There’s something magical about waking up to a world blanketed in snow. The house feels quieter, time seems to slow down, and suddenly the day stretches wide open with possibilities. Around here, snow days mean cozy pajamas, hot chocolate, and extra snuggles. Sometimes that looks like movies under blankets, and other times it means bundling up to brave the cold for an outdoor adventure.

Some of my favorite memories have come from those unexpected days home together—like the time we built a snow fort with my husband, then piled inside with a stack of blankets and books. Or the year we decided to make snow ice cream and everyone giggled with excitement as we mixed and stirred together. It’s the kind of simple, hands-on fun that stays with you long after the snow melts.

Over time, we’ve found that snow days are the perfect time to mix play with a little bit of learning. STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) activities are such an easy way to do that. The best part is, they don’t need to be complicated or perfect. Most can be done with things you already have around the house.

Here are a few of our favorites to try this

winter:

Melting Ice Challenge

Fill a few cups or small bowls with water and freeze them overnight. The next day, set out salt, pepper, sugar, and warm water. Let your kids guess which one will melt the ice fastest, then test their predictions. Talk about why salt lowers the freezing point of water and how that helps melt ice on roads, too.

Snow Scoop Structures

Bring in a bucket of snow and challenge everyone to build the tallest tower they can using spoons, cups, or measuring scoops. You can also take the fun outside and test your engineering skills by building an igloo or snow fort together. See how different packing techniques make your structure stronger. It’s a fun way to explore engineering while staying warm inside or playing out in the snow.

Snow Ice Cream Experiment

Mix fresh snow with milk or cream, sugar, and a splash of vanilla. Stir it up fast before it melts. You can even experiment by adding chocolate syrup, sprinkles, or fruit puree. Compare flavors and talk about what happens when the cold snow meets the warmer ingredients.

Sink or Float: Snow Edition

Fill a bin with snow and grab small household items such as a toy car, spoon, LEGO piece, or button. Guess which ones will sink or float as the snow melts. It’s simple, hands-on, and sparks so many curious questions.

Even if you’re not prepared for a snow day, keeping a small STEM basket ready makes it easy to pull out an activity when the snow starts falling. And when the projects are done, we always end our day with cocoa, a good movie, and maybe a few rounds of Uno.

It’s those little moments of laughter and learning that make snow days feel so special. They remind me that curiosity and connection make the very best kind of memories.

Submitted by Sarah Clark