How to Stay Sane on a Snow Day

First, I love snow days. I am a true New England girl and love winter, the cold, the snow, all of it. Until around March 15 then winter can promptly leave and make way for the sun and brightness of spring. Back to winter. One snow day here and there can be amazing little mini breaks from the routine and monotony but too many of them and you’re left wondering what the heck do I do now? Wonder no further!

Here are all the ways (and I mean I have tried them all!) to stay sane on a snow day at home with your kiddos:

Snow Gear

It should go without saying that if you live in New England (or anywhere else prone to snow) you should have adequate snow gear. Boots, warm socks, mittens, hats, scarves, jackets, and snow pants. Ideally, for the things that aren’t waterproof, you should have multiple pairs allowing one set to be worn while the other is in the dryer.

Go Outside

One snow day last year my then 5-year-old and I were outside at 8 AM, 11 AM, and 3 PM. For at least an hour each time. One of those times she indulged me in a winter walk around the neighborhood. I created a winter scavenger hunt for her which kept her semi-occupied. Etsy is great for this or you can just call out things for them to find like cardinals, pinecones, frozen puddles, icicles, animal tracks, etc.

Go Sledding

We are fortunate to have a backyard and a small deck to make a mini sledding hill. This checks two boxes; she sleds and I get my workout in shoveling snow to make that hill! Now that she’s a bit older and we know kiddos in the neighborhood better, we’ll probably trek around to other backyards with bigger hills. And there’s a great sledding hill a short drive away—perfect for the days after the actual snow day! Don’t forget to capture the fresh snow and make snow ice cream! A little milk, vanilla, and a quick stir before popping it in the freezer for an hour or so.

Other Outdoor Activities

Other outdoor activities involve snow angels and snow people making. Snowballs and snow forts are fun but can lead to tears (I mean so can snow angels cause…kids!) but painting the snow is something we started last year that just leads to laughter. I put good ol’regular paint in squirt bottles and she has a blast! What’s even more fun is not telling/forgetting to tell your spouse, you get a few more inches of snow on top of the red paint marks and then when the snow all melts, he is concerned he ran something over with the snowblower. The fun is NOT limited to just the snow day!

Indoor Games

Once you’re sufficiently cold and wet, head back indoors. Start drying out for round two outside and break out the hot cocoa (or whatever) and games. Board games will likely lead to violence if you have multiple kids, but should buy you enough time to get the wet things into the dryer. Something that doesn’t lead to violence is a “big semi-dangerous game”. These are those activities that are borderline banned but when you allow them to happen it’s like Christmas and their birthday rolled into one.

In our house that’s pulling all the cushions off the couch and making a slide down the stairs. This occupies her for hours because it takes a while to build before she actually enjoys it! Something else that’s a “big semi-dangerous game” is making forts, pulling cushions off the couch to jump on/run into (if you prop them against the wall), making obstacle courses, etc. Anything goes so long as it’s not likely to lead to un-aliving themselves. This is why, for the stair slide, I have photos of my kiddo wearing her bike helmet. Safety first when destroying the house!

Old Toys

Using old toys in new ways is also super helpful to pass the time. YouTube is great for this- there are so many videos on creating things with MagnaTiles, blocks, etc. Pulling new toys out of the back closet works too. My kiddo’s birthday is the month before Christmas, so I always tuck a couple of gifts away from both events to pull out on rainy/snowy days. And if you don’t end up needing them for a snowy day but have a last-minute birthday invite… all I’m saying is I’m sure I’ve been re-gifted, and I have re-gifted. No shame and no regrets!

Preparing The Night Before

At the risk of aging myself, back in my day, we had to wait until the morning to find out if the school was canceled. Now we generally know the night before, which means more time to prepare games (and mentally prepare yourself). Freezing little toys or craft things into big bowls/blocks of ice can be fun for kids to chip away like they are Indiana Jones discovered the Lost Grail.

If you don’t mind a mess, or just really need 10 min to have coffee in peace, ooblek, slime, and playdough can all be made the night before likely with things you already have on hand. Consider cornstarch, flour, cream of tartar, food coloring, white glue, and contact solution all necessary snow day supplies now. You can also bake actual food like cinnamon rolls the night before and have them waiting for one of your breaks in going outside. Homemade rolls are fun and surprisingly easy to make but store-bought fills the need just as well.

Hopefully, this list of activities keeps your kiddos busy until lunchtime. Then turn on a snow day movie and enjoy a couple of hours of screen time freedom. You’ve earned it!