You awoke this morning to screams. Phone calls, emails, and social media posts have just announced a snow day from school. While relieved that everyone is ok, a new challenge has been added to your day.
For a day away from school where there is a good amount of snow on the ground, the kids will be outside making the most of the snowball fights, sledding, and other snow day possibilities. The two extra tasks are to keep them warm and entertained all day.
Snow keeps everyone well entertained, you just have to keep the creativity flowing. Bring spray bottles mixed with food coloring and water out so the white winter wonderland can have a splash of color. After there’s a giant snowman smiling out at the neighbors, tie-dye him with the mixture so your home stands apart.
Once they take a break from building a snow family, warm up the kids’ hands with crunchy chicken fingers and sauce for lunch. The tasty meal will keep them in long enough to make the redness on their faces disappear—for a little while! Send them to the couch for some TV time to make sure they are warm and well rested before they venture back outdoors. Rent the movie you’ve been putting off going to see for weeks. You’re keeping the kids warm, checking off an item on your to-do list, and getting a few moments of quiet. It’s an easy win.
But that’s not always how snow days go. The call came when it was still dark outside, but now that the sun is rising and you look outside, you realize the cancellation was for low temperatures and ice, not snow. Instead of bundling the kids up and sending them outside, they’ll be with you all day.
Has anyone figured out how to make them enjoy chores yet?
Push back the living room furniture and dump all the home’s bedsheets and blankets on the floor. Today, you’re getting your own fort. We hope the HOA doesn’t mind.
Once the kids have assembled the impenetrable fortress and furnished it with the most dazzling fairy lights, finest pillows, and warmest sleeping bags, it’s your turn to contribute. Deliver dairy delicious snacks like Mac and Cheese Casserole Cups for a warm, comforting bite. Make sure there’s plenty of entertainment and strong Wi-Fi. The inhabitants are hunkering down for a long winter.
Prepare the kitchen for fun treats. If there’s enough snow on the ground, collect it for a fresh batch of snow cream, a simple creation that uses snow, sweetened condensed cream, and vanilla extract (or whatever you want). Once the treat is gone, send them away with sweet hot chocolate.
Before the day is over, bring the family together. With everyone stuck at home, it’s a great opportunity to spend some catch-up time with family. Eat the required snow day pizza as you let one another tell wild stories no one has had time to tell.
And as you head to bed, a ping lets you know that if you didn’t get to do everything on the list today, don’t worry, tomorrow will be a snow day, too.
Seriously, someone figure out how to make chores fun.