A surplus of snow might put a halt on traveling, but it doesn't have to keep you from having some fun. Celebrate an afternoon off from school or a wintry weekend with an informal Snow Appreciation Day. Whether you're seeking fun for indoors or out, small or larger groups, the following ideas will help keep kids in a flurry of activity.

Snow itself can supply plenty of impromptu fun, so bundle up and head outdoors. Kids can toss snowballs at a target--or each other--jump snowdrifts, band together to construct the Ultimate Snow Fort, raise up a kingdom of ice castles, or treat the birds on the block to a host of Birdseed Snow Angels. For more organized sport, round up players for some snow games.

If the weather outside proves to be too frightful, or kids just need a warm-up break, an indoor craft or two can provide easy entertainment. Invite kids to sculpt a family of Soapy Snowmen, paint a Picture Window, assemble a Foam Wonderland, or create Patchwork Art pictures to take home.

After an afternoon out in the chilly air, heat things up with steaming mugs of hot chocolate, big bowls of homemade soup, and fruits and veggies dipped in fondue. Kids can also fashion their own Marshmallow Snowman for dessert.

Don't forget to take pictures of the kids' snowy creations to enter into our Snow Sculpture Contest.

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Ann Hallock is the editor of FAMILYFUN, a magazine for parents of kids ages three to 12 that reaches 1.3 million readers monthly. She also contributed to the books FAMILYFUN CRAFTS, FAMILYFUN'S PARTIES and DISNEY'S FAMILY COOKBOOK, and appears regularly on television, including the PBS series, "Hands on Crafts for Kids."