Monday 21 January 2013

This week: surviving the snow!

I started this post last week and never got around to finishing. Friday was a snow day in London, no school for my son and we kept cosy indoors while the snowflakes fell steadily.  We did Lego building and baked some cookies. Over the weekend we got out in the snow, threw snowballs and built a snowman.

It's fun to have the snow for a day or two when it has the kind of novelty value it does in the UK. It's pretty to look out at from the window of a warm home, it's invigorating to run around in it and play outside wrapped up in hats and gloves until the cold hits you. After that, it gets a little trying. It's difficult to get out anywhere, especially if like me, you have a younger child in a buggy to push through the snowy pavements. Before long you can feel a bit trapped in your own home!

The best thing to do is keep busy, plan some different activities to make the snow days enjoyable. With that in mind, here are some suggestions for keeping occupied at home during snow or other bad weather days:

Cooking: cookies, cake, cheese straws/biscuits or get your children involved with helping make meals like pizza, stuffing pittas with falafel / cheese / salad / veggies, savoury pancakes etc.

Building: Lego, blocks, shoe boxes can all be good for constructing any number of things. You could also build a little house/tent with sheets/blankets draped over chairs etc

Active play: hide and seek, hopping/jumping type races in a safe area of your home can all be good ways to burn off some energy. See more ideas here.

Art & crafts: try some of the following:
- draw or help your child draw a snowman and then stick cotton wool all over and decorate
- provide some empty cereal boxes, toilet rolls, yoghurt pots etc and a roll of masking tape for them to make their own random creations
- kitchen roll rocket
- sock puppets
- homemade art materials
- homemade wrapping paper: spread out a roll of plain paper and let your little ones loose with the paint (sponges, potato printing, rollers can all look quite effective). Leave to dry and you'll have some very unique wrapping paper.
- playdough (either ready made or make your own first)

Have you had any snow where you are? What kind of things do you do to keep your children happily entertained when you are stuck at home?
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photo credit

3 comments:

  1. Cabin fever, we call it here.:)
    We used to spend a lot of time reading books too. Have you tried the "I Spy" collection? My children used to love to try and find objects on the busy pictures. Snow's coming here on Friday. Stay warm!

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    1. Oh yes, reading is a great one of course! I'm not familiar with the "I Spy" collection so will look into it, sounds like fun. Hoping you don't get cabin fever with your snow ;-)

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  2. Well you already know about our snow day and being stuck indoors :)

    Although my daughter loves getting out and being active, she is also a right little homebody (like her Dad) so tends not to go stir-crazy these days. She's still very demanding, so finding things to do is always a bit of a mission. Some good ideas there and I think we tend to do many of them. We love baking and painting, but I could definitely improve in the crafts department!!!! xx

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Thank you for reading. I'd love to have your comments and thoughts!