Illustration: David Ercolini
We love snow days just as much as the next guy, but keeping the kids busy all day long can be a challenge—especially after you’ve already gone sledding, built a snowman and had some hot chocolate. Don’t fret! Try one of these indoor activities that are guaranteed to add a blast of sunshine to even the most brutal winter day.
1) Have a traveling shindig
Remember back in college, when a keg party would move from dorm room to dorm room? Simply substitute juice boxes for beer, and you’ve got a cheerful way to spend the day without ever putting on gloves and hats. Get in touch with other families in your building to plan the celebration: The kids can start out eating pancakes in 9M, move to 12K for an arts-and-crafts project, watch DVDs in 3L and have a board-game tournament in 7G. (Plastic cups full of beer or wine for parents are optional.)
2) Make balloon animals
You don’t have to be a Silly Billy to twist balloons into funny shapes. In fact, kids can easily make dogs, swans, swords and bunnies. Purchase long, thin balloons and a pump from any party goods store, and then pick up a how-to book (we’re fans of Balloon Twisting by Klutz). Your tykes won’t even realize they’re stuck indoors once they get going. And if they can’t get the hang of it, screw it: Just blow up all the balloons, fill your living room with them, and let the kids go crazy playing and popping.
3) Make a gooey summertime treat
Who says s’mores have to be eaten by a campfire? Set up a tent in the living room—if you don’t have a real one, a bedsheet over the dining room table always works. Place a marshmallow on a graham cracker and microwave for about ten seconds; put a square of Hershey’s chocolate on top, cover with another graham cracker, and smush the whole thing together. Then crawl into the tent, tell ghost stories, and pass out in a deliriously joyful chocolate coma.
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Kindie goddess Laurie Berkner is likely already a staple in your kid’s music collection. Through the end of this month, you can add a new Berkner tune to that playlist. The Upper West Side mom recorded a special song for Pajama Program, a nonprofit organization that provides underprivileged children with snuggly PJs and bedtime books. The Valentine’s Day-themed “Open Your Heart” can be downloaded for free on the org’s site. Of course families are encouraged to follow the song’s advice and donate a pair of pajamas in return. Sweet musical dreams!
In case you haven’t heard, schools chancellor Joel Klein has decreed that all New York City public schools will be closed tomorrow due to the impending snow. Assuming it’s not a false alarm (you know, like Saturday’s storm was for most of the five boroughs), stock up on hot chocolate, dust off your sled and make the most of the winter weather.
Check out our roundup of the best sledding hills in the city, including a little-known Upper East Side slope. Remember, the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation often gives out free cocoa and snacks at designated locations on snow days. Check the website for details, or follow the org on Twitter.
Tomorrow should also be a great day to ice-skate. The Pond at Bryant Park has already closed for the season, but most of the other rinks are open, including the one in Battery Park. Call ahead to make sure they don’t close because of the inclement weather,
If you’re planning to build a snowman, we’ve got expert tips (seriously!) on how to make your Frosty particularly fabulous. Lastly, if your kid’s too little (or too cold) to dig the snow, we have a roundup of indoor play spaces, organized by neighborhood. (Again, call ahead to make sure they’re open.) Whatever you end up doing, enjoy the winter wonderland!
Since it’s still too old outside to play in the park (and there’s still no snow to sled on, grrr), curl up in Park Slope’s Barnes & Noble for storytime with author Roger Hackett. He will read aloud from his multicultural book Ryan & Robbie’s Bike Ride Adventure and Lao Lao’s Chinese Secret in honor of the upcoming Lunar New Year.
We want to be really clear about this: Steve Burns’s new show Glee Club, which will play NYC’s Access Theater from March 3-April 3, is not family friendly. However, we thought it might be of interest for all you moms who had a thing for Steve when he hosted Blues Clues. Yes, we realize some folks might think having a crush on Steve is a little, well, odd, but I’m willing to admit I always found the children’s TV host strangely alluring…probably because I could sense that there was a cute, balding indie rocker underneath his green striped shirt. I think seeing Glee Club—a dark ensemble comedy about a “cut-throat singing group on the verge of meltdown”—might make for a very interesting mommies night out. And don’t worry: if Steve’s cousin Joe hits the boards, we won’t be quite so enthusiastic.
Photo by Gorman & Gorman Photography
Ah, silence. Your brood will get a nice dose of it at Big Movies for Little Kids’ screening of this classic from 1928. The black-and-white silent film features the legendary Buster Keaton, who performs his signature gags and slapstick antics to get little babes laughing.
February is jam-packed with fun: Not only is it Black History Month, but Chinese New Year falls on the same day as Valentine’s! Take full advantage of all the celebrations. And if you’re wondering what to do with the kids during the upcoming mid-winter break, we have ideas on how to keep your brood busy with our mini-break roundup.
Whether or not it snows on Saturday, head over to Central Park for Winter Jam NYC, an annual event that features pro snowboarders, cold-weather treats and more. Although it looks like Mother Nature is going to cooperate, even if she doesn’t, the parks department’s bringing its own white stuff!
If you’re looking for indoor events, the Asia Society hosts its annual Lunar New Year celebration on Saturday, full of dancing and demos for little ones. Just $10 for adults, free for kids under 16. There are two other notable Chinese New Year festivals on Sunday, hosted by the Children’s Museum of the Arts and the Museum of Chinese in America. Pay $10 admission to one, and get into the other for half price. Valentine’s Day excitement kicks off early at McNally Jackson, where tots can craft valentines for that special someone. You can find more lovey-dovey events here and all free weekend events here.
Want more Saturday entertainment? Celebrate Black History Month at the Brooklyn Museum, or try out a sample class at Tribeca’s Church Street School for Music and Art. See all Saturday events here.
Sunday brings a performance by the Cirque Mechanics in New Jersey, as well as a Kidrockers concert featuring indie bands Uninhabitable Mansions and Savoir Adore. Even if weather is a bit too chilly for little ones to play outside, they can still get their nature fix with a guided walk through the Museum of the City of New York’s park-themed photographic exhibit. See all Sunday events here.
