Apologies for the lack of posts this week, and a late one today. Jonas and I have officially been christened in our little town with a giant snow storm this past weekend. From power outages, falling trees, more snow than we’ve ever experienced and countless hours spent shoveling it, our hands have been rather full. It’s taken snow day to a whole new level. But, there is a break in the havoc and I am here to write for you.
With all the snow and weather where we are, I’ve been thinking a lot about the activities we do to entertain ourselves. We often rely on technology and the internet for entertainment. What do we resort to when those things aren’t available? I know there are some obvious answers to that question, being a book blog, but I want to challenge you with thinking outside of the box today. So today I will provide you with a list of seven things to do on snow days.
Reading Marathon
Have you ever done a read-a-thon? I try to do one every month, and snow days are the best days to do them. They are rather simple to do, but like any new activity, can take some time to get used to. The idea is to gather a small portion of you TBR list. You can pick books you’ve had a hard time getting through, small books (so you can feel more accomplished), or books you’ve just been aching to read. It can be a great way to pass time and is perfect on a snowy day.
Writing
Reading and writing are kind of our thing, so this is to be expected. A great way to pass time on a snow day is writing. I find having dedicated times to write is what keeps me productive, but when life gets busy, those times get pushed to the side. Therefore, snow days are a great way to get caught up. You have many options when it comes to writing. You can journal, you can write topic based, you can write essays, or maybe you are working on a novel. A snow day is the perfect day to express yourself through the art of writing.
Build a Fort
As a kid, my brothers and I built the best forts. They took up the whole living room and we would stay in them all day. Snow days are a great time to reawaken your childhood wonder. How creative can you get with building a fort? This can also be a good activity if you have little ones in your house who are having a difficult time entertaining themselves through the storm. Fort building allows you to problem solve, work as a team, and use your creative planning skills. If you’ve built a cool fort, drop a picture in the comments!
Finished a Project
I have a bad habit of thinking I can accomplish anything if I just try. This leads to me having a lot of half finished projects. Snow days are a great time to get back to those projects. For me, that has been a lot of art related things. So go dig in your hall closet and see what half-finished projects are waiting for you. Maybe you will reawaken an old hobby!
Learn a New Skill (or Strengthen an old one)
Similar to my half finished projects, I also have a lot of art supplies lying around. This snow week has consisted of me digging out old yarn and crochet patterns and learning new stitches. What old art supplies do you have lying around? What fun things can you make? This week so far, I’ve made a baby blanket and a stuffed elephant. If you still have power, you could also learn new skills online. Youtube is a great source for many things, from learning to code to learning to fold origami. There truly is something to everyone!
Organize
Here’s one for some people. Snow days can leave you stuck in your house. Maybe you start to notice that drawer in your kitchen could use some tidying. Time to channel your inner Marie Kondo and organize the space. I love organizing because it leaves me feeling refreshed, which can be very nice when you’ve been starting at the same walls for a few days.
Baking
When the house gets cold, the oven turns on. I am also more inclined to bake when it’s cold outside. Something about warm bread on a day filled with snow makes my heart happy. A simple crusty loaf just requires flour, water, salt and yeast. If you don’t have yeast on hand, I’ve linked a simple french loaf that uses ingredients almost everyone has on hand. Then again, cookies are always a great option. If you know a storm is coming and you are stocking up, don’t forget to grab some cookie dough!
Of course, if you have access to the internet and power, there are many other options. I think the reminder of life outside of power is always refreshing. I find some irony in an online blog post providing ideas for days without power, but perhaps you can remember some of these the next day a snow storm comes your way. Stay safe and warm out there friends.
As always, happy reading!