When school is cancelled, many parents are left in a panic. Not only do they have to call off work themselves, but they have to figure out how to occupy their kids for the entire day. If you find yourself in this sticky situation, take advantage of some of these fun and free Snow day activities for kids.

• Play in the snow. It should go without saying that if your kids are home for a snow day, they are going to want to play in the snow. You can keep them busy for hours by giving them supplies to make snowmen or shovels to dig a tunnel through the yard. If you’re lucky, you might even be able to convince them that shoveling the driveway is a fun game!
• Do some baking. On a cold day, there is nothing better than baking in a warm kitchen. Pull out your recipe book and help your kids whip up a batch of their favorite cookies. To maximize your time, give them some frosting and sprinkled to do some decorating once the cookies have cooled. You can also do this with a batch of homemade cupcakes.
• Build a blanket fort. If it’s too cold to go outside, your kids can have an indoor adventure by building their own blanket fort. Using chairs and other furniture for support, your kids can create an indoor wonderland and fill it with pillows and plush toys. You might even find that they wear themselves out enough to take a midday nap!
• Girls spa day. If you have girls, a snow day is a great opportunity to pull out the nail polish and makeup. Let your kids give you a make-over and then return the favor! If your kids are old enough to be trusted on their own, you can even give them access to your closet for a game of dress-up.
• Make homemade play dough. Kids love to make things with their hands and playdough is the perfect snow day activity! Simply mix 1 cup of flour with ½ cup salt, 2 tablespoons cream of tartar, 2 tablespoons of oil, and 1 cup of water. Blend well then divide it up and mix with food coloring to create batches of different colors. Then go to town!
• Put on a puppet show. Give your kids a couple of old socks plus some scrap fabric, markers, and glue to create their own puppets. When they are done, they can build a stage and put on a puppet show for the whole family to enjoy!
• Treasure hunt. To keep your kids busy for hours on end, take a few minutes to hide various bits of “treasure” around the house. Give your kids a list of items to find or hide a clue with each object to help them figure out where the next treasure is hidden.

Though can’t always predict when a snow day will happen, you can be prepared for them when they come. The fun and free activities listed above are a great way to keep your kids busy when they are not at school – this is especially important if you still have to work. We can’t all count on having a babysitter available at a moment’s notice!