Finding Ninee » Sharing our parenting and special needs stories with heart and humor.

7 Snow Day Activities for Kids (snark)

I can only remember a few times as a kid when my mom told us that we didn’t have to go to school because it was closed for snow. Back then, we waded through drifts of freezing flakes. Our feet were armed with a layer of socks, a newspaper bag, and moon boots. We carried our shoes in our backpacks and put them on over dry socks once we got to school. We saved our newspaper bags – wet side out – for the trek home.

When school closed, it was because the snow drifts were over our heads. Like this:

Growing up in Colorado, we always had school unless the snow looked like this.

Here, though, in Metro DC, it’s a different story. Maybe this area is wimpy, or people these days are afraid of lawsuits. Maybe it’s just more densely populated and there’s nowhere to put the snow. Whatever the reason, they cancel school here. A lot. Like a whole lot.

And it’s begun to grind my gears.

Please don’t get me wrong – an unexpected snow day with my son is a treasure. I love playing in the snow, taking him sledding, and building snowmen. I had a blast when I brought out Tucker’s beach toys to make snow castles last weekend. I like having and making fun. I do.

sometimes I like Snowdays

What I don’t like is that Snow Day Brain is a real thing. Whether a result of being cooped indoors for the majority of the day, from trying to juggle a job, a five-year-old and life, or whether it comes from the impossible task of balancing screen time with better-than-screen-time activities, not having a single week where school is in session each day is wearing on my brain.

It’s making me even dumber than usual, people. Seriously. I’m forgetting things, I’m neglecting things, and I’m so completely ready for Spring that I almost wore a sundress today just for fun. Just in case you’re in the same boat, I’m sharing seven snow day activities that I came up with last year to help occupy your time. If you have others, please share.

7 snow day projects for kidsSeven Easy DIY Snow Day Projects:

  1. The Tampon Box Carwash
  2. Does your kid like Spiderman? Mine does! So I’m thinking an intricate web is in order, in which I duct tape him to the wall, tell him he’s trapped, and hide. I figure that if I build this game up for a good 20 minutes before hand, that it will at least buy me a shower some Facebook time while he’s anticipating his rescue.
    Rescue me duct tape
  3. Duct tape would probably make a super cool Mummy. I haven’t graduated from toilet paper though.
    ghetto tp mummy
  4. Bake cookies. If you don’t know how to bake them, eat them. It’s okay and pretty much the same thing when you’re locked in the house. Also? You’re totally expunged from any cookie-eating guilt. Being cold and at home with young children burns more calories than running. Proven fact. Google it.
  5. Build the worst snowman on the planet. Who cares if it doesn’t have a nose, or a face, or has a tick-filled sprig of pine on its head for hair. You just killed 45 minutes of time, and your kid will be proud and remember your blissful memories the entire time snowman dude is melting. Really. Forget the scarf, too, as that just means more laundry for your husband.
    Snowman
  6. Face-Time your son’s Grandparents and tell them that they’ve got 6 hours to book a flight and come play with their grandson. They won’t come, but you’ll spend 2 hours laughing about it and telling everybody on Twitter how clever you are.
  7. Got a boy? Does he have problems with handwriting like my son does? Encourage writing his name in the snow. With pee. It’s not only therapeutic, but encourages fine motor skills, bladder control, and will be beyond awesome on your holiday card if your family doubts your kid’s ability to function.

Share your snow day activities here and like my Facebook page for some actual real suggestions for snow day fun including making moon sand and Ooblek!

This has been a Finish the Sentence Friday post, where writers and bloggers get together and link up their pieces to a particular theme – a sentence that they finish in one way or another. This week’s sentence is “You wanna know what really grinds my gears?”

Your hosts:
Me (Finding Ninee)
This week’s co-hosts:
Michelle (and this week’s sentence thinker-upper) of Crumpets and Bollocks
Anna of Fitfunner

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  • Emily - I’ve heard DC can be wimpy with snow, although I’m starting to think NY is not far behind. My kids have had more snow days this year than I had during my whole childhood! Love your snow day activities – especially #2. I’m going to have to try that and duct tape all 3 of my boys, including their mouths.:)March 5, 2015 – 10:48 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Mine too Emily and I only have ONE KID!!! Here’s to the duct tape. Please let me know if you have success with it 😉March 5, 2015 – 11:12 pmReplyCancel

  • Sandy Ramsey - Good Lord! I’m so glad we don’t get snow in Florida! I have seen so many posts on Facebook lately about schools being closed and moms going crazy.I can’t even imagine. Hang in there, my friend!March 5, 2015 – 10:51 pmReplyCancel

  • Tamara - Today I thought about making a snowman with a raised middle finger! Good, right? It wasn’t a snow day, though.
    I remember them being magical as a kid but can you imagine what it was like for my parents?? My dad still had to drive to work. My mom had to stay home with FIVE annoying kids. Holy cow. I feel claustrophobic just thinking about it.March 5, 2015 – 11:14 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - OOH yes so good! Love the idea of a snowman flipping the bird! haha
      And yeah, trying to make it fun for Tucker but so done with wet coats and boots and snow.March 6, 2015 – 3:11 pmReplyCancel

  • Lisa @ The Meaning of Me - I thought this was pretty entertaining, but you got me over the edge with pee-writing in the snow. Boy parents are so lucky! 😀
    This is great. And yes, snow days are starting to grind my gears a bit, too. I’m with you on that thought that we closed school far less when we were kids…I think we just live in a much more litigious society.
    And now I’m off to finish my post (which pretty much means come up with an idea, bang it out, and go).
    XOXOMarch 5, 2015 – 11:20 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Um Lisa? Just saying that girls can pee in the snow too. It’s not the same but you know the whole “everything boys can do, girls can do better?” I have to believe that a little bit. I’m outnumbered here.March 6, 2015 – 11:15 pmReplyCancel

      • Lisa @ the Meaning of Me - True, that. But you have to admit peeing in the snow with boy parts has to be way more fun than with girl parts. 😉March 6, 2015 – 11:36 pmReplyCancel

  • Mike - Your feelings on snow days seem to echo what a lot of parents say. It’s nice for one or two here and there…but several can really wreak havoc on parents jobs and schedules. Plus, the kids have those darn makeup days at the end when it’s summer. Maybe I’m not supposed to laugh but the duct taping is absolutely hysterical, Kristi!! One of the funniest pictures I accidentally never took because the two of us got caught in the moment. I made a snowman in the backyard. Phoenix just sat there 3 feet away, in the falling snow, staring at it and would not budge LOLOL!! Picture of you in a sun dress…yes please! Happy Friday and have a great weekend! 🙂March 6, 2015 – 3:13 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Snow days ARE nice but the unplanned part of them is pretty hard. I try to balance giving less to work with less to Tucker but then I feel like an asshole giving less to Tucker and then I get depressed and give less to Tucker. It’s just better to have the routine, I think. And YAY for laughing at the duct tape!! A stupid woman on Pinterest today commented that these are the worst snow day ideas ever. DUH. It was a JOKE. Sigh.
      Happy Friday Mike. I love the picture in my head of Phoenix just staring at the snowman. At least he didn’t pee on him?March 6, 2015 – 11:24 pmReplyCancel

      • Mike - I completely understand on your conundrum with Tucker. That would be a bugger. No, Phoenix didn’t pee on the snowman but he would have most definitely contemplated doing so on the Pinterest woman. Funny you should mention getting a joke. YOU are one of the FEW that continues to see (and actually read) the humor in my posts since Phoenix passed away. I guess folks thought he was the only funny one of our standup routine. Either that, or skimmers are alive and well, huh? 🙂March 7, 2015 – 4:23 amReplyCancel

        • Kristi Campbell - Well skimmers ARE alive and well and they suck. Also I always knew you were funny too. 🙂March 7, 2015 – 10:35 pmReplyCancel

  • Allie - I love it – and I am playing Spiderman with my kids today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But seriously, how many days has it ben? I am so sorry – I would have completely lost it by now. Last year – when Atlanta shut down for a week – I literally put the kids in the car and head south(west). I had to get OUT!March 6, 2015 – 7:19 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - OMG Allie! I think we’re on day 12 or something??? Maybe more. SUCKS. I mean obviously I love spending surprise time with Tucker but OMG.March 6, 2015 – 11:25 pmReplyCancel

  • Lisa @ Golden Spoons - Ha! Well, I’ve got girls, so I can’t do the pee thing. They did, however, do lots of baking during our snow days/weeks. They also made a snow chair last week. Guess they were tired of snow men – so they went in a different direction!March 6, 2015 – 7:24 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Anything boys can do girls can do better? Maybe not peeing in the snow though. YAY to lots of baking! And a snow chair!! What a great idea!March 6, 2015 – 11:27 pmReplyCancel

  • Elizabeth - Oh, I remember those snow days in D.C. when we would listen to the radio in the morning waiting for them to announce which counties were closing for the day. Even all those decades ago people complained that D.C. was wimpy. 😉

    I remember we used to read a lot when cooped up at home, and played a lot of board games.

    Good luck my dear!March 6, 2015 – 9:58 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - DC was wimpy then too? That helps and yeah, we play a lot of games too but sadly the ones my son loves aren’t very inspiring and they end quickly. Too quickly!!March 6, 2015 – 11:29 pmReplyCancel

  • Chris Carter - “Grinds my gears”… I’m TOTALLY stealing that phrase. LOVE IT!!

    Yes- I am so done with this winter and the snow days too. They throw me completely off and take away any semblence of normalcy, which in turn causes major flustering and flakiness over here too.

    I just can’t do one more. We should all have a “Wear your sundress day” just to bring a bit of FUN to our dreadful winter season that keeps hold on. Seriously- lets DO IT!!

    I suppose we will all have our winter gear on top of the dress, but hey- 😉March 6, 2015 – 10:36 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Yes!! Let’s do a “wear your sundress day” and post photos of us all in the snow freezing our heads off!!! LOL. Ugh to the snow days. The worst part is that I want to make them magical and then I get stuck in my brain and am terrible. Sigh. I just want spring already.March 6, 2015 – 11:32 pmReplyCancel

  • April G - I’ve never had a snow day and on the few days I’ve been where it snowed, it was celebrated and all the kids went to school late. I’m sorry that you’ve spent so much time indoors. I would never have usd that much duct tape. I’m too cheap. LOL. Have a great weekend.March 6, 2015 – 12:40 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - LOL to the duct tape and I don’t know whether it’s sad or awesome that you’ve never had a snow day but I love that when you did have snow, that all of the kids celebrated and went to school late. That sounds fun.March 7, 2015 – 12:10 amReplyCancel

  • Kim - I love the duct tape and the writing by peeing in the snow!!
    I hate snow and always deemed snow days as days we didn’t step foot outside. When the boys were little (3 & 5) we had a horrible winter and, of course, Chris was deployed. Luckily friends would come and take the boys out to play in the snow because they knew I wasn’t going to!!!March 6, 2015 – 1:01 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - haha Kim. Peeing in the snow may happen although I have to admit that the duct tape was a joke 🙂 and yay for your neighbors!!! If you ever feel like paying it forward, please consider coming to DC and taking Tucker outside.March 7, 2015 – 12:11 amReplyCancel

  • Allison - You have NO IDEA how absolutely terrible NC is, friend. I mean, terrible. It rained last night and was 37 degrees so we were on a three hour delay this morning. Whuck?
    Anyways, peeing in the snow is so rewarding for my sons, too. In fact, they ask to go outside to pee, then come back in. Whatever. I will stay in and eat cookies.
    xoMarch 6, 2015 – 1:58 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - You have three hour delays? Ours are two hours or school is cancelled and really??? It was 37 (which hello freezing has to be below 32 if I remember Junior High science at all) and wow. Also can I steal “WHUCK?”because awesome. Love that your boys go outside to pee and that you stay inside to eat cookies. 🙂March 7, 2015 – 12:13 amReplyCancel

  • Dana - Peeing in the snow – I love it! I used to walk in the snow and make a huge “I Love Chris” message outside of my bedroom window so I could sit in my room and look at it like the lovesick teenager that I was.

    I made my kids shovel because I can.March 6, 2015 – 4:49 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Aw to teenage angsty love stricken Dana who tromped in the snow. That makes me like you even more than I do.
      Also gah send your kids here. My husband put a chair in the extra spot he shoveled and was totally shamed by the HOA.March 7, 2015 – 12:15 amReplyCancel

  • Marty Sabolo - I don’t have kids, but if I did I think all seven on my list would include vodka or Rumchata or both!March 6, 2015 – 9:36 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Vodka yes. Vodka is a much classier option than my boxed wine. What is Rumchata???March 7, 2015 – 12:16 amReplyCancel

  • Marcia @ Menopausal Mother - Kristi, this is HILARIOUS!! It makes me wish I lived in snow (but only for a week) so I can try some of this stuff out. Think it will with ornery teenagers???March 7, 2015 – 12:14 amReplyCancel

  • Kelly L McKenzie - Ok so I shouldn’t tell you that the local mountains are closed for the entire season due to lack of snow? And that the remaining mountains are pumping out as much fake snow as the mild temperatures will allow? Or that our violets, snow drops and daffodils are up? Ok. You didn’t hear it from me.March 7, 2015 – 1:28 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Are you serious??? Ugh. I thought it was supposed to be cold up there in the great white north. Huh. Enjoy your flowers. Sigh.March 7, 2015 – 5:50 pmReplyCancel

  • Don - Hahaha, yes, everyone is wimpier nowadays! A fun activity for me is to tell the kids to get the hell out of the house while daddy gets pretty drunk playing Mario Kart. Maybe.

    I don’t have any snow boots, so being out in the snow sucks to me. Sucks royally.March 8, 2015 – 6:40 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Um, I know you’re attached to those gym sandals you’ve owned since 1997 but you do know you’re actually ALLOWED to buy snow boots, right? I mean it was your birthday this week after all.March 9, 2015 – 12:15 amReplyCancel

  • My Inner Chick - 4.Bake cookies. If you don’t know how to bake them, eat them.

    Now, this is my all time fave. Especially when they are chocolate chip! Mmmmmmmmm

    How are you, Kristi? xxxMarch 9, 2015 – 7:50 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Much better today with a regular routine back in the mix and here’s to cookies although I like sugar cookies best (can we still be friends?). How are you, Sweet Kim?March 9, 2015 – 8:05 pmReplyCancel

  • Kenya G. Johnson - Your post just made me cold. I’m also sitting here with wet hair and drinking a smoothie, with the window open as it approaches 70 degrees if it’s not there already. My what a change from a few days ago.

    LOL to the snowman. You should have had Tucker sign it. LOL! Well I guess that would be rude. But kinda funny.March 10, 2015 – 11:16 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Huh. 70 degrees eh? So jealous. LOL to having Tucker sign the snowman!! HAHA 🙂March 11, 2015 – 11:11 amReplyCancel

  • Meredith - Ummmm. Your snowman looks amazing compared to mine. HA! Love it. In Utah, they NEVER cancel school here either. Even when I desperately want them to. And, this year we were practically begging for snow, but I’m glad spring is here. 🙂March 22, 2015 – 10:48 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - LOL really? Also, I am SO glad spring is here. So glad. I’m so over the wet, muddy boots and gloves!March 22, 2015 – 11:14 amReplyCancel

  • Sarah - I love the tampon box car wash! So cute! Hopefully Spring will get here soon!March 23, 2015 – 11:54 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - LOL Sarah. And here’s to spring coming sooner than later. I’m so over the freezing cold!March 25, 2015 – 11:14 amReplyCancel

  • Tarana Khan - This was fun! But I can imagine how it gets with snow days after a while.March 23, 2015 – 2:06 pmReplyCancel

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