Tuesday, December 10, 2013

What To Do On a Snow Day

10 Fun Activities for Parents and Kids When School is Out: 
1. Take a nature walk outside: What do you see? What do you hear? What animals or birds do you see? Where are their homes? Look for animal tracks in the snow. Find out about animals in the J590s.
2. Build a fort: If there is enough snow, it can be a snow fort outside; inside, build a blanket fort with a card table and blankets and pillows. Make a reading corner inside your cosy fort, complete with flashlight!
3. Snuggle in with a good book: Stock up at the library before it snows; pick a favorite book for a read aloud; share your own favorite book from childhood with your children. Ask the librarians for good suggestions.
4. Have some art fun: Take out paper, crayons and paints, paste and scissors and improvise! Check the recycle bin for materials (empty cartons, etc). for art and building. Make some cards for special people (think of others; how about creating some handmade “Thinking of You” cards for the library’s Have a Heart collection bin?). The library has tons of craft suggestions under J745.5.
5. Bake off! Stock up with refrigerator dough; kids can measure and decorate the creations. While you wait for them to bake, have the kids alphabetize your spices! Get suggestions for your creations in J641.5
6. Dress up: Get some hats and props and use your imagination; retell a favorite story; become your favorite character or hero. Use old socks for some sock puppet fun. (Puppet books are in J791.5) And while you are dressed up --
7. Put on your own show! Write some dialog and act your own play.
8. Get musical: Make your own pots and pans band! Create some toot-a-toot flutes with paper tubes from paper towels and toilet tissue. Sing your favorite songs and make your own parade.
n9. Make an ocean: Fill the tub with warm water and add blue food color, and get out some shells and swim masks to create your ocean oasis. Throw in a rubber ducky and some bath toys and you’re in a tropical paradise!
10. Make Friendship Bracelets by braiding different colored yarns together; or thread pretty ribbons through buttons and tie them off.
Compiled by:
Laurel Leibowitz,The Tolland Family Resource Center,and
Ginny Brousseau, Tolland Public Library
December, 2013