Let them figure it out...?

Above poster again. Also, structure the day.
Sample: wake up, shower, breakfast.
Read 30 mins
Do something creative 30 mins.
Screens 1-2 hours.
Lunch, have them make lunch for all of you
30 mins doing something together on your lunch break
Afternoon, outside playing in snow, make snow ice cream,
Watch movie and have a hot chocolate

Obviously adapt to your day but the day will go quicker with less whining if you have structure.

The ideas above are great. I'll add another one that my kids love and easily occupies them for an hour - flip the bottle. They'll find so many variations to play, and it's strangely satisfying.

Look at Pinterest for ideas too.
I save toilet rolls, small boxes, craft sticks, etc for days indoors and challenge my kid to make something. We have paint, markets, glue etc.
giving open ended ideas opens their creativity more than a kit.

Anonymous wrote:Honest answer? Many hours of video games between trips outside to burn off energy. Also some time reading books and playdates if we can get a friend here, but mostly a lot of screens.

+1

Like flying with your kids, screens are your friends when you need them occupied and somewhat quiet. We don’t sweat it for situations like this.

Sensory bins
-kinetic sand
-snow

Secret message
Have the kiddies write a message or draw a Pic in white crayon and white paper and have the other sibling paint over it with water colors

Pillowfort building

Hobby Lobby, Michael's, and TESO Life (they just opened a location in Centreville! It's fabulous!) have an enormous number of crafty things to make or do.

Also, thrift stores will have games/toys/crafts/books. And the library is probably going to be open as late as Saturday morning.

Hoverboard and/or pogo hopper.

Do they do puzzles? (Mine went off them years ago and I still have a shelf full, unfortunately.)

Get a sled, have them build snow forts/snow men, make snow cream (mine have already been talking about the latter and we've laid in an extra quart of heavy cream for the purpose.)

How many kids do you have and if more than one, what do they do together? One of mine likes to organize her siblings to produce their own short plays. Sometimes they'll play board or card games together, too.

Benefit of low screentime family is that also I can declare e.g. a Movie Time if I am absolutely desperate for quiet, and this can be stretched out with pre-activities that they can get on with in relative silence -- 10yo, you make popcorn, 12yo, make cookies for afterwards, 8yo, get things cleaned up.

Honest answer? Many hours of video games between trips outside to burn off energy. Also some time reading books and playdates if we can get a friend here, but mostly a lot of screens.

I assume you mean what can they do during breaks from playing in the snow?

Board games
Arts/crafts
Play with new stuff they got for Christmas, if applicable
Read books
Write in a journal
Cook or bake something simple (eg, grilled cheese sandwiches or pancakes)
Lego/other building toys
Puzzles
Have a fashion show
Make stuff out of cardboard boxes
Madlibs

And a little screen time, like watching a movie together, is ok, too.

Mine loved making menus and meals-- they'd work together to plan lunch (easy stuff like grilled cheese in the toaster oven, PB&J), write a detailed menu with check boxes, then set the table and make it. Took a long time and while it wasn't gourmet dining it was fun! We let them make desserts too to sweeten the pot.

My kids never liked pre-organized crafting sets, for some reason, even though they received so many of them for birthdays. One kid just spent all day reading, the other played with Legos or Calico Critters and essentially made a giant mess of toys everywhere in the house.

Things that worked for my kids is having a plan as much as you can. Assume 3 snow days.

Do you kids like crafts? Legos?

I have had success in getting a big Lego set / a fun craft kit that they can do independently.
And a few new books.

Both boys and girls like making bracelets in colors that they like (we do this over the summer as activities for cousins getting together)

Play games or do puzzles you already have
Built forts/tents out of pillows and sheets
Read
Drawing, painting, etc.
Build legos

Let them lie around being bored until the above sound appealing. If they complain, have chores available.

*DH

I and SH expect kids stuck at home for a few snow days when I and DH work from home. Anything they can do except screentime at home? DD is 7 and DS is 10. I could go to Michael's or department stock buy some kits.