No Skis Needed: Other Activities to Enjoy in the Snow

Whether it’s a city park during family travel or in your own backyard at home, nothing makes kids happier than playing in the snow. And it’s not just for kids — the whole family can join. Here are a few ideas for turning the snow-covered landscape into a fun park.

Make Snowmen
Wet, sticky snow is best for creating snow people and it’s a creative activity any age can enjoy. If you’ve never rolled a snowman, just make a snowball (resist the temptation to throw it at someone) and roll it along the fresh snow. It will pick up more snow and grow as it rolls. Vary the direction to keep the ball round and continue rolling until you have the right size for a body. The head and arms are just smaller rolled balls stuck onto the base (use some loose snow for glue).

Build a Snow Fort
The same kind of snow is best for building a snow fort or house because it must stick together. The easiest snow fort to build is by standing a series of rolled balls in a row. Carve off the rounded parts to make a solid wall, filling in the spaces with extra snow. Make it taller by adding a second layer.

Catch Snowflakes
If snow is still falling, try catching snowflakes. A piece of chilled dark velvet is perfect, but dark, close-woven woolens work almost as well, or a piece of dark felt. Mittens work, too, although kids may not be able to see some of the delicate patterns. Each flake is different, and kids can photograph their finds by zooming in, or with the macro function on a cell phone.

Look for Animal Tracks
Discovering animal tracks in the snow is a way for kids to see what creatures share their landscape. Cats, dogs, squirrels, rabbits, deer and other animals each leave distinctive tracks. Kids can identify these and learn interesting facts about their four-footed neighbors with Identicards, inexpensive plastic-coated cards on a ring, showing tracks of 22 animals commonly found in North America.

Winter Sports Galore
Snowshoeing, tubing and sledding are all good snow day sports, too, but the above suggestions don’t take any equipment except for warm clothes — and maybe an extra pair of dry mittens.