Fun Recipes for Kids - Great for Snow Days!

The Washington DC area just experienced the 'Snowpocalypse', where Loudoun received a whopping 34.5 inches of snow.  Coming amongst the snowiest winter we've ever had, and this being our second blizzard of the year, many local school systems have used up all their snow days.  Loudoun County schools were out last Monday for a teacher workday, and Friday for a snow day, and the county made the call on Saturday that there would be no school Monday or Tuesday.  And, guess what?  There's more snow in the forecast for Tuesday night.  Oh, my!  Children and their parents are getting cabin fever, big time.  So, this post is dedicated to you!

These are a few fun recipes that I like to pull out on snow days to help keep them 'special'.  (They are all light on the cooking and ingredients and heavy on the fun.)  These are 'craft-like' recipes that will entertain kids for a while! (A couple are healthy, too.)

HOMEMADE DONUTS: 

Heat vegtable oil in a pan - about an inch and half deep-on medium high.  Open a can of biscuits.  Have the kids use a bottle cap (like from a soda) like a cookie cutter to create holes in the middle of each donut.  Test the heat of the cooking oil with a donut 'hole'.  Pop it in the oil, it should take about 30 seconds or so to lightly brown on one side and then flip it and cook the other side, and when both sides are evenly brown remove.  Adjust the temperature of the oil as needed and keep testing until you've got it right. (Tip: Use serving spoon with holes to cook the holes, use a fork for the donuts.) Place cooked donuts and holes on a plate lined with a paper towel. 

TOPPINGS:  Let the kids add their own toppings.  Today, we had topping choices of cinnamon and suger; melted chocolate chips, icing made from powdered sugar and milk, sprinkles and chopped peanuts.  Sometimes we use icing from a can, sometimes just powdered sugar.  It's always fun. 

SNOWCONES:

What could be simpler?  If you have leftover snowcone syrups on hand, just grab a bowl of snow and a spoon and add your favorite syrup!  No leftover syrups?  Use condensed frozen (thaw them first) fruit juices or punches, or even use powdered KoolAir or other drink mixes!

SNOW ICE CREAM: 

The simple version is taking sweetened condensed milk and mixing it with snow - presto magic!  That's a little sweet for me, so I often add regular milk to the mix, but be careful to keep the consistency ice cream-ish.  Some people recommend using flavored milk (vanilla, chocolate or strawberry).
FLAVORS: Add whatever flavors you have around - this is a great excuse to go on a search and rescue mission for less used flavorings in your spice cabinet.  Most people add vanilla.  A friend used flavored syrups in hers.  I add fresh fruit - berries are great and banana is my favorite - just blend them with a little milk and some crushed ice (snow doesn't 'blend' well).

SNOWFLAKES:

Give the kids mini-marshmallows and toothpicks and demonstrate how to 'build' a snowflake.  After that, they will use their imaginations and make all kinds of things - houses, satellites, whatever.  The point is it is a craft and a snack!!

SNOWMEN:

Give the kids large marshmallows and have them 'glue' them together using a bit of decorator icing, and then decorate faces, add 'clothes' etc with the decorator icing. Toothpicks or pretzel sticks make great arms!

MARSHMALLOW PIE:

Crush up graham crackers (the first time I made this, I used Teddy Grahams and I think they are the best, but usually I use regular graham crackers).  Mix with melted butter and flatten with fork into a pie (or round cake) pan to form a crust.  Sprinkle chocolate chips or chopped up chocolate bar (I like Hersheys), on top.  Then, add large marshmallows.  Bake in oven at 350 until it looks like the picture.  YUM!  Better than s'mores!

FANCY FRUIT:

Melt baking chips - milk chocolate, peanut butter, white chocolate.  Cut up your favorite fruit - bananas, any kind of berry, or anything that 'fits your fancy'.  Let the kids dip their fruit in the melted chips.  For added fun, let them roll the fruit in sprinkles or chopped nuts. I am such a sneaky mom!  I trick my kids into eating fruit. You can also do this with large marshmallows or cookies (like store bought Oreos, chocolate chips, Nutter Butters, etc.).

FONDUE:

Don't forget how much fun fondue can be.  No, you don't need a fancy pot.  Just melt your favorite cheese with some milk and use skewers (forks if you don't have skewers) and dip in your favorite veggies, chicken or other meat. 

Hope something in here gives your next Snow Day a new twist!!  Be sure and read the other Snow Day Activities posted a couple days ago.  It looks like you're gonna need them.... I hear that there's more snow on Tuesday.  I have heard rumors of anything from 5 to 10 inches.  Sigh.

Snow Day Fun for the Whole Family!

Some days you wake up and this is what you see from your front door.  Within minutes, the kids are bouncing off the walls and you haven't even finished your coffee.  Oh, Joy!  Another day in paradise.

Okay, so do what you can.  Pick a house project (clean up the family room) altered with a fun project (snowball fight).  You are more likely to get a few things done and keep the kids from driving you crazy if you give them NO UNSTRUCTURED TIME, and rewards for what they don't like to do and you are thankful for.

Indoor Activities: 

Of course, there are always the good old fall backs... 

* Board Games * Cooking Projects * Watching Movies * Reading Books *  Make S'mores (if you don't have a fireplace to roast marshmallows, use the microwave! * Make hot chocolate *

But, Snow Days should be special.  Do something special!

* Watch Home Movies * Start A Scrap Book * Organize A Photo Album * Go online and start Ancestry Research * Play dress up w/the kids (you can do this and secretly be having them try on clothes so you know what needs to go to charity) * Have an 'At Home Spa Day' * Have a Video Game Competition with the WHOLE family * Blast the stereo and have a dance party * Make sock puppets and do a puppet show * Do a puppet show (stuffed animals are great for this), a home version of your favorite game show, a play, a dance show, a shadow show, a stand up comedy show (Favorite childrens book make great screen plays, older kids can enhance the story a bit; for the comedy show, look up jokes on line) * Bird watch - cardinals and blue jays are usually seen in our neighborhood on snow days and they look particularly beautiful with fluffy feathers and against the white background. * Make snow Ice Cream or edible snowflakes or snowmen (Click HERE for recipes)*  Bring the snow indoors and do experiments - melting, freezing, coloring it, build a mini snowman indoors - and keep it in the freezer for a hot summer day! *

Outdoor activities:

Again, there are the oldies but goodies:

* Build a snowman * Have a Snowball Fight * Make a Family of Snow Angels *  Make an igloo * Go sledding *

Since the oldies but goodies can't be done everyday, don't skimp on them!   But, throw in some new stuff:

* Get out the sandbox toys and make snow castles and such * Get out squirt bottles and water guns, add food coloring to the water and have the kids decorate the snow (finally!  yellow snow that doesn't stink) * Decorate a tree with strings of popcorn, or make a bird feeder (take a disposable cup from the trash, smear peanut butter on it, add stuff birds and squirrels eat - bread crumbs, bird seed, raisins, popcorn, nuts (we always end up with extra crushed walnuts and stuff after the holidays, then hang it from a tree or something you can see from inside). * Go for a nature hike and see whoever you see - and take photos *

For mommies and daddies that might have trouble getting in the mood, face it, you're going no where.  What's wrong with skipping the coffee and having a mamosa for breakfast... or heating some red wine and adding mulling spices for a tasty afternoon treat?  You might find you have a little more fun being silly with the kids when you really don't care if there are dishes in the sink.

I have given you several ideas for fun today, and every snow day.  But, whatever you do, promise me you'll do two things:

*  TASTE the snowflakes - catch them on your tongue if they are still falling,  pick them up like a kid in your hand and take a bite if they are on the ground.  It'll get you in the mood.

*  Take pics and record video clips - put it on a DVD entitled Snow Days - and add to it EVERY snow day.  

In the future, start each snow day with watching the videos from the previous show days - this gets more special once there are multiple years of clips, especially when they are back to back and you can see the progression of their growth in such rapid succession.  Then, when the kids move out of the house, have the clips put together with a sound track and a real movie made of it - and give them a copy to keep.  I bet they will continue to watch it on the morning of EVERY snow day all of their lives, and even show it to their children....thinking how much they love you every second. 

I bet you watch it even more often, snow day or not. It will be an always treasured video, I PROMISE.