Who doesn’t love snow days? (Actually I do know some people, but they don’t live at my house!) We actually don’t get a lot of snow days here in Colorado. It’s not that we don’t get snow, but that people here have chains and snow tires and four-wheel drive. We don’t let the snow slow us down too much. I love when we do have a snow day, when I don’t have to drive, when we can stay all day in our sweats and pajamas. I like to sprinkle a tiny bit of powdered sugar over the kids’ waffles or pancakes as a special treat.
Often, our winter snows aren’t good to play in. The Colorado snow is powdery, and the temperatures can be much too cold for little ones, or children who already have the sniffles.
Your kids don’t have to miss out on playing in the snow, though. What you can do is bring the snow in. Put towels on your kitchen floor. This not only protects your floor, it’s safer for kids to walk on damp towels than wet linoleum or tile. Fill a roasting pan or a large dishpan with snow and place on the towels. Give the kids measuring cups, spoons, muffin tins. You can even add a little food color. Be careful with that food color though. It can stain little fingers, clothes and kitchen floors! Kids can make snow castles (instead of sand castles), tiny snowmen and igloos. Add some toy animals and dinosaurs for extra fun.
Capture a few snowflakes on a dark piece of paper or item of clothing. Let your children admire the delicate intricacy before the snowflakes melt. Talk about how each snowflake is special and unique, just like they are. Break out the magnifying glass.
Don’t forget the hot cider (apple juice with a little cinnamon)or hot chocolate. Add an extra marshmallow or two, and some whipped cream if you have it. Settle in for story time. Preschoolers will enjoy hearing Clifford’s First Snow Day by Norman Bridwell band The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. Curl up and watch the snow.
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