It’s the words parents dread hearing…………….”I’m bored!” This time of the year, those words frequently can be heard when schools are dismissed due to that frozen precipitation we call snow. So what is a parent, grandparent, or caregiver to do? We polled some of our readers and asked them what THEY do when the kids are bored. Here are some great ideas you may want to try.
- Dig out the cookbooks and let them cook something FOR YOU – with supervision, of course, depending on the ages. Or have THEM find a great recipe online. Kids are resourceful with technology. Even the littles! Amy from Deerfield, Illinois says “cookies and crock pot Italian beef” are a few of her favorites.
- Set up a tent and“camp out.” Have a picnic while at it. Everyday activities such as coloring, playing Legos, Barbies, or anything else is ten times more fun in a TENT! Ruth in Newtown, Pennsylvania says “Decorate an old bed sheet with magic markers. Drape the finished masterpiece over a table or a few chairs, place a few fluffy pillows and throws underneath, and spend the day in your new tent. Activities there can include board game marathons, crafts, picnics, reading, and sleepovers.”
- Make hot cocoa. See how many different things you can add to it to make it unique and tasty!
- Making snow cream is a favorite activity of Ann, Russellville, Alabama.
- Mary Jane from Mt. Laurel, New Jersey says movies are her go-to snow day activity. Watch a double feature. Or a triple feature. Or as many movies as they can stand! With popcorn, of course.
- Create a pillow fort. There are tons of ideas online, all you need to do is “Google” to find a few. Don’t be surprised if the family pets decide to be involved in this activity as well.
- Play in the snow. Make a snow man or create snow angels.
- Bundle them up and let them shovel the snow, says Dori in Pittsboro, North Carolina. What a great way to burn off some energy. If you so desire, get out there with them! According to MyFitnessPal, an adult weighing 150 pounds burns 442 calories per hour shoveling snow.
- Build a snow globe. This one is perfect for teens! Check out this board on Pinterest.
- Finger paint with pudding is a fun snow-day activity, per Sarah, Hallifax, Novia Scotia, as is “snow pictures.” Sarah says “ fill old spray bottles with water and food coloring to make pictures in the snow.”
- Play the “Survivor” food game, another great suggestion from Sarah in Novia Scotia. Blindfold kids and let them taste and identify things from the kitchen.
- Whatever you do, take plenty of pictures. Whichever activities your children like to do can become a new tradition and put into a “Snow Book” scrapbook, suggested by Dori in Pittsboro, North Carolina. This will be a great way to preserve memories of snow days present and past.
Thank you to our Unconditionally Her readers who contributed ideas for this article!
