Winter Wonderland Adventures Await!

Grammy on the Go
By Karen Shadrach

Winter has already arrived in Northeast Ohio! For those who haven’t retreated to Florida for the season, let’s find ways to enjoy the snow and have outdoor fun with our grandchildren.

After dressing warmly yet allowing movement, head outside to play in the snow. Kids love to run and frolic in the snowy atmosphere. Encourage them to create snow angels and teach them how to form and toss a snowball.

CONSTRUCTING A SNOWMAN
If conditions permit, you can assist them in crafting a snowman. I’ve made smaller snowmen positioned on a back deck or close to a window, enabling the children to view them easily from within the house. They can embellish their snowmen with stones or acorns and select a special hat and scarf for Frosty.

If it’s too chilly to go outside or if a child is unwell and cannot join, you can bring the snow indoors for them! Put a beach towel on the table to soak up the melting snow. I also place a cookie sheet underneath their play area to collect the moisture. Get a cupcake pan, large or small, and place it atop the cookie sheet. Step outside and fill a few bowls with snow! Include some measuring cups and spoons, and they will enjoy making snow cupcakes or even attempting to create a tiny snowman.

SAILING ON A SLED
Sledding is always a beloved winter pastime. You can pull the grandkids around on their sleds in snowy driveways or, if you’re feeling particularly daring, take them for a spin around the neighborhood. They love to drag each other in the snow or take a favorite stuffed toy or doll for a sled ride. If you have access to a small hill in your yard or nearby, fantastic! A lot of energy will be spent hauling the sled back up and riding down repeatedly!

SNOW ART
An enjoyable winter activity, especially if you love painting, is snow art. It’s undoubtedly a less strenuous activity than sledding! Both you and your grandkids can play with colors in the snow to create a new type of artwork. You can use spray bottles or squeeze bottles similar to those for ketchup and mustard. Fill these with water and add enough food coloring to ensure the colors are vibrant and not diluted. I typically make three bottles (red, blue, and yellow) and let the kids mix them in the snow to form purple, green, and orange. It’s a great way for them to learn about primary and secondary colors.

The grandkids can freely draw whatever they like in the snow, or you can create stencils for them to spray around and fill in with the same or contrasting colors. Make simple stencils such as circles and squares. They can craft snowmen from the circles or robots from the squares.

It’s advisable to limit your painting area by first drawing a rectangle in the snow since your entire yard is your canvas! After painting your picture, you can “frame” it using sticks along each side.

Besides painting directly on the snow, the grandkids can construct a snow sculpture (small snowman or animal) and then decorate them with colorful combinations.

Cleanup for this creative project is simple. Just wait for the snow to melt and the subsequent rainfall to wash it all away.
Don’t forget to take photos of their snow masterpieces!

WINTER TRAIL HIKING
Another delightful winter activity to share is a hike through the woods. Here, you can search for animals that haven’t hibernated this season and identify tracks in the snow. The trees appear stunning when blanketed in snow and ice, creating a tranquil setting. You can take a brief stroll along a path in the woods to the Brecksville Nature Center and hand-feed a chickadee. On weekends, they provide birdseed and instructions to make this a memorable experience. After your snowy adventure, return indoors to warm up with some hot chocolate and cookies.

Winter can indeed be a lot of fun!

Photos by Karen Shadrach