What to do With Your Kids on a Snow Day

We were gearing up for the blizzard of the century. Historic snowfalls were predicted, I spent over $80 on flashlights and batteries, my husband played Charles Ingalls and stocked up on firewood, salt, wine and shovels. Our plan, if we were lucky enough to keep our power, was to hunker down, catch up on some movies and hope for the best.

We woke up this morning to just a couple of inches. I feel cheated, while at the same time, am really happy we are warm and school will resume tomorrow. The question is now, how do we spend the day? It doesn’t have that survival feel I was emotionally prepping for, so I guess we need to get busy. I surveyed the family, and here’s what’s on our list:

– Do a jigsaw puzzle. You have one sitting in a closet somewhere, and it is not as boring as it sounds. It’s like meditating in a group.

We did this a few weeks ago and everyone got involved.

– Build a snowman – of course – but, with a twist. We’re going to watch a little of Frozen to get inspired, and then compete in teams. Who can build the most creative snow creature?

Click on the image for some more creative ideas from Buzzfeed.

– Play Chopped – If you haven’t watched the show on Food Network, check it out On Demand. Pick three varying ingredients and see who can come up with the best appetizer, main course and dessert using all three ingredients and any other edible products they can find. Judging should be based appearance, taste and creativity.

– Karaoke – Get silly. If you don’t have the machine, or the video game, try this app. A snow day is a great time to let your kids see your crazy side — by that I mean your college crazy side and not your Jack Nicholson from the Shining crazy side.

– Have a game marathon – Let everyone pick their favorite board game or activity and make a schedule. If your family has a competitive side, keep score and assign prizes.