Hobbies And Interests
Make Snow Cream
On a winter day with newly-fallen snow, make a batch of snow cream. Snow cream is a type of ice cream made from snow and provides a tasty treat for those who dare to try it. To make snow cream, gather approximately three cups of clean, fresh snow. Mix one tablespoon of sugar, three drops of vanilla flavor and ½ cup of cream together. Slowly add the snow to the mixture until the desired consistency is achieved. Instead of vanilla, try cinnamon, almond or other flavored syrup for variety.
Flag in a Snow Stack Game
Play a game of "flag in a snow stack." To start, determine a set of boundaries in the yard or park. Tie a white piece of fabric to a stick to create a flag. Each child takes a turn to hide the flag. After the flag is hidden, the seekers look around for the flag while time is kept. The winner of the game is determined by who's flag took the longest to find.
Winter Hike
Whether there's snow on the ground or not, taking a winter hike can be a good winter play day activity. Find the nearest nature preserve or park and walk through the woods with your family. As you're walking, talk about the differences the winter woods have when compared to the summer. Try to spot some wildlife. Have the kids bring along a journal to record interesting things that you spot, such as tracks in the snow.
Indoor Craft Project
For those winter days where it's simply too cold to go outside, make a special craft project. To combat the bleak landscape, make something that is spring-related. Kids should enjoy making flowers from paper plates. To make a colorful sunflower, cut one-inch slits around the edge of the plate. Round out the edges with scissors to create the petals. Paint it yellow. After the paint dries, glue brown pom-poms or real sunflower seeds to the center of the plate. Attach it to a wooden dowel that is painted green to create the stem and enjoy the color it brings to the house.