{"id":6756,"date":"2017-02-01T06:00:40","date_gmt":"2017-02-01T11:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.elfster.com\/?p=6756"},"modified":"2023-02-10T14:03:35","modified_gmt":"2023-02-10T19:03:35","slug":"snow-day-winter-crafts-games-cool-boredom-busters-warm-imaginations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.elfster.com\/blog\/2017\/02\/01\/snow-day-winter-crafts-games-cool-boredom-busters-warm-imaginations\/","title":{"rendered":"Snow Day Winter Crafts and Games: \u201cCool\u201d Boredom Busters That Warm up Imaginations"},"content":{"rendered":"

Puffy snow-quality coat? Check. Mittens clipped to coat? Check. But wait\u2014where\u2019s her hat???<\/span><\/p>\n

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Keep your littles entertained on snow days | Image courtesy flick\u2019r user MissMessie<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Getting my niece ready to play in the snow takes a full 20 minutes of hunting down winter accessories and struggling into layer after layer of warm clothing. Her excitement means she\u2019s unable to stay still, even for us to help put her boots on. We finally get outside and have ten brief, but blissful minutes of pointing, touching, and snow throwing\u2026 and then she decides it\u2019s time to go back in. What on earth are we going to do for the next eight hours?<\/span><\/p>\n

Snow days are the best days on your kids\u2019 calendars. They get to skip school, play in the cold fluff, and, best of all, stay home with you! But parents may nervously wonder <\/span>how to entertain their 6-year-old for a full day<\/span><\/a> without breaks. Our snowed-in craft ideas are here to help when the outdoors lose the allure.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cold Day Outdoor Crafts<\/h4>\n

The snow outside provides its own fun for your elementary-aged child. Building snowmen, snow forts, and having snowball fights with the neighborhood kids will keep them busy (and worn out) during your time at home. But you definitely want to have some other ideas up your sleeve to keep winter boredom from setting in. These crafts keep little hands busy by taking advantage of the icy snow outside:<\/span><\/p>\n

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Dig out your summer toys | Image courtesy Etsy seller SonyaDeHartDesigns<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A Snowy Egg Hunt<\/b><\/p>\n

Water balloons and food coloring are all you need to make some icy colored eggs. Squeeze one or two drops of food coloring inside each water balloon and fill with water, tying off as usual. Try to keep the balloons rather small so they have time to freeze completely overnight. Let the kids help you find the perfect place in your snowy yard to leave the water balloons\u2014be sure it\u2019s in the shade during the day\u2014and lay them out on top of the snow. Then just peel the plastic balloons away the next morning.<\/span><\/p>\n

Your kids will love how the colorful \u201cglass\u201d eggs look against the white backdrop outside, and will be even more excited when you host an egg hunt by hiding them around the yard in increasingly difficult spots. Easter comes early this year!<\/span><\/p>\n

An Icy Yard Painting<\/b><\/p>\n

This craft uses another summer staple: squirt guns! Fill with water and food coloring and send the kids outside to paint the snowy yard with bright colors. If your kids are anything like the little ones in my family, they\u2019ll squeal with delight for about five minutes before they \u201cdon\u2019t know what to draw.\u201d Here\u2019s where you come prepared with a creative race idea. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Frozen bouncy bubbles | Image courtesy flick\u2019r user Heather<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kids will love this scavenger hunt style activity. Print a list of drawing ideas for each participant (animals, words, and 3D snow sculpture prompts) and start the timer. The first to complete their list wins\u2014and you get to sit back and watch the fun play out on your back lawn.<\/span><\/p>\n

Frozen Bubbles<\/b><\/p>\n

If you live in North Dakota, Vermont, or any of our states that experience extreme cold (0 degrees or below), you\u2019ll definitely want to experiment with this wintery take on a summer craft.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mix up a freezable bubble blend of 1 \u00bd cups water, \u00bc cup dish soap, and 1 tsp glycerine (found in most big box stores near the bandaids). Take your bubble wand outside and create bouncy bubbles that you can even hold in your gloved hand! Wait an hour and the bubbles will have frozen solid, breaking like eggshells when touched.<\/p>\n

Bringing Winter In<\/h4>\n

If the weather outside is frightful, your kids may feel like staying in after their initial snow-angel playtime\u2014and we don\u2019t blame them. Be ready for their return to shelter with a craft or two already set up for them to explore.<\/span><\/p>\n

Homemade Snow Ice Cream<\/b><\/p>\n

This chemistry craft brings the snow inside for your kids to enjoy. We make this recipe every year on snow days, so it\u2019s become a special family tradition! Send your kids outside to collect a big bowl of fresh, clean snow and get ready to enjoy.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Ingredients:<\/b><\/p>\n