Stress-free Snow Play

What's for Dinner: Chicken Teriyaki Sandwiches, Crockpot Roasted Potatoes

At the Sewing Machine: Patches onto Cubbie Vests

On the Scrapbook Table: Finished a Thanksgiving layout last night!

Over the last week, Indiana has been blessed with quite a blanket of snow. The great part has been that last week it was actually warm enough to go outside in it, at least for a little while. The down side for me has always been the headache of getting everyone ready to go outside and then dealing with them again as they come in half-frozen dripping all over the floor.

We've put a system in place that definitely helps keep my head from exploding and keeps the snow mess contained.

• We keep hats/mittens/scarves in small bins in the mud room. Snow pants/overalls in a big tote in the mud bathroom.
• At snow-play-time, I put the totes on the kitchen table. Children find what fits. If it fits, it's yours.
• After snow play, they come in the back door and strip off the wet outer layer while standing on a towel.
• All the wet clothes are put in a laundry basket just inside the door. et boots are placed in the mud room on another towel.
• Someone (preferably a child that has been enjoying the snow) loads the pile of wet clothes into the dryer.When dry, the wet things are sorted back into the tubs (preferably by a different child).
• Repeat.

In the summer, we do something similar with swimsuits and towels. Ahhhhh, summer!