Jan 20 2009
Keeping Kids Busy on Snowy Days
The snow rarely falls here. When it does, it is even more uncommon for it to stick around a few hours. The snow did fall yesterday, though, and a bit more shook itself from the sky and dusted the icy grass today. There wasn’t enough to roll up into a ball, but for kids who’ve never experienced a “blizzard” of more than an inch of snow, a little means so much.
School was canceled (surprisingly), and so we woke up with an extra day ahead of us. That, of course, is very good news. It is even better with an arsenal of activities. Here are a few of mine. (My son and the girl next door are both 7, so these activities are geared around elementary school kids. They can be adjusted for other ages with a bit of tweaking.)
1.) Make a feast. We made chocolate chip pancakes, crescent rolls, pain du chocolate (chocolate chunks baked inside crescent rolls), Asian spring rolls, and fruit & veggie kabobs. Breakfast should be fun–and the biggest meal of the day.
2.) Take pictures. Give the kids a camera. A disposable works well, or give them a digital camera inside of a sealed plastic sandwich bag (to protect it from getting wet). Have kids take pictures of each other, you (digital pictures can be deleted later), and the outdoors.
3.) Catch a snowflake. Snowflakes will stick to dark construction paper. Want to really keep them longer? They can be saved with a little preparation. Gently move them from the dark paper to a cold microscope slide using a toothpick. Use a tiny dab of superglue (put it in your freezer first to chill it) over the snowflake and set a cover slip over the snowflake and glue. (Cover slips an empty microscope slides can be purchased at most toy and educational supply stores.) Allow a week in your freezer for the slide to really set.
4.) Make snow-cream (if there is enough clean snow). Find some snow that you trust to be clean. It should be off the ground and white. (***Warning! Snow can be contaminated by environmental factors. Use your own judgment when consuming!) Add milk and sugar to the snow. Mix. Freeze again, if necessary. You may want to add flavoring.
5.) Make snow angels. Lie on the ground on your back. Move your arms up from your sides to above your head and back down. Move your legs out as well. The movement is similar to doing jumping jacks. Be careful when standing so that you do not mess up your angel.
6.) Feed the birds. Put out bird seed or breadcrumbs. In the snowy weather, birds usually flock to the food. You can then examine the prints they leave behind in the snow.
7.) Make hot chocolate. Use a mix or cocoa, sugar, and milk. Make it special, with whipped cream or milk foam, chocolate syrup, and cinnamon on top. Have a candy cane? Make it a stir stick.
8.) Race around indoors using only the toes of your bare feet. Clear a section of floor. Have everyone take off their shoes. Using only their toes–without taking a step–have them try to pull themselves forward. This is not an easy task.
9.) Hang balloons on the walls using only static electricity. Winter seems perfect for static electricity. The dry air, the heat. Adding gloves, scarves, and toboggans makes it even better. Blow up balloons slightly, and then let the kids try to hang them onto the walls or anything else using only the power of static cling.
10.) Cut out snowflake chains. Give the kids computer paper, scissors, and a trashcan. Show them how to cut out chains–without breaking them–and let them try. This is also a great time to break out those snowy day books to read. If you have it, try Snowflake Bentley. It’s a fascinating true story–and one to get from your library if you don’t own it.
11.) Play board games, watch a movie, or find a silly video game. Never underestimate the power of Scrabble. Or Slap Jack. Teach your children a new game. Snuggle together and watch a movie. Or pull out a silly non-mind-numbing video game. I recommend hiding away a few for special days like this. Recommendations? Anything retro–PacMan, Frogger, or some newer games like Raving Rabbids. Computer games are great, too. There are a few that can entertain and teach a bit, too.
