Snow Day Fun: Indoor Ways to Play with Snow

2/4/2021

Ahh...Wisconsin winters. We got about 6" of snow today (and it's still falling tonight). I really can't be complaining, though. This has been a relatively low snow year, and this really is the biggest snowfall we've had all winter. It's been a mild and easy winter so far, and for that we are thankful! Plus, our family enjoys the snow and we always enjoy getting outside to play. But, with this snow, a cold snap is coming and highs are predicted to be around 1-2 degrees over the next few days. So what can we do when we are stuck inside with lots of snow all around us? We can have fun!

These family-friendly activities are low-prep and easy to set-up, and are a fun way to spend a winter day inside. I hope you enjoy them!

Painting Snow

This could literally have not been easier. I went outside and put two shovelfuls of snow in each kid's bowl. That was it. With the warmth of the house air, the snow got really nice and packy, and we took out containers to make miniature snow castles and snowmen. Then we painted! To make the snow paint, I just mixed 2 drops of food coloring in water. This made it a safe-to-eat treat for my little B-nut who really loves to eat the snow....

This entertained the kids for a nice long while. When the snow was all painted and beginning to stick together a little too much, we dumped it out and got new snow! It was a lot of fun for them, and for me too!

Snow Ice Cream

After our fun with painting the snow and playing with it, we got some nice fresh snow from outside to make snow ice cream. I hadn't ever heard of it until my grandma mentioned that she had used to make it when she was a kid. Again, this was a simple and easy treat and the kids thought it was delightful! Of course, consume snow at your own risk (and don't grab the yellow stuff).

Ingredients:

8 cups fresh snow
1 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla(read here on how to make your own)
Sprinkles and chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix the milk, sugar, and vanilla together. Slowly add the snow, stirring as you add. It should be a fluffy ice cream mixture! You can top it with sprinkles and/or chocolate chips, but hurry! It melts fast!

Make Maple Syrup Snow Candy

This is one of the things I remember reading about in Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls
Wilder. Erin, over at Nourishing My Scholar, has a great recipe you can use to make your own! You can check it out here!

The Melting Snowman

This was a fun addition to our learning time. We started by talking about the different states of matter and how each was different from one another. Then, we brought in some snow, formed a small snowman, and placed him in a container on the counter. We measured his height using legos and we made predictions on what we thought would happen to his solid state the longer he stayed inside. After 15 minutes or so, we measured him again to see what was happening and recorded our findings. After he was just a puddle, we boiled the water to watch the liquid turn into gas. It was a fun way to do some science!

Snow Sensory Bins

Bring out the spoons, measuring cups, plastic animals, toy cars, and toy bulldozers! Give kids a chance to just have fun and explore what they can make in this fun setting. What tracks do their animal toys leave behind? Can they plow the road? How big of a snow castle can they build? Kids will love just getting to play in the fluffy, white stuff! The question is- what do you get to do while they're so busy?!

And there you have it! Some ways to have fun with snow while staying inside on those cold, cold winter days. I hope you and your family enjoy this time together making memories!