articles

School Snow Days with Kids

By Barron Whited, MS. ED, College Expert January 21, 2016
As the snowy, cold winter is well underway, many kids may discover their schools were cancelled due to inclement weather. They may be thrilled to have this time away from a structured environment of classes and schoolwork. Snow days can be long lasting memories for kids and their parents, if they are planned out appropriately. Families can take this opportunity to go sledding, play a game, or make hot chocolate. Here are some tips to make the most of a snow day with your kids:
1. Bond With Your Child
When students have a day off from school, this is wonderful opportunity to bond with them. It helps to get to know them better in a more relaxed environment without the anxiety. Parents can learn a great deal about their children through playing games because it helps them to open up more so than asking them a straight forward question. Bonding can build a very strong relationship with a child because it helps them to understand that they can come to their parents with any problems they may be going through in their lives.
2. Create a Fun Activity
Another way to pass the time on a snow day is to create a fun activity inside or outside. It is vital to get a kid’s input on something they would like to do because it will make the day more enjoyable. Some examples could be sleight riding, building a snowman, watching their favorite movie, or inviting their friends over. If kids want to invite their friends over to play a game, it might be a good idea to select a game that has team building skills in it. This can help kids learn how to work with others and emerge as leaders.
3. Teach A Life Skill
Parents can use this time to teach a life skill that can last a lifetime such as how to make a salad, how to follow directions when cooking, and how to clean the house.  When teaching a new skill to a kid, it is vital to have patience with them because it may take several times for them to catch on. Practice makes perfect!! Some other life skills can be how to manage money, how to show respect towards others, and fill out a job application.
4. Catch-up On School Work
The last thing on most kid’s mind is to catch-up on homework or assignments. However, this is a fantastic opportunity for them to finish work that maybe they didn’t have the opportunity to do the night before. Families maintain very busyschedules during the week! This can be a good time to get a jump start on future projects such as a research paper, presentation, and prepare for a huge test. Kids can use this time to get extra help maybe through tutoring, practicing math and making flash cards for vocabulary words.
5. Enjoy The Day
The last thing to remember about snow days is to make sure families enjoy the day! It is important to have a stress free day with no anxiety or tension because it can help to build memories for parents and their kids. Parents may want to make a snow day journal that has their family’s most valuable moments of that day through writing a few words, including photos, as well as a list of things that were accomplished. Snow days can be a time that helps parents reconnect with their kids and building a solid relationship with them!
Have a wonderful Snow Day!!

Macaroni Kid Johnstown/Laurel Highlands/Altoona is a free weekly newsletter and website focused on fun family events and information in the greater Johnstown area. We gather together all kinds of local family events and activities each week, and add useful information about classes, family-focused businesses, book and product reviews, recipes, crafts, school and camp guides and more. We proudly serve families in Johnstown, Ligonier, Ebensburg, Hollidaysburg, Altoona and other surrounding communities.