Winter Is Coming: Snow Day Ideas

We have another wave of snowstorms headed toward us out of the north and the midwest.

According to the Weather Channel people, two fronts will crash together over top of us -- at least that's what the radar looks like.

Right now?  It's pouring the rain down.

And I'm sitting here trying to decide whether I want to brave the crazy people to snag an extra pack of toilet paper and some chicken breasts, or whether we can just wing it.

Unfortunately my fear of running out of toilet paper may be making me one of the crazy people who heads out to the store in advance of the snow today.

In any case, I thought I'd put together a list of some of our snow day activities for others to use for bad weather or sick days in their own neighborhoods:


-- I got a pre-constructed gingerbread house and lots of candy decor for it, along with a tub of extra icing just in case it was needed.  We've made the pre-constructed house already.  But I also picked up a little village for The Peanut to make later.  I have a feeling if we have a snow day this week, "later" will have arrived.

-- Last week's snow adventure meant lots and lots of Lego building.  We had an entire spaceship, complete with rides inside and a jail for bad people.  Imagination is fun.

-- Our craft closet has come in really handy lately.  The Peanut made some cards for various people and drew pictures for her teacher.  This week?  If we have a snow day, she and I may be making some items for her American Girl doll.  That could be endless fun all by itself, right?  We have back issues of the American Girl magazine with craft ideas in it that we can put to use.  Construction paper, here we come!

-- I picked up a couple of packs of plaster figurines with assorted paint colors.  Several are cute little animals, but a few are things like Santa, reindeer, and such.  I have a feeling much painting will be done.

-- I've always got a stash of new coloring books somewhere.  They can be dug out in a pinch (or a fit of the crankies).

-- For the same reason, I also keep a stash of playing cards handy.  "Go Fish" and "War" are still mighty fun, and we have a cabinet full of other games and puzzles to play with as well. 

-- We could always make more snickerdoodles, although I really am cookie'd out at this point, I have to say.

-- We've been reading The Borrowers series, and The Peanut is convinced that some Borrowers live in our house.  (Perhaps due to the fact that occasionally "the Borrowers" leave her a thank you note when she makes them little books or other assorted goodies.  Imagination is fun, isn't it?)

That's all I can think of off the top of my head this morning (only one cuppa coffee into my day), but I know there is more.  I'll add to this as I think of it...


(Photo via Atli Harðarson.   Love the feel of this shot.)