Do you live in a chilly state like Michigan? We do and we have PLENTY of snow days here. Entire malls and roads get shut down from the feet of snow dumped on us. If you have school age kids stuck in from school they’re bound to get bored or spend the entire day playing Minecraft.
If you need some quick and fun things to do I’ve got a few ideas for your next snow day.
Painting Tutorial
A really cool way to get those brains working while the kids aren’t at school is to do an art project.
Search on YouTube a children’s painting tutorial of whatever you want and pause the video as you need to. I did this over winter break with my 4 and 6 year old niece and nephew and they were able to follow along. We didn’t have the right kind of paints or paper (or probably paint brushes) but they loved it!
Challenge Level: I’m sure you can look up other drawing, painting, or even Lego building tutorials for kids that will keep them busy!
Coloring Books
This might be an obvious one but break out the old coloring books (or new, more complicated ones for the big kids) and get to coloring. Use crayons, markers, pens, or colored pencils (or paint if you really want to!).
Challenge Level: ask the kids to copy the picture or trace it and make it their own!
Make a Blanket Fort
Gather every sheet, blanket, and pillow in the house! Let the kids work together and make it how they want or help them out and make the for YOU always wanted! Make it fun by adding twinkle lights and lots of books.
We have a table behind our couch in the basement. I set up a fort for my niece and nephew last year under that table and I kept it up almost all winter long. They would build little animal worlds in there with pillow and blankets and just sit in there and read.
Challenge Level: Pop some popcorn and give out candy canes and watch a movie in your fort.
PlayDoh
I always think of PlayDoh as this insane mess that will get stuck to everyone even the dog. But I’ve found that even a 4 and 6 year old can make a minimal mess. And this is totally to your discretion because obviously you know your own kids!
We love PlayDoh here! We get all the tools out and cut, roll, and squish! Find unique tools around your house like chopsticks, plastic forks, and toilet paper rolls to make wacky creations.
Challenge Level: make your own playdough! You can add whatever colors or essential oils or spices to make it smell or look awesome.
Make a Snow Fort
If you’re willing to get everyone bundled up, get outside and make something with snow! Free building materials! Some of my favorite childhood memories were making igloos with my dad outside with the giant icy snow that built up around the mailbox.
Get a little workout in and roll and pack the snow down to make the best fort you can. Your kids would love to sit in there and pretend whatever they can think up!
Challenge Level: bring them out some hot cocoa to sip in their snow fort! This is something my dad would do for me and my sister and we would sit in there for so long and have a tea party. We thought it was the coolest thing.
Cook or Bake Together
This is a great thing to do if you have older kids because they can learn to do this on their own. BUT if you still have littles this is something fun to do together and teach lots of things along the way.
Bake a giant batch of cookies and let each kid take turns scooping or dumping ingredients along with scooping the dough on the tray (and eating a little!). OR make a pot of soup and teach how to chop veggies and stir everything together.
So many memories are made around food. My niece and nephew ask to bake with me all the time and they love helping. Kids are so much more capable then we give them credit for!
Challenge Level: gear up and pass out cookies to your neighbors. I’m sure they’re snowed in too!
Board Games
Sometimes you forget how much fun board games are until you get them out again years later! Kids can learn so many things from games even if it’s just taking turns!
I’ve played Sequence, Rummikub (sort of), and Bingo with my 4 and 6 year old niece and nephew so even some of my more “advanced” games can cater to kids. But other games like HiHo Cheerio, Chutes and Ladders, Pictionary, and Clue are great games for any age!
Challenge Level: if your kids can’t read well or you don’t feel like playing with them, give them a game and let them make up their own rules. Maybe they’ll just play with Monopoly money or sort Rummikub numbers by color but they’ll be using their creative brains!
I’m sure you have these ideas in the back of your mind and it’s just the matter of making them come to fruition! I hope you can make memories with your family over these snowy days and let your kid’s imaginations run wild!
