Snow Day Activities

No matter how many times I complain about the Omaha weather, I must admit that I’m always just as excited as the kids are to hear there is a snow day. Yes, there are perks to being a teacher (definitely not the pay) and a snow day is one of them! One day that you are stuck at home with your own children, no lesson planning or meetings. I know for some this long period of being stuck inside with little children seems like something out of a horror movie, so I’m going to share some helpful activities for you to do with your children during those upcoming snow days!

Sledding and Hot Chocolate

The first thing we love to do is go sledding. Once the sun has been out for a while and the streets are somewhat clear, we get all the needed snow gear and head out in the crazy weather. We sled for as long as the children can handle it (watch the temperature for this one) and then head back for some nice warm hot chocolate. Most of us own a Keurig or some similar type of coffee making machine and these handy little things also have packages of hot chocolate that you can stock up on before winter hits. Add marshmallows and you warm right back up again after a few sips!

Old School Games

We also love to dig out the games. No, I’m not talking about iPads and Wii. I’m talking old school board games or cards. It’s a perfect time to sit and revisit some old games that most of the time you don’t have time to play with your kids. Teach them the old strategy games of Battleship or how to play Scrabble without pushing the hint button on an iPhone app. You can even play card games like Rummy, King’s Corner, or Go Fish if you don’t happen to have any of those old board games around anymore.  Either way, those games are good for their little minds.

Art Activities

I also try to keep some fun art supplies on hand that we don’t use every day. It doesn’t have to be a ton of supplies or cost much money. Washable paints or finger paint with painting paper is less than $5 but probably not a project you would dig out every day. You can also keep a few things like glue, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, or yarn to add on for extra additions to the artwork. Let them be creative and get messy. After all, you have time for them to take a long, warm bath and play with every single rubber ducky they own when they are done being the next Van Gogh.

Fort Fun

Another fun thing is to build a fort. You have to make it a big one for everyone, even if you have to convert the dining room table for a day. Pack all of the sleeping bags, warm blankets and stuffed animals that you can find in there. You must also get books, snacks, cards and flashlights. Once you’re all settled in, you can read, play cards, or just talk. It’s a great way to relax, stay warm, and make some fun memories.

Required Attire

Last but certainly not least, all of this should be done in your pajamas. There should be zero changing of clothes unless they get soaked from sledding or painted on from finger paint. Even then, changing into something else consists of another pair of pajamas.

All of these activities are guaranteed to make your next snow day a fun and memorable one! After all, children grow up way too fast. So when a snow day comes around, slow down. Take a day to just enjoy your time with your little ones without the fast pace of our world nagging at you. The dishes can wait, the laundry can wait…the growing of little children will not wait.

Sunni
Sunni is a wife, a mother, a step-mother, and a teacher. Her husband has 3 older kids (Michael 18, Allison, and Molly 17) from a previous marriage and together they have 2 kids (Jonah 12 and Brooklyn 5). They live right in the heart of Omaha, and Sunni teaches at a private school in West Omaha. She teaches English and Reading at the middle school level. Her husband David is a physical therapist and has his own clinic in affiliation with Children's Hospital in west Omaha. They both love helping others, writing, traveling, being outside, and forever learning and growing in what we do!