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Outdoor snow day fun! 10 terrific things to do in the snow with your kids By KERRIE MCLOUGHLIN W hen snow hits, many parents groan and just want to stay inside. The kids, however, have other ideas and are dying to get out in the white stuff. Armed with these plans, you can get involved in the fun and be the best snow activities director ever! 1. Pinecone bird feeders Tie a string to a pinecone. Have your child take a butter knife and spread peanut butter all over the pinecone. Then roll the pinecone in a plate of birdseed. Warm up inside and wait for the creatures to come! 2. Make a snow castle making different types of animals. How about a snow-snake? A snow-dog? Let your imagination run wild! 5. Spray up some fun Grab some spray bottles, fill them with water, and put different colors of food coloring in each bottle. Now head outside and spray letters onto the snow using the colored water, make pictures in the snow and more! 6. Tic-tac-snow A classic game taken to the snow equals loads of fun! Draw out the tic-tactoe board and start inserting the Xs and Os using a stick or your finger. When the game is over you can wipe it away and start fresh or move to a new patch of snow. 7. Snow cooking Move over, mud pies. Dig out the pots, pans, molds, pie tins and wooden spoons and get cooking with snow. The possibilities for culinary creations are endless! 8. Snow maze Grab the shovels and dig out a snow maze. See if your neighbors will let you extend your maze into their yard to make it extra large. Grab your spray bottles of colored water and spray as you go! Who needs beach sand when you have a snowy wonderland? Dig out those buckets, shovels and molds used for the beach or sandbox and instead make a snow castle. Grab some little plastic people and animals to play make believe! 9. Scavenger hunt When the forecast says snow, freeze some ice cubes with food coloring in them. When they are all ready, toss them in the snow for an ice cube scavenger hunt! This will keep your kids busy for hours! 3. Snow forts for fairies Instead of making a fairy house with shrubbery, trees and creatures, why not make a tiny snow fort for the little make-believe creatures to cavort in? 10. Snow ice cream When you're all wiped out from the snowy fun, grab a bunch of the white stuff, head inside and make a sweet treat. Just add vanilla, sugar and a little milk and enjoy! 4. Snow creatures After building your traditional snowman, snow-woman or snow family, try your hand at 30 Hudson Valley Parent Move over, mud pies. The possibilities for culinary creations are endless! Kerrie McLoughlin is a freelance writer. You can find her at TheKerrieShow.com. n January 2014