Austin doesn’t get many winter storms, but when we do, the whole city acts like someone unplugged the world. Roads close, schools shut down, and suddenly every kid in town is stuck inside staring out the window like, “Is this… snow? Ice? Magic?”
And with friends scattered across town, kids still want to play — even if no one can leave the house.
Below are fun, silly ways they can stay connected from home while Austin waits for the thaw.
1. The Storm‑Day Jam Session
Everyone grabs something that could be an instrument — real, homemade, or deeply questionable.
- Pots and pans
- A rice‑box shaker
- A cardboard drum
- A comb‑and‑paper kazoo
- Literally anything that makes noise
Pick a simple beat and let the chaos begin.
Then rotate leaders: each kid gets 20 seconds to be the “band boss,” changing the speed, volume, or vibe however they want.
2. Pass‑the‑Song Remix
One kid starts with a totally made‑up lyric like:
“On this icy morning, a snow‑yak stole my cereal…”
Next kid adds the next line.
Keep going until the song becomes a glorious disaster.
Extra twist: add hand motions everyone must copy — even if they look like confused jellyfish.
3. The Ultimate Dance‑Chain Challenge
Pick a song everyone knows.
Kid #1 invents a move → everyone copies.
Kid #2 adds a move → everyone copies.
Repeat until the routine looks like a cross between a talent show and a tornado.
Record the final masterpiece (with grown‑up help) and share it for eternal bragging rights.
4. Freeze‑Frame Theater 2.0
One kid becomes the “director” and calls out scenes like:
- “Deflating snowman!”
- “Slipping on invisible ice!”
- “Annoyed polar bear!”
- “Hot cocoa having an identity crisis!”
Everyone freezes in their best pose.
Director picks the funniest, then hands over the megaphone.
5. The Great Puzzle Sprint
Everyone prints the same puzzle ahead of time.
Set a timer.
Ready… set… GO.
Race to finish while shouting dramatic commentary, hype‑squad cheers, or full sports‑announcer play‑by‑play.
Variation: LEGO speed‑build — same prompt (“create a winter creature”), zero rules, maximum chaos.
6. Who’s That Friend?
One kid becomes the Clue Captain and secretly chooses a page from their My Friends and I book.
They read three hints — no names allowed.
Example clues:
- “This person could eat spaghetti every day.”
- “They dream of being a scientist.”
- “Their favorite animal is a turtle.”
Everyone guesses.
First correct guess becomes the next Clue Captain.
Extra twist: add one fake clue to send everyone into delightful confusion.
No My Friends and I book yet? You can grab one here or on Amazon.
7. The Mini Movie Workshop
Pick a tiny plot — snow dragon, runaway mitten, heroic marshmallow.
Assign roles: director, actors, sound effects, props, narrator.
Each kid films their part at home.
A grown‑up edits it into the most iconic storm‑day film ever made.
Popcorn strongly encouraged.
8. The Mystery Noise Challenge
One kid makes a sound off‑camera — crinkling paper, tapping a cup, shaking cereal, squeaking a toy, who knows.
Everyone guesses.
Then the next kid takes over.
It gets competitive fast.
Suspiciously competitive.
9. The At‑Home Snow‑Day Science Lab
Everyone does the same experiment at the same time:
- Baking‑soda volcano
- Skittles rainbow plate
- Ice‑cube melting race
Count down together and watch the fizzing, melting, bubbling chaos unfold.
10. Story‑Time Shenanigans
One kid begins a story.
Next kid continues it.
But everyone must act out their part while telling it.
By the end, you’ve created a storm‑day epic starring everyone and absolutely zero logical plot structure.
11. Roll‑the‑Snowball
Each kid grabs a die.
Roll together.
The number decides the challenge:
1 — Make your silliest face
2 — Do a snow‑dance
3 — Waddle like a penguin
4 — Tell a joke
5 — Show a cool trick
6 — Pick someone else to do something wild
Fast. Loud. Zero chill.
The Big Storm‑Day Wrap‑Up
And there you have it — your official lineup of storm‑day ridiculousness.
If the weather wants to lock everyone indoors, fine. You and your friends will just turn the whole day into a long‑distance laugh‑fest that probably makes the neighbors wonder what’s going on.
When the ice melts, the roads reopen, and life goes back to normal, check out our Kids Directory to explore everything Austin has to offer for your little energy bundles.
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