Fun Snow Snacks

Snow and still snowing

We are currently in the throes of that monster snowstorm which is affecting much of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.  It is truly a winter wonderland outside, and although we are in the lull of the storm, they say there is a lot more to come, following this brief lull.

All the local schools are closed and mothers are going crazy  coming up with all sorts of ways to amuse their kids on yet another "no school" day.

I just don't seem to see kids playing outdoors as much as they used to years ago.

When I was a child, I seem to remember my mother bundling us up in so many layers of clothing, that our arms practically stuck straight out and there was no possible way of even bending our legs.  There were masks and scarfs and hoods, so excessive that it's a wonder we weren't smothered.  And, due to the fact that our arms couldn't bend, smothering was a very real possibility.

Anyway, it seems to me that we played outdoors for hours.  Maybe even for days at a time.  We didn't come in until we were soaked completely through, and even then, she probably sent us back out.  I don't know if kids even play like this nowadays, but they should.  I have many good snow playing memories to look back upon.  There was even that one day that mom sent me to school on a "School's Closed" day, but I'll save that for another blog post someday.

So today I'm gonna offer up three ideas for snow fun the kiddos can have.  All of them involve making a tasty snack out of snow, because what parent has a child that isn't constantly asking for a snack?  These snacks the kids can make either themselves, or with very little help and a few simple ingredients.

Snow Ice Cream

1.  Collect about one gallon of clean snow as it is falling into a container.

2.  Mix it together with one 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Snow Candy

1.  While it is snowing, catch some snow in a large bowl.

2.  Put the bowl into the freezer.

3.  Heat one cup maple syrup and 1/4 cup salted butter in a sauce pan until it boils, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon.  Do not let it boil over.

4.  The mixture will be ready about 6 or 7 minutes after it boils.

5.  Remove from heat and cool for 2 minutes in the pan.  Then pour it over the snow and your "candy" is ready to eat.

Snow Cones

1.  Gather fresh snow in a cup, paper cone, or ice cream cone from the grocery store.  Clean snow only - no yellow snow!

2.  Pour some Kool Aid, Gatorade, fruit juice, or root beer over it.


Enjoy!