If your first thought on a snow day is "No!" not "Snow!" here are a few activities that might change your mind.
WASHINGTON — While the dawn of a snow day feels as fresh as the newly fallen snow, being cooped up inside as the day goes on can get old really fast (also like the snow). Here are some ways to keep you — and your kids — entertained throughout the day.
D-I-Y snow storm in a jar
Using glitter, some plastic figurines and glue, you can recreate the late-winter storm inside the confines of a glass jar. See how to make your own homemade snow globes on PBS.org.
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Thinkstock
Make a bird feeder out of bread
If you’ve got more bread in the house than you can handle, here’s an idea for crafting bird feeders out of bread. Check out the As Simple as That blog for full instructions. If you don’t have any birdseed lying around, here’s a list of kitchen scraps you can you instead, courtesy of The Spruce.
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Thinkstock
Treasure hunt in the snow
If you have a yard, hide little trinkets or figurines in the snow for a treasure hunt. Make a treasure map to lead to the loot, or let it be a free-for-all where the best man takes all.
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Thinkstock
Make snow ice cream
If you can find a spot of clean snow, making this one-of-a-kind, limited-edition ice cream could be a real treat. See how to make ice cream using fresh snow on The Spruce.
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Thinkstock
Create frozen ice orbs
If it gets cold enough, you can freeze soap bubbles to create fleeting, but beautiful, masterpieces. Using ingredients you can find at home, such as sugar and dish soap, you can conduct an entire science lesson for two hours using Popular Science’s guide.
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Thinkstock
Bake away
How many food items could you possibly bake in an oven? Let me count the ways. From baked apple chips to crisp kale chips, sometimes all you need is a dash of salt and some oven lovin’. Here’s a recipe for baked apple chips from allrecipes.com. Potatoes are another favorite, from whole baked spuds to matchstick fries. Here’s a Food Network recipe for oven fries. Then, there are more involved projects, such as pies, cookies, cakes and casseroles. The possibilities are endless.
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Thinkstock
Set up a photo booth
Elevate a rainy day costume party by setting up a photo booth at home. Go all out by creating a backdrop and using props. Or write out a plot and act out the scenes from the narrative. You could turn the photos into a personalized story book online using Shutterfly or Snapfish. With a few simple props, you could also capture images that will make Pinterest proud. Find examples on Brit + Co.
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Thinkstock
Churn your own butter
Work up an appetite before dinnertime by churning your own butter. All you need is heavy cream, a jar with a lid, and an energetic kid. Here are the full instructions on The Balance website.
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Thinkstock
Make your own play dough
Your kids never have to use store bought play dough again with this simple recipe using just flour, salt and water. (You can add a few drops of food coloring for a pop of color.) See the instructions on DIY Natural.
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Play-Doh
Create a snow sculpture garden
Snowmen and snow angels are definitely the classics, but think outside the box and build something new! Perhaps the neighborhood’s longest snow caterpillar, or an actual “snow” mobile? If you want to build a snow castle, use pans from your kitchen, or cookie molds as tools.
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Thinkstock
Think outside the hot chocolate box
After you’ve had your fill of hot chocolate, spice things up by trying these cold-weather drinks. This three ingredient Ginger Latte only requires almond milk, cane sugar and ginger. Add a scoop of ice cream to your cocoa to make a hot chocolate float. Or at least pretend to be getting in a serving of fruits with this recipe for Hot Caramel Apple Cider.
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