This is a three-part craft: painting the terracota pots, planting the flowers, and watching them grow!

Part 1: Painting the Terracotta Pot

1. Preparation: First put down plastic over you table or something to protect your table. Next, clean and sand the terracotta pot. First wipe off any dirt or dust. Then, take a sander and smooth out any imperfections. Wipe the sanding dust off the pot with a wet rag. Now you’re ready to start! 
2. Paint: Use foam shapes or paint brushes to decorate the pot as your lil’ ones desire!
3. Seal: If you want, spray acrylic paint to coat the outside and keep from chipping.

Part 2:  Planting Your Flowers

1.  Stones: Put a layer of rocks or stones on the bottom to help drain through the holes.
2. Dirt: Fill the pot about 2/3 of the way with potting soil. Make a little indent in the middle with your hands or a spoon.
3. Plant: take your bulb out of the wrapping and place in the soil.
4. Pack: Pack more dirt around the top and sides of the plant

Part 3: Watch them grow!

Make sure to water your flowers and give them plenty of sunlight! Enjoy them grow as the spring goes on!

• Go outside! If you live close to a park, suit up in snow gear get outside. Despite the effort to get kids ready (& the inevitable mess upon their return) going outside for snowball fights, snow angels, and snowmen will zap some of their energy from being indoors too long! Sledding is another option, but make sure your children are safe if they choose to do this!
• Cook or bake: This is the perfect time to let kids help make recipes like home made pizza. Baking is always a snow day favorite as well. Try a recipe you haven’t yet, or spend some extra time to roll out some sugar cookies! Snow days are the perfect time to make family favorites without worrying about leaving time to do homework and get in bed.
• Experiment: Snow days provide plenty of time for weather related experiments. Have your kids check out cool experiments with thermometers, track the snow with a yardstick out on the balcony or front steps every few hours, or even make their very own indoor snow crystals.
• Craft: Didn’t get a chance to make those paper snowflakes before the holidays? Now is your time! We also love easy crafts  like the snow day ring toss. Or you can use the snow day to get started on Valentine’s Day crafts… Heart-shaped cards, writing Valentines to classmates, and glitter filled projects are all things your lil’ ones will love.
• Movie Marathon: After all that excitement, lil’ ones may need a rest. However, especially with older children, they will not always agree to a nap. Putting on a favorite movie can also give you the downtime you need as a parent (catching up on paperwork, cleaning, or whatever it is you had planned to do if your lil’ guys were in school).

When all else fails, LLD is here to help with friendly and energetic sitters to take your lil’ ones anywhere or do any snow day activity you can dream up! Happy snow storm everyone!

-Lauren has been babysitting for many years and is part of the LLD office team! Her favorite snow day activities are drinking homemade hot chocolate, curling up with a book, and going sledding with friends!

What will you need:

1. Tap water
2. Rubbing Alcohol
3. Clear narrow necked plastic bottle (water bottle will work just fine)
4. Food coloring
5. Clear drinking straw
6. Modeling clay or play-doh

Directions:

1. Pour equal parts of tap water and rubbing alcohol into the bottle, filling about 1/8 to a ¼ of the bottle.
2. Add food coloring to the water and alcohol mixture and mix well
3. Put the straw in the bottle, but don’t let it touch the bottom.
4. Use the modeling clay/ play-doh to seal the top of the bottle so the straw stays in place.
5. Hold hands on the bottle and see what happens to the mixture.
6. When done with experiment, make sure bottle is disposed of and not reused!

Cool science explained:
The mixture in the bottle will expand when it gets warm, which means it will no longer fit in the bottom of the bottle and must move up through the straw. If the bottle were to get really hot, the liquid would have to come through the top of the straw. Put the bottle in the sun & shade to see the difference (feel free to mark lines with sharpie).

*Note: this thermometer will teach a little bit about science and temperature, but you won’t be able to record an exact temperature unless you buy a real thermometer.

-Lauren D, creative intern with LLD by day & babysitter & older sister by night.