Help! I'm snowed in with my child!!

Ok, so this has NOTHING to do with cooking but I thought I'd share some ideas I have for parents who are going stir crazy with their children during Snowpocolypse 2012. After you have done the usual playing in the snow fun and you have used up all your ideas, never fear.... I wasn't a camp counselor for 10 years for nothing! Here are some things you could try. Use them, forward them, share them but most of all put a little Baileys in your coffee and have some fun. Memories are made from things like this.

* Build things with cardboard boxes - robots, computers, cars, etc

* Get a scrap board and some nails and screws from your junk drawer. Have your child bang and hammer away. OR, sort things...nails, screws, hooks...whatever you have on hand.

* Make paper snowflakes. You could make them colorful by having them color a design on the paper first.

* "Water" color. Use just water and a brush and "paint" on something that can get wet. A garage floor is perfect, but you can also use paper pinned on a wall or laid on the ground.

* Make a flip book of how to make a Snowman or Snow Angel.

* Teach your child how to sew on a button.

* Hide a collection of some of your child's favorite things around the house. (dinosaurs, dolls, cars, etc) Have them go on a scavenger hunt and collect them.

* Make playdoh. My favorite recipe is here.

Play games. Here are some of my favorites. You don't need anything for these games except for yourselves and your laughter. (well, Chubby Bunny needs marshmallows, but you could also pretend)

Hide & Seek - one person hides and everyone tries to find them. The first person to find them is the next hider.

Sardines - It's like Hide & Seek but reverse. One person hides and the rest of the family has to try to find them. Once you find them you very quietly have to hide with them. They continue to hide until the last person as found the group. The first person to find the hidden person is the one who gets to hide next.

Silent Game - everyone is quiet and you can set a timer for how ever long you think you can be the quietest. Bribes are important for this one. :)

Chubby Bunny - Shove as many marshmallows in your mouth as you can and say "chubby bunny". Be careful. This gets silly and may induce laughter.

Dead Dog - everyone lays down on the floor and you count backwards from 10 out loud. Then you say "dead dog". Everyone lays perfectly still and frozen. You have to try to get them to move or laugh and then they are out. You are not allowed to touch them, just say funny things with your words.

The Ha! Game - everyone lays down in a circle with your head on the next person's stomach. Each person takes a turn saying "Ha!" It ends up being pretty funny.

Zip! Boing! - This is a game where you are out if you laugh or show your teeth. You have to cover your teeth with your lips and go around the circle saying "Zip". if you say "Boing" it reverses the direction. This one is hilarious. My favorite.

Ready....set....get your fun on!