I am NOT a fun Snow day mom. This post is MY PLAN for how to be a super-fun Snow Day Mom, not what I ACTUALLY do on snow days. When the text comes through that school is canceled, what actually happens is my stomach drops. Fortunately, I have multiple flexible part-time jobs right now, so I don’t have to scrounge to find child-care coverage —ugh, I know that is a miserable position to be in for many of us. I also realize that I’m fortunate to even have the opportunity to decide whether or not I’m going to play with my kids on a snow day — and that many of us moms don’t (due to custody situations or jobs without flexibility or many other factors).   

My stomach drops when I receive the text because I hate playing in the snow. I spend most snow days feeling guilty that I’m NOT a fun Snow Day Mom. I’m okay with the inside fun for snow days (I can craft and play board games like a champ), but I am never prepared for the outside fun. I’m not a skier, so I don’t own any snow clothes. I can never find the right gloves. Most of our snow toys are usually broken or missing (because I totally don’t prioritize snow play), and it’s just so much coldness and wetness and schlepping and…just YUCK. I usually check my phone incessantly hoping someone else texts and offers to take my kids outside (shhhh).   

2019 is going to be different, though! I am determined to be a super-fun Snow Day Mom — even if it’s just for one snow day. I ordered “all the stuff” so I will be prepared, AND I have a plan. I like plans. Get ready kids!! I’m going to crush this Snow Day Mom Thing!  Rolling around in the snow, throwing snowballs, sledding down giant hills…

Hmmmmmm…or maybe their Dad will have the day off or Shana Aunty will offer to take them sledding, and I’ll just focus on the hot chocolate making and soup cooking. I can always allow my new super-fun snow gear to sit pretty in the closet until the next snow day, right? I have to admit, realistically, I’d be okay with that option—important to give ourselves some love and acceptance, right? For those of you who want some ideas on giving this whole fun Snow Day Mom thing a go, here’s my plan. Wish me luck!  1 / 2 / 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7/ 8/ 9/ 10/ 11/ 12/ 13/ 14/ 15/ 16/ 17/ 18/ 19/ 20/ 21/ 22/ 23/ 24/ 25/ 26/ 27/ 28/ 29/ 30/ 31/ 32/ 33/ 34/ 35

Step #1:  Wear Snow Clothes you Can Play In

Shana has the BEST snow day wardrobe ever. She’s (sigh!) a really fun Snow Day Mom. She is usually decked out in crazy cute Spyder snow gear with Sweaty Betty base layers and amazing snow accessories, but no way I can rationalize buying that gear for the couple days a year I make snowballs. I included below some of her brands (that are SO GOOD!) as well as a few other options for those of you, who, like me, aren’t full-time snow players. If you still need snow boots, check out this snow boot dressing room selfie post. There are some really good boots out there this year, and I tried on and reviewed 11 pairs of them. 

Step #2:  Bring Out ALL the Snow Toys

Look in the basement right now. Sled in one piece? Great. If not, get shopping and make sure you have the right equipment for snow fun. I love the idea of kids playing in the snow with no toys…just their little gloved hands and their imagination, but kids like toys and toys are fun. Reality is that I actually am the one that REALLY likes toys and making snowballs with this fun little contraption. And doing snow paint sounds totally up my alley.  

Step #3:  Make the AWESOMEST Hot Cocoa Ever!

This is an essential step to being a super-fun Snow Day Mom. If you involve the kids in the hot chocolate-making process, as well as making their own snacks to go with the hot chocolate, that can totally take up a decent amount of time (super-important on snow days if you’ve already done all your snow playing and it’s only 10:00 AM.)  

Step #4:  Put Out Fun Stuff that Will Also Buy You Alone Time

This is the step where I plan on recharging before a fun evening (i.e. the step where I ignore my children). I know I will be SPENT after being the “funnest” mom EVER in the snow, so making sure I have something novel for the kids to play with (that they can play with on their own) is totally necessary. They’re really loving some of the new toys/games below we got for the holidays, so I may even hide some of them until our first snow day, so they’ll be excited to see them again.   

Step #4:  Give Them Some WINTERY Tech Time

Although I would love the idea of snow days without any screen time, I have to be realistic…snow days (especially when you have multiple in a row) can be LONG! I just had an idea to maybe make it more purposeful with snow geared “tech time”. My kids love audio books, so I might download this winter-themed “Jack and Annie” book that my little one would love and my older one would tolerate. Or stream one of these ski documentaries/films.

Step #5: Trek In The Snow To A Party With Friends

I love dinners with friends on snow days. I’ve been known to put my crockpot full of chili in a pull-sled, and lug it through the neighborhood desperate for adult social interaction. Or you could invite friends to your house and have a big game night. Or start a movie for the kids and spend the evening collecting gobs of praise (from whomever has joined you) for being the world’s best Snow Day Mom ever. You deserve it!  

-Linzi