Many can remember sitting by the TV with bated breath as they waited to see if their school was closed due to inclement weather. Snow days are a kid’s delight, and whether you have a child at home or feel young at heart, we have suggestions for engaging ways to spend your free afternoon.

The most traditional way is by playing in the snow, and there’s a one-word reason for its popularity: fun. Building ice forts, snowball fights, sculpting snowmen, creating snow angels, eating snow cream, and sledding are classic activities for a winter wonderland, though there are other ways to play outside. Once the forts are in place, reimagine schoolyard classics such as Capture the Flag and increase the difficulty by sending opposing players back to home base if they get hit by a snowball while in enemy territory.

Enjoy your snow day, weather you like the cold or not! Maybe outside isn’t your jam, but you could still make the most of it with indoor activities. Cookies and hot chocolate provide cozy alternatives to snow cream. Trade the ice fort for a pillow fort, pair it with snacks, and you have the makings of an excellent movie marathon. Extend the fun by “camping” in your living room and catch up on some sleep, or take a more active approach with an obstacle course for The Floor is Lava. If you’re concerned about the well-being of your furniture, balloon volleyball and indoor scavenger hunts are options that can exhaust energy without the risk of destroying your home.

You can use many out-of-the-box ideas to get the creative juices flowing. Film a stop-motion animation video or choreograph a new dance to your favorite song. If performance isn’t your passion, get a jump on Valentine’s Day and make cards for your friends and family. You may have more craft supplies on hand than you think. Carving stamps out of hardened rubber erasers is a great way to use up ineffective office supplies, with potato stamps as a helpful alternative if you lack erasers big enough for the job. Salt dough can be used instead of clay for sculpting, or you can recycle outdated flyers in a papier-mâché masterpiece. Repurpose old socks as hand puppets and turn your worn-out t-shirts into clothes for your new characters. Looking for resourceful ways to use what you have is an exciting way to make old things new and can enhance your problem-solving skills.

Even if classes are canceled, you can still spend the day learning in a hands-on way. Challenges that use marshmallows and spaghetti or building blocks are great ways to teach basic architectural and engineering principles. You can test physics by creating a Rube Goldberg machine, try coding with apps on your phone, or learn chemistry through kitchen science – but you don’t have to limit yourself to STEM subjects. Brush up on your history by researching and writing a historical play to perform in your living room, or improve your reading comprehension skills by drawing the scenes described in your favorite books. Don’t burden yourself with the pressure of perfection. Remember, you’re not graded, so relax and enjoy yourself as you delve into subjects that interest you.

Winter weather gives you the perfect opportunity to brighten someone’s day. If you make cookies or cards, share a few with your neighbors, or help the older adult on your street by offering to shovel their sidewalk. You can also make your future self’s day by working ahead on assignments or catching up on the chores you’ve neglected. Cooking a spaghetti dinner is easy for kids and adults alike, so try surprising everyone with a nice family meal. (Though remember, young children need supervision in the kitchen.)

You can’t always plan for the next snowstorm, but having activities in mind is handy when you get an unexpected day at home. There’s no limit to the unique ways you can use your free time, so make the most of the opportunity and have fun. Whether you’re a kid out of school, a parent ready for quality time, or anyone in between, we hope your next snow day is an arctic blast!