Snow Day Ideas to Entertain the Kids

So your child's school is shut down. What next?

Well, there are always the traditional snow day events -- sled riding, shoveling sidewalks, making snowmen and safe snowball fights.

And there are other ways. For one, students are invited to enter a district photo contest because snow makes for beautiful winter wonderlands, snow angels and snowmen.

All Quaker Valley students are invited to enter their photos depicting winter scenes or activities to be considered for publication on the district's website, in district publications including the wall calendar, and for the district holiday card.

Prizes will be awarded for the top student entries. Students must take the photos in order to qualify for submission. Parent entries will be considered for some publications, but will not qualify for prizes. All entries should be emailed as a JPEG (.jpeg file) to Communications Manager Martha Smith at smithm@qvsd.org. Please use "Photo Entry" as the subject of the email.

Each photo should be sent separately and include the student photographer's name, contact information, school and grade as well as the name and contact information of any identifiable people in the photo. Submissions are limited to three entries per student. The deadline for submission is March 28 or the last local snowfall, whichever comes first.

MORE IDEAS

And while kids are enjoying the break from -- there is plenty more to do around with the wee ones. Even if you're just looking to liven up a dull day, Sewickley offers many kid-friendly choices. Here are some ideas Patch came up with for a greater snow day:

• Hit the . Thankfully, it's not a holiday. There is a storytime geared to fit any age group under 5 years old. Tuesdays are for kids up to 24 months old at 10:15 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1 p.m. Story times for 2-year-olds are on Wednesdays at 10:15 and 11 a.m. Thursdays are for children ages 3 to 5 at 10:15 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.. If story time isn't scheduled, there are still computers for children to use and a play area for the little ones. These areas are almost never empty so kids (and their moms) make friends fast.

• If leaving your house is not an option, log onto the library's website and click the "Kids" tab. The links will take you to age-appropriate learning and reading games to help keep the blues at bay.

• Weigh in at "." Newly relocated to Beaver Street, this store is every child’s dream, with games, toys, Legos and most of all, the largest selection of Playmobil in the area. For a small fee children can spend hours building anything their imaginations can concoct. If they are really well-behaved you may purchase the object of their creation or desire when you go. You just pay by the pound. Round up four frazzled moms and you can have a "Mini Pound Party." Everybody pitches in $10, and you receive cupcakes, balloons, drinks -- for the under-21 crowd -- and an hour of playtime.

• Or, blow off some steam at the . Everyone 6 years old and under enjoys the family gym in the Hunter section of the YMCA. For a mere $2.75 (free for members), kids can spend time indoors and out of the cold getting physical exercise. Shoes get removed, balls are thrown, obstacles are climbed, and tumbling is encouraged. From noon until 1 p.m. every Monday and Wednesday, you can drop by and let them run, run, run.

• Join the Sewickley Moms Club and meet other mothers in the area. The group provides informative meetings, outings and scheduled play dates among other perks. You will make new friends, and someone is bound to live nearby -- ready for an emergency get together -- as members come from not only Sewickley, but Moon Township, Baden and North Hills as well.

• If all else fails, resort to bribery. Stop by the . The charming candy store is a blast from the past, featuring candy from your own childhood as well as fun new treats to try. Slap down a couple of dollars and buy yourself some quiet time. It will be worth every penny.