Doreen M. of WI
Being a grandma in my 60's I look for non-strenuous ways to entertain my 6 grandkids. One way is for all of us to go outside armed with color. I fill empty mustard or ketsup squeeze containers with diluted food coloring, also old spray bottles too. We "paint" pictures in the back yard. Then finish the masterpiece with a sprinkling of bird seed. Everyone loves it--even our feathered friends.

Tara M. of CT
When I was young me and my siblings would go outside after a fresh snow with cups or bowls and pick up some snow with it and our mom would give us juice to pour on the snow we would make our own snow cones with it. I only advise doing it with fresh snow!! Look out for yellow snow!! LOL!

Charlotte R. of NY
Each year my son and his wife plan a "maze" on paper and then right after the 1st big snowfall, he snow blows the maze in their yard - (the 3 boys can't watch). The kids then have to go together (each one getting a chance to pick a path) to find their way back to the start. Afterwards they go inside and roast marshmallows in the fireplace and drink hot chocolate! They have such fun doing this as a family and look forward to it every year praying for lots of snow!

Rose S. of AK
I know that when we couldn’t go outside we loved to make snow globes. Finding a jar with a lid in the cupboard and finding a your favorite little toy to go inside, or if we were making them for other people to add a piece of inexpensive jewelry, hot glue it down and add glitter and water and seal the lid closed. We loved to make those.

Dorothy L. of PA
It is fun to get everyone a snow block maker then have two teams and time them to see who can make the most blocks in the set amount of time.

Tamrah T. of AZ
I just think the first snowfall of the season is the most beautiful! I find that taking those first steps into that "white blanket" a little melancholy, too. Here is a way to make the transition a little easier. Take pictures before and after. A short walk away from your local point, take the picture of the snow undisturbed. THEN let the kids have their fun! You'll find their joy in just getting to play with it all! Make sure you have plenty of room to get out of their reach :) You're sure see large smiles on their rosy cheeks! FINALLY, turn those pictures into a collage for holiday cards. Or better yet, make a family album that your family will enjoy the whole year through.

Karen K. of VA
I remember making this when my daughter was growing up: You get several cups of Fresh dry Snow - and put in a cup and then add evaporated milk and can stir for a nice fresh snow drink. Oh, I remember we add some vanilla extract to it to make it like a Vanilla Milkshake. Delicious!!!!!

Jennifer S. of CA
Find the Flag... in the Snow
Our family loves to play this game when we visit the snow!
How to play:
I tie a white cloth to the end of a short stick or around the bowl of a wooden spoon. Then, I give each of my children a chance to hide it by staking it anywhere within a predetermined set of boundaries. I keep track of how long it takes for the rest of the group to find it. Whoever hid the flag that takes the longest time to spot wins the game.

Belinda M. of MS
We would put birdseed out on the snow and then take photos of the birds when they came to eat. It helps the birds get food and you get some beautiful snow day memories.

Dawn G. of IL
My activity is a take off from summer lemonade stands. Go to the local sledding hill and set up a stand similar to a summer lemonade stand, but instead of lemonade, make snow cones out of only clean snow. I suggest scrapping the top inch off, and only doing this activity shortly after a fresh deep snow. You can use fruit juices, or liquid flavoring with food coloring or Kool-Aid made strong also works great. Then sell your snow cones to the crowds. My children have done this and it has always been a hit.

Lynn L. of NM
I would say, "Hey, there's no school today. We all have to get along with each other. Let's make it a party day!" Then I would urge us all to spend 30 minutes cleaning and straightening the house, doing basic chores so we could enjoy the rest of the day together. Then I would suggest that we prepare to bake cookies, play board games while the cookies bake and make hot chocolate, then perhaps watch a great movie…and just have a great time together! I don't know if this is possible in America anymore...Could we also have a short Bible study?

Mary C. of NY
I would fill spray bottles with water and food coloring and send my kids out into the snow to play. Sometimes they made a colorful snowman or snow angel and sometimes they just did murals in the snow.

When my kids were young and I thought we were going to get a significant snowfall, I would start saving half gallon cartons from milk. My 4 boys would fill them with snow and make bricks for an igloo. Once the igloo was made it usually stuck around for a while because of it's size. It was their engineering masterpiece and really took lots of cooperation [ and many hours] to make. It was surprisingly warm inside too.

Ellen O. of NY
As a child I remember snow storms that knocked out the electricity and the phone. We were truly snowbound. We bundled up really good (the electric ignition on the oil burner was out also). We used the propane stove to heat hot cocoa and soup. After we attempted to shovel, we would play in the snow. Years ago, you almost always got a snow day. We made snowmen, snow women, igloos and went sledding. The snowball fights were like major battles from block to block.

*Kelly T. of MO
I go shopping after Christmas for the 75% off bargains. Then we have a scavenger hunt in the snow. I make clues, and give each player a sheet. These clues lead to candy and small prizes such as candles, toys, and even something for the pet lovers and their pets. Later on, we have dinner of homemade clam chowder, pulled pork, pasta and salad.
We have snow ice cream for dessert. Here is the recipe;
1 large bowl of clean snow
1/4 to 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk.
2 teaspoons vanilla
Mix together and enjoy

We do a winter campout in the living room on a snowy night. We make a fire in the fireplace, make a tent out of blankets and pcv pipe (my husband is a plumber), sleep in sleeping bags, make dinner in a dutch oven in the fireplace and later make s'mores while we play cards. Last year we invited some neighbors and they had such a great time we are doing it again this year. Now, we need it to snow.