Children eagerly await snow days every winter. When they happen the way they are supposed to, they are filled with lots of outdoor activities like sledding, snowball fights and snowman building. But, sometimes the snow day is more of a freezing rain day and the kids are trapped inside all day with nothing but pent up energy to keep them busy.
Unfortunately, children that are stuck inside on a snow day are often bored and this can lead to sibling fighting. Be prepared for the next indoor snow day with these winter-themed activities.
Before starting the indoor snow day activities push back the furniture to create a wide-open space in the living room. This will give you and your children plenty of room to play.
Winter Scarf Jumping
Kids that are excited to be home from school for the day generally need a physical outlet for all that excitement. Pull out some long winter scarves and jump rope. As the kids jump, sing jump roping songs. Teach them the jump roping songs you sang as a child or jump to the lyrics of Frosty the Snowman.
Winter Clothes Dressing Relay
Get the kids moving on an indoor snow day with a winter clothes dressing relay. Place each child’s snow pants, jacket, scarf, hat and winter boots in a pile on one side of the room. Place the mittens or gloves on the opposite side, directly across from the pile of outdoor clothes. When the race starts, each child puts all the outdoor clothes on as fast as he can, races to the other side, puts the mittens on and races back to the start.
If your children are likely to get overly competitive with each other and argue about who won, time each child as he completes the race on his own. Challenge the children to race several times to find their best time.
Build an Indoor Blanket Fort
Ideally, a snow day is the day to make a snow fort, but when the weather doesn’t cooperate, you can substitute with an indoor blanket fort. Move the living room furniture around so that the back of the couch is facing the back of a chair. Make sure there is several feet of space between pieces of furniture. Cover with blankets. Let the kids use their imagination to add to the fort in creative ways.
Snow days that don’t have snow can be stressful for parents and boring for children. Keep the children entertained and prevent fighting and boredom by planning indoor snow day games and activities. Encourage the children to be active by scarf jumping and organizing a winter clothes dressing relay. Build an indoor fort and enjoy the day off with your children.
