The Excitement of Snow Days

By Clare Ogle, an MHS houseparent

I used to be a teacher, and I loved snow days. I somehow felt like I had been given the gift of time when school got canceled—a day that had suddenly burst open with endless possibilities.

As a houseparent, snow days are totally different. But I must admit, I kind of like them. There’s still this fun sense of excitement when the students find out they can sleep in and don’t have to go to school.

However, it can also make for a very long day but we’ve found some ways to fill the time during snow days. We sometimes bake cookies or make hot chocolate. Other times, we go outside and play. This is a favorite for our two sons! They love getting bundled up and playing in the snow, especially with the older students.

Our student home also has a large basement, so we plan fun group activities down there on snow days or early dismissals. It’s a good way to run around and get out some of that extra energy. We even have a four-square grid taped off in the basement that we use to have some fun, especially during the winter. It’s a bit of a different strategy playing this classic outdoor game inside.

Sometimes, we’ll even watch a movie on snow days. It’s something fun and relaxing for our students!

In a place where the schedule can be very jam-packed most of the week between sporting events, tutoring, and other activities, it’s sometimes nice to have a snow day—to sit down with a mug of hot chocolate and watch the snow fall quietly outside the window and just relax.