermint, or root-beer. Snow ice cream should be eaten right away. Putting it in the freezer for later is okay but will change the consistency.

6. Make Snow Candy. You will need a large mixing bowl of fresh snow, real maple syrup, and sugar. In a medium saucepan, mix 1 cup of real maple syrup and 1/2 of sugar. Heat until boiling and all the sugar has dissolved. With a ladle or measuring cup, drizzle the maple sugar mixture into the mixing bowl of snow. the syrup mixture will solidify into a warm chewy candy. You may need to experiment with the maple syrup to sugar ratio depending on the brand of syrup. Do not use regular pancake or waffle syrup i.e. Log Cabin or Aunt Jemima, it won't have the same consistency as real maple sugar.

7. Build awesome ice sculptures. Fill plastic containers with water and set outside to freeze overnight. Yogurt cups, Popsicle molds, margarine tubs, large serving bowls, and any silicone cookware works great. Add a few drops of food coloring in different colors to some or all of the containers.The key is getting a variety of sizes and shapes.

The next day, empty the ice chunks from their containers. You might need to run a little warm water over the bottom. Show the kids, with mittened hands, how to use a sprinkling of table salt to melt surfaces of the ice shapes and stick them together. I have even used a version of this activity indoors. For indoor ice sculptures use just small containers and build in a dishpan placed on a beach towel on the kitchen floor. Young toddlers love this indoor version!

8. Make birdseed mosaics. These are fun for older kids even teens can get involved with these. All you need is some imagination and several different types of birdseed. Sunflower, thistle, corn, and wild bird seed mixes provide different colors and textures to your art. Stamp out shapes, letters, or patterns in the snow. The bigger the design the better. Use the birdseed to fill in the shapes just like a stained glass window. The wild birds and animals will be your best critics, as they feast on your artwork. Animals have a harder time finding food when the snow blankets the ground.

When you send the little folks outside to play in the snow, make sure they are warmly dressed. Enjoy some quality family time and go out and play with them.