If your teens haven’t touched board games in a while, it’s time to bring them out. Look through your closets and cupboards for classics such as Monopoly, Clue, or maybe even Myst. There are also some modern board games that are particularly suited to curious teenagers, such as Dragonology or perhaps even the DVD-board game Atmosfear. When you’re shopping between snow days, keep your eyes open for new and exciting board games to fill long snow days and evenings that you may face.
While you're out shopping, purchase those model kits that sometimes go on sale. They make a wonderful activity on a cold winter day. Purchase a variety to entertain all your teenagers. Look for model cars, trains, and airplanes, but also keep your eye out for model buildings. The budding architect in your family will really enjoy the opportunity to construct a scale model.
Try to get your teens to write a story. This may seem difficult, but if you have budding authors in your household, it may be worth the effort to get them to all sit down and commit thoughts to paper. Let each teenager write whatever they like, whether it’s a short story, flash fiction, or maybe even the very beginnings of a novel. If you have a teen who has difficulty finding ideas, help them out by giving them some basic plot points, but let them do the real writing.
If the weather permits, get your teenagers outside. Try to encourage them to do something fun. They’re certainly not too old to build a snow fort or throw a few snowballs back and forth. You might even be able to convince them to build a snowman, or even make a few snow angels in the front yard. Teenagers do enjoy the chance to let loose and have a good time, but they do sometimes need a little encouragement.
If the roads aren’t closed, consider heading out with your teens. Skating and sledding are wonderful ways to pass the time, even for older children. Depending on your teenagers and their own interests, you might want to head to the local park and either try skiing or snow shoeing. If you don’t have the equipment, look for places that will rent it to you for the day.
Start a scrapbook. Teens and older children often enjoy the opportunity to exercise their creative abilities, so pull out the paper, photos, and scrapbooks and get started. Maybe even take a few moments to capture the snow day itself on camera. If you don’t have all the supplies and can’t run to the craft store, just focus on organizing the photos you want to use. Make a promise to each other to put the scrapbook together as soon as possible.
If you really can't think of anything to do, engage your teenagers in a game of charades. Your teenagers might groan a bit at first, but give it a chance anyway. Within just a few moments you might find your children laughing and enjoying themselves, despite their best intentions.
Get your teens together and plan the ultimate snow day dinner. Act mainly as supervisor and have them do the majority of the preparation. Let them guide the dinner, all the way from menu selection to presentation of the meal. Girls as well as boys can participate in this activity. Consider making this an all-day event and baking breads and muffins, perhaps enough to last the entire week. This is a great bonding activity, and if you choose to make a cake, your teenagers can have a lot of fun decorating it.
Make some music. If you or your teenagers play any instruments, take turns playing for each other. You could even all play together. If no one plays an instrument, everyone can choose their favorite songs from their iPod, a CD, or from the radio. Take turns dancing to each song, getting as creative and as silly as you like. Teens might enjoy the opportunity to express themselves through dance without friends around to watch.
Make it a movie day. Have your teens select their favorite movies and play them, one by one. Between movies, ask your teens to analyze different aspects of each movie. Perhaps ask them about plot, theme, or character development. If they’re in high school, they may have been discussing these things in one of their classes, so they may have some detailed insights into each movie.
A snow day doesn’t have to mean boredom. There are so many ways to entertain your teenagers when they’re stuck at home. Try to get them engaged in the normal activities around the house, and then add something that’s not quite so normal. Have fun, get creative, and make some memories before your teens grow up.
