A Parents Guide To Surviving A Snow Day

For parents of school-age children, surviving a snow day can be a great accomplishment!

A weekday snow storm can be a mixed blessing. No lunches to pack, buses to catch and homework to manage after a full day of work. Yet, after the first snow storm, the novelty can wear off and tempers can flare. Cabin fever sets in quickly.

Surviving a snow day with young children in the house can be easy if you plan ahead.

We all know that a stocked pantry and refrigerator helps, but a stocked activities box is another must. Assembling a “Blizzard Box” will help in surviving a snow day. Gather inexpensive supplies that you can get at your local dollar store and add a few items that you can find in you cupboard. This will spare you from having to listen to a chorus of “there’s nothing to do” all day.

Here are a few suggestions to surviving a snow day and keeping the house-bound kids off the television, away from the computer and video games;

The supplies for each of the activities can be gathered inexpensively:

Tips to surviving a snow day:

Make and Frame a Painting: purchase water paints, brushes, a pad of news print paper and a plastic table cloth are all available at you local dollar store. Grab an 8 x 10 picture frame and select one picture to display. Or purchase stacks of felt and mini felt shapes, and create your own frame.
Create a snow globe: If you have a younger child in the house, plan now. Save a handful of baby food jars. If not, ask a friend or neighbor. You’ll need waterproof glue, sparkles and some plastic figurines. Have your child paint the lid; then, glue the snowman, toy solider or Sponge Bob figures to the bottom. Allow to dry thoroughly. Turn jar upside down, fill with sparkles and water and screw on the bottom.
Homemade Play Dough or Paper Mache projects: You should have most of the ingredients for either of these in the house already. For non-cooking Paper Mache paste, mix together one part flour to two parts water, so it resembles a thick glue. It should be runny. To avoid mold growth, add salt. Grab balloons, or plastic bowls to serve as a base. To mask the smell of the glue, add a few sprinkles of cinnamon. Play dough can be made with 1 c. flour, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 cup of water, ½ cup salt and food coloring. Grab some cookie cutters and an old rolling pin for hours of fun. Store in airtight jars.
Bake sugar cookies: You’ll need sprinkles, rolling pin, cookie cutters as well as the ingredients for a basic sugar cookie recipe. Or, just grab a mixture in the grocery store!
Surprise box: Introduce a never-opened jig saw puzzle, die-cast cars, decks of cards and coloring books. Most stores have a variety on sale. Grab a few and store them away. Look online for the rules for Old Maid, Crazy Eights, Go Fish or I Doubt It!