| The phone rang: "Hello. Is this Alison's Dad?" "Yep." | | | | head.) |
| "This is Alison's teacher and Alison needs you to | | | | 4. Invent games. Start by making tracks in the |
| bring dry shoes, socks and pants to kindergarten. | | | | snow, packing them down enough that they |
| Alison had such fun playing in the snow before the | | | | become "trails" and then make up the rules for |
| bell rang that her boots and snow pants are wet | | | | run-fast-and-you-win games. A circle with spokes |
| and filled with snow." Wow! What a great teacher. | | | | and the first person to get to the center wins, |
| What a terrific school. | | | | for example. A caller tells everybody to run |
| And older sister Abby had a dilemma earlier in the | | | | around the circle. Then says "run to the center." |
| season. Should she continue with figure skating | | | | The child who finds the closest spoke and gets to |
| lessons or join the junior girls' ice hockey team? | | | | center first wins. Kids will quickly make up their |
| Clearly, the only solution . . . do both. | | | | own variations of this game. |
| In terms of health and increasing brain power, | | | | 5. Take a walk |
| these kids and their parents have it right. Playing | | | | 6. Use snowshoes (Don't want to buy them? Lots |
| in the snow combats obesity, builds strong | | | | of sporting goods stores will rent them.) |
| muscles and fit bodies, and gets kids out of | | | | 7. Make a Lazy 8 track in the snow. (Looks like |
| artificial light and stale, dry indoor air. When the | | | | an infinity sign, an 8 on its side) Following that |
| sun's shining, kids get a good dose of vitamin D. | | | | track around helps kids cross from right to left, |
| And playing in the snow is great fun. | | | | an essential movement for reading and improving |
| One time during a class, a loving but | | | | reading. Run around the track. Stomp around the |
| overly-protective Mom asked me if I thought it | | | | track. Snowshoe around the track. Make up a |
| was o.k. for her daughter to make snow angels. | | | | game: two hops, two stomps and then walk. The |
| And did I know what a snow angel was. I | | | | next child makes up another game. Lazy 8's are |
| answered "yes" to both. Mom was afraid her | | | | used in Brain Gym® and other learning |
| daughter might catch a cold if she was lying in the | | | | programs to help kids with reading. Now playing in |
| snow. Well, I suppose maybe if she stayed in the | | | | the snow becomes an educational activity. |
| snow without moving for an hour or two. But | | | | 8. Draw snow pictures and paint them. (Get snow |
| generations of children have been making snow | | | | paint at toy and craft stores.) Paint Lazy 8s. (See |
| angels without getting pneumonia. | | | | the previous tip.) |
| So bundle them up. Then get them warm and dry | | | | 9. Cross-country ski Don't have skis? Slide your |
| when they come inside, and they'll be just fine. | | | | feet on the snow instead of walking. Make a Lazy |
| Ten Things to Do in the Snow: | | | | 8 track large enough and wide enough that you |
| 1. Shovel. Get lighter weight shovels with shorter | | | | can cross-country ski on it. |
| handles for the kids and now shoveling snow is a | | | | 10. Get out the sleds and saucers. No worries |
| family activity. | | | | about the required hill. Your kids will figure out |
| 2. Make snow men, snow women, snow families, | | | | how to build one. (No head first sledding.) |
| animals, dragons, dinosaurs, cartoon figures, | | | | Playing in the snow requires moving. And moving |
| houses, forts, and igloos. | | | | tops the list as a brain-based learning strategy. |
| 3. Throw snow balls at targets (If you're having a | | | | Tops the list as a non-drug alternative for ADHD. |
| snowball fight, make sure the snow is soft and | | | | So find the winter coats, the gloves, and the hats. |
| that it's against the rules to throw at a person's | | | | Push them out the door and into the snow. |