Greetings from the arctic! Today, Monday, Minnesota's governor, Mark Dayton, has closed all schools thanks to the frigid arctic blast that's happening outside. Sure, the children are elated and most of us parents are a little disappointed. School resumed after winter break just last Thursday and now we have yet another day off. Worse off, with a low of -22* and a windchill of -50*, experts are saying that skin will freeze in five minutes. There is no way my kids will be venturing outside tomorrow if I have anything to say about it! So what's a mom to do when the weather is dangerously cold? Here are a few things I've done before that seem to be a hit with my kids, as well as a few suggested ideas from my friends! Bring the snow inside and experiment with colors! One of my favorite things to do in the winter, especially since I'm not a fan of cold weather, is to grab a few of my pots and wooden spoons and bring the snow inside. Then I mix some water with food coloring in a spray bottle and let the kids go to town! They spray the snow, eat the snow, and eventually spray themselves in the face. You can do this in the kitchen with some towels covering the floor to make cleanup easier or in the bathtub. (pictured below) Make Snow Ice Cream : A few of my Minnesota friends do this on a regular basis and while we won't have freshly fallen snow tomorrow, perhaps you will. It's very easy to make and only requires four ingredients - freshly fallen snow, white sugar, milk and vanilla. I'm sure that if you aren't using refined sugar you can substitute it with honey. Here's a recipe from AllRecipes.com. Have a PJ party all day with movies and popcorn! What better way to a homebound day than curled up with a few good movies, some popcorn and your comfiest clothes? You could do any number of things other than watching a movie - play games, read books, color. The important thing in my opinion is that you're making the day special by doing something out of the ordinary, staying in your PJs. Cookie baking day! Make this occasion different by letting the kids really help out. They can pick the kind of cookies to bake, put in the ingredients and of course lick the spoon! Bring out that Play-Doh! Let them make a mess and play with that sometimes crumbly dough. Like I said, these are just a few ideas to help get the creative juices flowing. What is your favorite indoor activity when getting out of the house is simply out of the question?