Kids love winter--snow, rosy cheeks, hot chocolate and plenty of "cool" activities to keep them busy and happy. Winter might keep kids indoors at times, but when it doesn't, romping around in the snow provides exercise and beats the blues that shorter daylight hours can bring. Traditional winter activities never go out of style and for good reason.
Snowmen
When the weather gives you snow, make snowmen. Make sure the snow isn't too dry to roll the giant snowballs you'll need. And take lots of pictures to have for the scrapbook. Disney Family Fun suggests a headless snowman. Make the snowman's body, decorate it with arms and buttons, and then have the kids pose for the camera behind the snowman so that their heads become the snowman's head. Use a stool behind the snowman for smaller children.
Snow Forts
Kids love building forts, so use that mound of snow the snowplow pushed onto your yard to build a snow fort. Add more snow to the mound if you need to make it higher or wider, pack it down and start digging into the side of the mound. Once you have a big enough hole, begin to hollow out the inside until it's big enough for the kids to sit in. Make sure to leave the walls about a foot thick so the fort won't collapse.
Sledding
Sledding is the ultimate winter activity for kids. Find a snowy hill free of debris and obstacles. Don't pick an icy spot. Make sure there is a large area at the bottom--away from roads--to allow the kids to stop safely. Use a sled with runners or a plastic saucer sled. Kidshealth.org suggests using bicycle helmets for protection. Let the kids spend a few hours happily wearing themselves out as they sled down the hill and climb back up for another turn.
Snow Candy
While the kids are outside in their fort or building a snowman, melt some caramels or chocolate chips in a pan. You can also boil maple syrup or a mixture of 1 cup molasses and 1 cup brown sugar--as pioneer Laura Ingalls Wilder did to make snow candy when she was a child. Bring the hot mixture outside and have the kids use a wooden spoon to carefully drizzle designs on top of fresh, clean snow. By the time the pan is empty, the candy designs on the snow should be hardened enough to pick up and eat.
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