2/28/15

What To Do When You're Snowed In With Kids

Well our magic chicken noodle soup recipe worked... school was closed on Monday due to 'inclement weather' aka ice. Then it was closed again on Tuesday, due to the refreezing of that ice. Aaaaaaaand then, it was delayed two hours on Wednesday due to snow. We then wrapped up the week with several inches of snow on Friday that led to an early dismissal! What a week!


For the most part, my girls play well together and are easily entertained. But still, getting 'snowed in' with kids can be sweet & sour. On the one hand, it is fun to have extra time together. Time to relax and take a break from a busy schedule. On the other hand, it is really easy to go 'stir crazy'!

So here are my favorite ideas for "What to Do When You're Snowed In With Kids" :) 

1. Get Outside. We don't have real 'winter' gear. But that didn't stop my girls from playing in the ice and snow. It did lead to some extra laundry, but it was worth it. I firmly believe that fresh air can cure anything! (Even cabin fever.)



2. Break out the Crafts. My girls are always getting craft/activity kids for gifts and we don't always have the time to sit down and enjoy them. Knowing you have nowhere to go... makes for the perfect time to give those activities a try. If you don't have craft kits on hand, cruise Pinterest for crafty ideas or science projects that are age appropriate for your crew. You would be surprised what you can make with items you already have at home.



3. Bake. There is something about cold weather that makes a person hungry. Let your kids help you in the kitchen. My girls wanted to make s'mores but we were out of graham crackers. So we put 4 mini marshmallows on a ritz cracker and microwaved it for 15 seconds. Then we topped it with a piece of Hershey chocolate and another ritz cracker. It was ahhh-mazing. I will never go back to graham crackers.


4. Turn on the TV. I am always fearful that I will rot my kids brain with television. But my husband sweetly reminded me "A few extra hours in front of the tv will not kill them!" When you are trying to keep everyone happy under unusual circumstances, tv is good. So I snuggled up on the couch and we watched Netflix movies. I had forgotten how fun those old Disney classics like "Swiss Family Robinson" are to watch.

5. Read. Read to your kids. Have them read to you. Grab a book you like and read to yourself while they look at books. Let them read to each other! My girls fell asleep in the same bed one night while they were reading to each other. So sweet!

6. Play. Sometimes we forget to just play with our kids. Puzzles, Wii games, dolls, legos etc.  Make a snowman or start a snowball fight. Do something silly or just give them your complete attention. My girls love for me to be the audience to their elaborately choreographed dance and singing shows. I have a friend who shared on facebook that she let her kids play "Fancy Hotel". She relaxed in bed while her kids 'spoiled' her with room service, fluffy towels, and great manners.



7. Be Social. If you have neighbors, invite them over for lunch, dinner or a playdate. Getting to socialize with others makes everyone feel better. On our second 'snow day' the roads were dry enough to drive, so we met friends nearby for lunch and a trip to Jump Street. It was good for us all to get out and talk to other people.



And remember, this too shall pass. The snow will eventually melt, everyone will go back to real life and busy schedules. So no matter how crazy you might feel while stuck in the house, your kids will remember those snow days. Their best days and favorite memories will always be the ones they got to spend with you.



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