A snowy holiday season can be exciting, but it also might interfere with your travel plans. Fortunately for you, a cozy cabin is the perfect place to spend a snow day. These eight activities will help your family pass the time and have another great holiday season amidst the bad winter weather.
Play in the Snow
A snowstorm might be going on, but that doesn’t mean you have to stay cooped up indoors. Instead of hiding inside, have everyone bundle up and go outside to play in the snow. There are tons of fun snow activities to choose from:
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Go sledding or tubing.
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Have a snowball fight.
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Build a snow fort.
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Make a snowman.
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Create a snow maze or obstacle course.
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Shovel the neighbors’ driveways.
You can play in the snow for hours if you dress in warm layers and stay close together. The freezing temperatures and lower visibility that come with snowstorms are no match for a well-dressed and well-prepared family.
Gather Around the Fire
In cases of extreme winter weather, outdoor activities might not be an option because of ice and hail. Even small amounts of hard precipitation can injure someone or cause serious roof leaks that create a cold draft. If your cabin feels chillier than usual on a snow day, use your indoor fireplace to crank up the heat. Once you get the fire blazing, your family can gather in the cozy living room and lounge the day away. You could make s’mores, tell campfire stories, play fun word games or simply relax and read a good book. People have been gathering around fires for thousands of years and a snow day allows you to carry on that tradition.
Watch a Holiday Movie
If your family likes watching movies and shows together, the holiday season has no shortage of options to choose from either. A snow day is a perfect opportunity to catch up on a new film or rewatch a Christmas classic. These movies appeal to all audiences and will get you in the holiday spirit in no time:
- It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
- Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
- A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
- A Christmas Story (1983)
- National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
- Home Alone (1990)
- Elf (2003)
Of course, your family could also binge watch a favorite TV series. Shows like “The Office,” “Friends” and “Seinfeld” might not always be family friendly, but they are always rewatchable. You could get through a few seasons in just one day or pick and choose the best episodes.
Play Board or Card Games
Playing good old-fashioned board and card games is sometimes the best way to pass the time on a gloomy snow day. It certainly beats staring at your phone for hours. Board games unleash everyone’s competitive spirit and provide close bonding experiences. While the industry is exploding with new games, here are some classics your family may enjoy:
- Uno
- Life
- Monopoly
- Battleship
- Sorry!
- Chess
- Checkers
- Parcheesi
- Chutes & Ladders
- Trivial Pursuit
To keep things fair, you should only play games everyone in your family can enjoy. If one is too simplistic or complex, find another — they’ll go much quicker if you don’t have to explain the rules. Plus, the games are much more fun when everyone participates.
Declutter Your Cabin
If you’d rather spend your snow day doing something more productive, then now is a great time to declutter your cabin. You might not get another chance until spring, so seize the opportunity. You should start in the kitchen first, then work your way to the bathroom, bedrooms and living room last.
To make things go quicker and create a friendly competition, you could also assign a room to each family member and see who cleans up the fastest. Offer a prize to the winner, such as a freshly baked dessert or an extra Christmas present. Turning this chore into a game is a tried-and-true strategy for getting kids to clean their rooms.
Tackle a DIY Project
You could take on an indoor DIY project while you’re snowed in. Cabins might be resilient structures, but there’s always room for improvement. You’re trapped inside anyway, so you might as well knock something off your to-do list. Here are some DIY projects anyone can do over the weekend:
- Repaint a room.
- Build a table, chair or shelf.
- Refinish wooden furniture.
- Seal drafty doors and windows.
- Repot indoor plants.
- Improve interior lighting.
Before deciding on a project, double check to ensure you have all the necessary tools and materials. You shouldn’t risk driving to the hardware store until the roads have been cleared.
Try a New Dessert Recipe
Baking warm treats is synonymous with the holiday season. If you enjoy cooking, a snow day is the perfect time to make a fresh batch of cookies, brownies, cakes or another classic dessert. Alternatively, you could take things up a notch and try a new recipe. Here are a few examples:
- Almond cake
- Basque cheesecake
- Cardamom thumbprints
- Chocolate pudding
- Chocolate caramel squares
- Chocolate covered pretzels
- Ice cream bonbons
If you plan on making one of these, be sure to cook before you declutter the kitchen. There’s no sense in taking out a bunch of ingredients and cooking utensils after you’ve just reorganized them.
Do an At-Home Workout
After eating those fresh desserts, you can burn them off with a quick at-home workout. The gym might be closed, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss a day in your fitness routine. Just substitute your usual exercises for effective bodyweight alternatives that don’t require equipment. All you need is 15 minutes to work up a sweat and have a great workout.
No Travel, No Problem
Many families are used to traveling during the holidays, but sometimes, a snowstorm gets in the way and forces them to stay home. Being snowed in is no problem at all when you have these activities at your disposal. Choose your favorite or do them all in succession until the snowstorm abates. No matter which one you choose, your snow day will be more exciting than anticipated.
