Mental health experts say traditional snow days offer valuable benefits for children’s wellbeing, as a major winter storm impacted much of the country this weekend. While New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that schools would shift to remote learning Monday instead of taking a traditional snow day, doctors argue that unplugged time outdoors may be exactly what kids need.
“From a mental health standpoint, the old-school, unplugged snow day is actually very healthy for kids,” Jonathan Alpert, a New York City and Washington, D.C.-based psychotherapist and author, told Fox News. “Sometimes the healthiest message we can send kids is simple: ‘Today, go outside and have fun.'”
The winter storm reached New York City early Sunday and was expected to continue into Monday, bringing eight to 12 inches of snow and frigid temperatures. At a Friday weather briefing, Mamdani apologized to students hoping for a traditional snow day, confirming the city would implement remote learning instead.
Many New Yorkers, including New York Post writer Kirsten Fleming, believe snow days should return the city after they were abandoned during former Mayor Eric Adams.
“Children should be given the opportunity to unplug, get out and play in the snow. They should be feral, free-range kids: throw snowballs at each other, make a snowman, go sledding in the park or earn some extra scratch by shoveling the neighbors’ sidewalks,” Fleming wrote.
“Snow days are a rare treat. It’s not like there is a danger of overindulging.”
The debate over traditional snow days versus remote learning continues as schools nationwide navigate winter weather events. Mental health professionals maintain that occasional breaks from structured learning, particularly those involving outdoor play and physical activity, provide essential developmental benefits that cannot be replicated through screens.
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