Image Credit: Michal Janek
Our readers from North America and Canada undoubtedly think we British are gripped by a strange madness when it snows.
A couple of inches of snow falls and the country grinds to a halt; schools are closed, roads become gridlocked and a predicted 2cm (that’s less than an inch) of snow can be a top news story.
Ok, most of the UK doesn’t get very much in the way of snow that often, so when it does the excitement goes to our heads.
If it actually snows, you have to seize the moment and make the most of it - it might melt before lunchtime!
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If there is even the remotest possibility of snow, hunt out gloves, scarves and boots the night before. It would be a shame to miss the best of the snow because you couldn’t find warm clothing or your wellies, wouldn't it?
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You can still have fun. Get outdoors and see just how beautiful the world looks with a dusting of snow. If it has frozen overnight spiderwebs look absolutely amazing!
Get out your camera or phone and photograph that beauty.
Great! Now we’re in business! Time for snowball fights! Be careful that you don’t pick up stones with your snowballs and warn everybody to aim for the chest and never the face.
Image Credit: Nathan Wolfe
You might also be able to make a small snowman – frankly it’s obligatory to try to build one even with the most meagre of snow falls.
You can also try to write messages in the snow.
Not a likely occurrence for most of the UK, but hey, it has happened a couple of times in the last few years!
Image Credit: Cindy Kalamajka
Snow Angels are great fun. Lie down in the snow on your back with your arms open wide. Move your arms from your ears to by your sides a few times. This makes the wings. Now open and close your legs a few times. This makes the angel’s skirt. Stand up carefully and admire your handiwork.
Build a snow house. If you have enough snow you can dig out your house, otherwise build up the snow into walls to mark out the rooms. Mould chairs and tables from the snow you have dug out. Here you can find instructions how to build a snow fort.
Snow Moulding can be done using toys from the sandpit, or any suitable containers. Snow will work just like sand for making snow-castles. Just like with sandcastles, you have to work out the right amount to pack the snow down into the bucket.
To finish, I have to pass on this lovely idea that I saw on Twig and Toadstool, to make Ice Rainbow Sun Catchers
Basically you take a shallow, frost-proof container such as a pie tin and fill it with leaves, pine cones, acorns, twigs, fruit etc.
You would also need to include a piece of strong string or twine, folded in half with just the folded end in the container. Leave it outside to freeze, and after a few hours (or maybe overnight) you can take it out of the container and hang it up in a tree to catch the sun for as long as the temperature stays low enough.
If it is a really cold day, you may find that ponds, lakes and even rivers are frozen. It is very important that you take care near frozen water, and NEVER try to walk on a frozen stretch of water.
You do not know how thick the ice is, and if the ice breaks and children or adults fall into the icy water, they could die.
Here is some advice on staying safe near frozen lakes from Royal Life Saving Society UK.
You can also find more detailed advice about frozen water safety at RoSPA.