20 Free Snow Day Ideas

Here we go, 20 Free Snow Day Ideas! Those of us who live in an area with plenty of snow are always dreaming of snow days! When those days come, I always struggle with which magical way to spend my day.

As an adult, I’ve got about a million things I could be getting done on a snow day. Many people treat them that way. However, one of the best life lessons I ever learned, is that the important things are not any part of that pile of work. This is a bonus day! Let’s have some fun!

Here, I’ve outlined a whopping 20 free snow day ideas that you can do on your snow day, including a whole lot of both indoor and outdoor ideas!

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Outdoor Ideas

• Sledding/Tubing: This one is only free if you have access to a local park and already own a sled. But, with the hours of fun you can have, it’s worth the investment.
• Skiing/Snowboarding: Again, only free if you already own the equipment. However, equally fun and might be worth the money.
• Build a Snowman: Free, for reals. We used to have snowman competitions to see who could build the biggest snowman. Or decorate it the best. Or create the best character.
• Pin-the-Nose on the Snowman: This is a winter twist on pin the tail on the donkey. Build yourself a snowman and get a nose. Blindfold and aim for the face! This one is a hoot!
• Ice Skating: Free if you own skates, but I’ve always found rentals really cheap. Worst case? Find an ice patch and slide around in your boots! No skates needed.
• Snowball Fight: This is an obvious one. Just avoid the ice.
• Snow fort: One of my favs as a kid! I used to cheat and use some props, like branches or sleds. Get creative!

Ideas with Food coloring 🙂

• Snowcones: Get yourself some fresh snow. (Stay outta the yellow stuff). Make some sugar water and add some food coloring! Or, just add the food coloring to plain water if you want a healthier alternative.
• Watercolor art: This is the best for the creative types. Use some food coloring and water and start painting! It could be in a spray bottle, or, my personal favorite, in a water gun 🙂
• Ice Scavenger Hunt: This one requires some colored ice. Make some ice cubes or cool ice shapes with colored water. Then, hide them outside and hunt away! It’s like Easter in January!
• Snow cookies: Get some cookie cutters from the kitchen, and some food coloring. You can decorate the shapes just like cookies and keep the holiday spirit alive just a bit longer.

Indoor Ideas

• Board Games: Another classic. Snow days are a great way for both kids and adults to recover from the cold, and get off the technology. Apples to Apples is a classic. I also love Uno as a great option, too.
• Read a snow-themed book: There are so many options for both kids and adults. Read, read, read.
• Make snowflakes: Take some coffee filters or some paper and cut away! There are even many design options you can find for free online.
• Make an indoor fort: Duh. It’s the best.
• Pretend you’re camping: This is a fun one that I’ve always wanted to try. You could even make s’mores on the stove and sit by the window to watch the snow!
• Make your own photo booth: This could be a hoot! Find some old clothes or make some fun props and do a photoshoot!

Food Required

• Make cookies: Cookies are great for a snowy day. Warm, gooey, delicious. Can’t go wrong, right?
• Watch a movie: This one’s pretty obvious, but a classic idea. Might I suggest you go with Snow Day or Frozen? (Bonus, here’s the sing-along version!) Popcorn is a must. This air popper makes popcorn pass as a healthy snack. Also, check out my delicious hot chocolate recipes. And, if you thought this list was just for kids, you’d be sorely mistaken 😉
• Cook Together: This is not only fun, but a good life lesson for kids. Home ec classes are long gone, so it’s a great time to cook something yummy. Try my made-from-scratch chicken noodle soup or easy chili for a warm treat in the cold. Both recipes can be easily adapted to include whatever ingredients you have in the house already.