Tips to Max Out Your Snow Day

Oh, the news has finally come. The suspense is over: SNOW DAY!

Out your window the snow blankets your street and the houses across from you, and it’s all untouched by man. Some of your neighbors stand in their doorways, shielding their eyes from the rising sun but smiling.

How fresh the air outside smells, even from inside.

You have just one problem. Because you were supposed to spend the day in your normal routine, working hard, you have nothing planned. It would be a waste to spend your whole day inside. But if you’re looking for a few ideas on how to spend your free day, take a look at this a fun-filled plan.

8:00 A.M.

Good morning! Time to get your adventure clothes on!

We mean that both metaphorically and literally. Be bold. Try new things. It’s first thing in the morning, so start the day by getting properly dressed. Be sure to bundle in layers, including a moisture-wicking base layer, an insulating midlayer and an outer layer to protect you from wind and snow. And don’t forget accessories like gloves, hats, scarves and winter socks.

Also (a definite PRO TIP here) the best part of any kid’s snow day is snow pants.

Once you’re dressed for the occasion, it’s time to get out. Take a thermos full of hot chocolate or tea and walk to a nearby park. Breathe in that crisp winter air.

Need some extra body heat?

Pick up the pace. A vibrant power walk works wonders on the internal temperature.

10:00 A.M.  

A quiet park covered in pristine snow. A trail of deer prints leads into the brush. A bird sings atop a snow-kissed branch. Now that you’re here, what do you do?

We’ve got it — snow yoga!

Think about it: it’s quiet, it’s pristine, it’s calm. This is the perfect opportunity to stretch out and really meditate. Not only that, but it’s a fun way to kick around some snow. Some brief tips: be sure to stay fully covered and fully hydrated. Also, don’t overdo it. Your muscles may be stiffer in the cold, so stick to poses well within your comfort zone.

Bring along a yoga mat and some blocks and get your “snowga” on.

1:00 P.M.

Once you’ve gotten some lunch, it’s time to ramp up your enjoyment of, and rebellion against, the snow. Inform your yard that you won’t be waiting until spring to play your favorite team sports.

Get a group of friends together with a couple of snow-brick makers and build yourself a field. Mark the sidelines and the end zones, even build yourself a short field goal. Use an old football or pack one out of snow.

Even if you’re not in the field-constructing mood, stack some snow blocks to knock down with a bowling ball, or play snowball catch with a set of baseball gloves. See how many times you can go back and forth without breaking the snowball.

When it comes to sports in the snow, the possibilities are endless!

3:00 P.M.

Another possibility? Sledding.

I know, I know. After all this encouragement for you to be adventurous and be bold, sledding hardly seems to fit. But c’mon; the wind on your cheeks, the squeeze of panic and excitement in your chest, the breathless hustle back up the hill…what’s a snow day without sledding?

The sun’s getting low, so let’s call this the traditional part of the day.

If you feel like shaking it up, maybe grab a board or some skis. Or, have a snowball fight, but up the ante — and catch everyone off guard — with a snow toys like snowball slingshot or launcher. Shield yourself behind a snow fort and have good old fashioned fun.

6:00 P.M.

The sun is down, but you still want to stay active and you want a fresh challenge. Your answer: golf.

Golf? “But, all the holes are filled with snow,” you say. And, anyway, the course is closed, right?

True, you might think that, but what if I told you that you could play golf in the winter in your own backyard? A sport massively growing in popularity is frisbee or disc golf — a strategic game where you attempt to land a disk into a wire canopy basket. Like varying clubs, these disks come in different shapes and weights for different effects, and points in this game are scored exactly like strokes in golf.

In the snow, you can plant your basket nearly anywhere with ease just by weighing it down with snow, allowing you infinite variations of your course.  A word of warning though: use discs that are brightly colored, or risk losing them to a wild toss in the snow.

You can turn any family fun yard game into an entertaining winterized activity. Try playing cornhole, Kan Jam or ladderball as well.

8:00 P.M.

As the day really winds down, nothing satisfies like a fire. Sit in the backyard with a fire pit to keep everyone cozy, and share your favorite winter stories while you roast a bunch of marshmallows.

S’mores are the perfect final treat on this treat of a day, too.

So you’re officially exhausted. Congratulations, you’ve maxed out your snow day, filling every moment with snow-filled and energizing activities. Hard-earned rest, tonight. But keep the radio tuned, just in case you get another winter gift tomorrow.