Yes, you’re the cruise director when we get snow days with kids. That said, here’s your bag of tricks!
Snow Activities: INDOORS
Get Physical
Get moving with indoor exercise games. Games like “Follow the Leader” and “Freeze Dance” are so much fun, kids won’t even realize they’re getting exercise! Jumping jacks and headstands are fun to do. Or, get in on the TikTok craze by learning a new dance together. Hey, you just might go viral!
Obstacle Course
Use buckets, blankets, balls, cushions and more to help your kids channel their inner ninja warrior. Map out space for the course in your home. Use a piece of tape or string to mark the starting point. Begin the course with some kind of silly move and time each child. Add things like blindfold, funny ways to walk, etc.
Balloon Tennis
Create paddles out of paper plates and popsicle sticks and try to keep a balloon in the air. It’s harder than it seems! You’ll need some wide, open space for this. It works great in a bonus room or bedroom.
Scavenger Hunt
Hide items for the kids to find! Give the kids an area to search. Write down clues for finding each item and tailor them for your kids’ ages. You can theme out your hunt like favorite books, for instance, “find Winnie the Pooh’s favorite snack!” (And so, you’d hide a jar of honey in your area). The key to a good scavenger hunt is your ability to make up clues. You can hand-draw clues, or use pictures for toddlers; you can use riddles for older kids.
Camp Out
This is snow much fun for kids. Let them build a massive blanket fort. Let them fill it with books, toys, sleeping bags, flashlights and pillows — their imaginations will soar. Let the kids “camp” in there throughout the day, even picnic inside the fort during meal time. When they come out — help them make stovetop s’mores.
Indoor Bowling
Use empty plastic water bottles for pins. You can fill them with a bit of water to anchor them better. Set up a triangle of 9 or 12 “pins” at the end of a hallway or against a wall in a room. Then, use a children’s ball or even a tennis ball to roll down the hallway to strike the pins. Play in rounds; a traditional game of bowling uses 10 rounds. On each player’s turn, they get two tries to knock down the pins. Each knocked-down pin earns one point.
Lego Challenge
Ready, set, build! Lego challenges are open-ended building prompts that encourage kids to think outside of the box. Your prompts could be: Build a bridge / design an animal / build your dream treehouse / make a marble maze, etc. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Give each child a cup of Legos and set your timer for a minute and see what happens. You can also download printable Lego challenge cards online.
Snowy Play
Lay out some towels on your kitchen table. Go outside and fill up a bin — or use cookie sheets — and bring it in, placing on top of the towels. Let your child play in the snow with small toy cars, plastic animals or blocks. It’s amazing how kids can keep themselves amused with simple activities like this.
READ MORE!
- Tennessee Snow Days Survival Guide for Parents
- Safety Tips You Need for Winter Weather
- Smart Dress for the Cold
Snow Activities: OUTDOORS
Local Sledding Spots
- Capitol Hill, Downtown Nashville
- Ashwood Avenue in Hillsboro Village
- Bernard & Belmont Avenue, Nashville
- Cedar Hill Park, Madison
- Shelby Park, East Nashville
- Love Circle, Nashville
- “Rollercoaster Hill” between Brook Hollow & Hickory Valley Roads, Bellevue
- The hill near La Vergne High School, 250 Wolverine Trail
- Stones River Greenway at Ravenwood
- MTSU entrance on Rutherford Boulevard, Murfreesboro
- Off I-840 at Almaville Road exit, Murfreesboro
