With a December and January snow storm under our belt, plus several additional wintry weather delays, I’m ready for spring. How about you?
I do enjoy the slowness that a snow day creates, but those shifts in schedule can sometimes be hard to take. For me, having a plan (or just a general idea of the rhythm that works best on snow days) is key and helps me be intentional with this gift of time with my kiddos.
Work Hard. Then, Play Hard.
We are fortunate to live near other families, so playing outside is usually a given. But first things first. We get our chores done first - this includes our usual weekday chores of unloading the dishwasher (kids do this daily), begin a load of laundry, clear off breakfast table, and then a few additional ones. Tidying the playroom and bedrooms and folding towels are a few ideas.
Baking
We don’t have the opportunity to do this as much as we did during the preschool years, so having a few recipes using pantry staples make for a fun activity and yummy afternoon snack.
Creativity
We often include creative kits on our Christmas list specifically to use on snow days. Whether a LEGO set, art kit, science experiments or simply PlayDo or new sensory activity like water beads, these are perfect to pull out on snow days when the schedule is light.
Quiet Time
We implemented quiet times after our kids gave up naps. When they were very young they spent QT in their room daily for an hour of rest or quiet play. Even as they’ve entered school, occasional quiet time is so helpful to reset - we can all benefit from learning to be alone (it took me much too long to learn this myself). So, usually on snow days I set the expectation that we will have this in the afternoon, and they can read, play with legos, write a story, or take a nap (imagine that!)
Games
Time for board games is at a minimum during the school week, so we usually plan to play together on snow days. This is also a gift request for birthdays or holidays, so there are generally a couple new ones to try out plus we are just getting to the point where our youngest can participate more, and that makes such a difference!
Much of this can apply on a rainy Saturday, a too hot summer day, or a sick day.