We could call January the month of snow. No matter where you live in Canada, the next four weeks - according to weather statistics — are guaranteed to bring more flakes than any other time of year. This means there's a better chance you'll experience a 'snow day' in the near future. If you do, and you find yourself in need of something to keep the kids occupied, here is S-magazine's emergency hit-list of activities to keep everyone amused.
- Take a walk on the wild side. Bundle up and enjoy the outdoors. Build a snowman, make a few angels, have a snowball fight, find the toboggan, try to catch a snowflake on your tongue - basically, act like a kid.
- Stock up on marshmallows. Whether you decide to make hot chocolate or have a campfire in the fireplace, they'll come in handy.
- Think small. Remember when you were a child? Didn't you love to pull the cushions off the couch, grab a few blankets and make a fort? Help your children build a little imagination.
- Communicate. Why not take the time — now that you have it — to write letters (email or traditional) to Grandma, Grandpa or other faraway relatives. (If you have a camera, you can document the day for them, too.)
- Play card shark. Teach your children all the card games you know - Snap, Old Maid, Rummy and the rest.
- Get in the kitchen. Baking cookies can be a rewarding pastime. Planning dinner — shopping for it and cooking it together — is another.
- Get crafty. Come on, admit it, you'd love to make something with white glue and uncooked macaroni yourself.
- See in black and white. Teach your children an appreciation for classic film. Little ones will appreciate original Mickey Mouse (known then as Steamboat Willie); young ones will appreciate something with Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton or Abbot and Costello; and, older ones will be amazed that stars like Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, Lauren Bacall and Bette Davis could be so cool.
- Read. Not alone in your own separate corners — read aloud. Try Dr. Seuss. He's an author everyone appreciates.
- Do something for someone else. A snow-bound day is the perfect opportunity to experience a little community spirit - be that shovelling a neighbour's sidewalk, picking up a few groceries for them while you get your own, or just checking in to make sure they're okay.
