6 Reasons Snow Days with Toddlers Are the Best

This past weekend the Northeast was hit with a massive blizzard. It was the first snowfall of the season and, hopefully, the biggest. The snow started Friday night and didn’t stop until sometime Saturday night. In our area, we ended up with a little over 20 inches.

A snow day with a toddler is slightly different than a snow day without a toddler. Before I had a toddler, or any kids for that matter, snow days were the perfect excuse to consume large quantities of alcohol and binge watch Game of Thrones, or Dexter or some other non-kid-friendly show. Now that I have kids, my snow days look a lot different. And, although I sometimes long for the days I can sleep in till noon before finally venturing out into the snow to complete the obligatory task of shoveling out my car. Snow Days with Toddlers can really be a blast. 

6 Reasons Snow Days with Toddlers Are the Best

1. It’s magical to them. For my toddler, the Blizzard of 2016 was like Christmas. He came down to piles and piles of snow outside our windows. It was pretty much Frozen come to life. He couldn’t wait to get out there and play in it. There’s nothing quite like seeing your kid’s face light up at the sight of snow.
2. It keeps them busy. The process of getting W dressed alone took about an hour. By the time I got him dressed, played out in the snow, then undressed, it was already time for lunch. It’s easy to run out of things to keep toddlers occupied on cold, winter days. Snow is the perfect, FREE sensory activity. Why else would tons of moms take to pinterest to post their “fake snow” for their toddlers to play with inside?
3. It slows them down. Lately, my toddler has gotten rather fast. It started when I was pregnant; I’m not quite sure how it’s possible for him to move those tiny legs so quickly. Yet, throw some snow pants and boots on him and I have no worries about him escaping out of sight; he can barely move. He got “stuck” in the snow more times than I could count. If I didn’t have Sweet P to deal with I might have pulled out a lawn chair to take a nap. Not to mention it’s beyond funny watching them waddle around. 
4. It’s the perfect photo op. Every time I logged onto Facebook this weekend, I spotted another adorable toddler dressed up in snow gear out in the snow. Why were there so many awesome toddler shots taken this weekend? Well, one, the snow is an amazing backdrop for pictures. And, two, the snow slows them down long enough for you to take their picture (see number 3).
5. It tires them out. W and Sweet P fight me tooth and nail before nap every day. He never wants to take a nap. On the day of the blizzard? Well, he was so exhausted from playing in the snow, he went right to sleep…. and stayed a sleep.
6. It’s a great excuse to act like a kid again. Before kids, when there was a snow storm, I usually took a walk outside, shoveled, then holed myself up inside again. With a toddler, I am motivated to get outside, go sledding, build a snowman or just act silly. It takes me back to when I was little, truly making the most of a snow day. Added bonus: It’s one hell of a workout! 

More Snow Day Fun for Toddlers

• For when you get too cold outside, here are 12 toddler winter activities to try when it’s just too cold.
• For more than snowman and sledding, here are some other wonderful snow fun ideas from Views From a Step Stool.
• Then, there are some really cute ideas for snow day fun from Red Ted Art. I love the Mr. Potato Idea and I really want to try to make some frozen bubbles.