Good old-fashioned snow day may be healthy for kids, doctors say: 'Permission to unplug'

Ahead of a significant winter storm forecast to impact much of the country throughout the weekend, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced there will not be traditional snow days for kids. 

The storm is expected to reach the city on Sunday and continue into Monday, bringing as much as 8 to 12 inches of snow and frigid temperatures.

At a weather briefing press conference Friday, Mamdani said the final decision between in-person and remote learning will be announced by Sunday at noon. 

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"I have to apologize to the students that were hoping for a different answer for a traditional snow day," he said. "That will not be the case."

Following Mamdani’s controversial announcement, doctors weighed in on the decision, pointing out that snow days can be beneficial for kids. 

"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 Digital. "Sometimes the healthiest message we can send kids is simple: ‘Today, go outside and have fun.’"

Snow days shouldn’t be seen as "lost time," Alpert added. They help regulate the nervous system, improve mood and allow kids to return to school more focused and refreshed. 

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The time spent outdoors being physically active can also be beneficial, he noted.

"An occasional snow day gives kids something they rarely get now: old-fashioned outdoor fun," he said. "Sledding, snowballs, building forts … no screens, no Zoom links, no pressure to stay productive."

"Children don’t need more screen time," he added. "They need movement, fresh air, unstructured play and permission to unplug." 

Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel echoed the benefits of having a full day off with no obligations.

"I love the idea of an old-fashioned snow day for mental and physical health — for kids to play out in the snow, build a snowman with a carrot nose, to commingle and socialize, and to have harmless snowball fights," he said.

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Kathryn L. Jones, M.D., Ph.D., a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU in Richmond, Virginia, also supports snow days as a way to help kids slow down and rediscover play. 

"Children and teens are so highly programmed with extracurriculars — and even when they have free time, often seek relaxation and restoration online, whether in playing video games or engaging with the wide variety of social media apps at their disposal," she told Fox News Digital.

"With so much external and internal pressure to grow up faster, we end up with kids who become adults who have forgotten how to play," Jones went on. "There is such a kinesthetic pleasure in playing outside in the snow, to notice textures, temperatures, all senses activated and engaged." 

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Jones suggested the snow day doesn’t get the "respect and grace" it deserves. 

"For the lessons learned about nature, the world around us and our own internal landscapes, the snow day is worthwhile."

Alpert pointed out that Zoom-based learning was found to be ineffective during the COVID pandemic. 

"We already ran the experiment of replacing real life with remote learning during the pandemic, and the results were clear," Alpert said. 

"Zoom school doesn’t function as true learning or true rest. It keeps kids mentally ‘on’ without giving them structure or recovery, which is exactly where stress and burnout build."

Jarrod M. Leffler, Ph.D., chief of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychology at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU in Richmond, Virginia, noted that virtual learning can have benefits if implemented well.

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"Pivoting to virtual learning during a snowstorm can provide consistency for the student and limit the potential of adding days onto the school year," he told Fox News Digital. "For some youth, this may be a positive experience."

However, if the learning is not well-planned, supported and implemented, the switch to virtual could cause more stress for students and teachers, according to Leffler.

"Also, depending on the intensity of the inclement weather, teachers may be left to manage life stressors not normally requiring attention while teaching, resulting in stress for the teacher, which can impact the learning experience," he said.

"It is important to not place a high level of learning burden on the student to limit increasing stress and potentially impact emotional and behavioral functioning."

For kids who do get the chance to enjoy an unplugged snow day, the doctors offered some simple tips to get the most out of it. 

"Stay warm, wear hats, gloves and coats — and if you get wet, go inside for a warm shower and a cup of hot chocolate," Siegel suggested. 

"These are some of my best memories from childhood, along with sledding down ‘dead man’s hill.’"

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If being outdoors isn’t an option due to extreme weather, Leffler suggested that children can engage in indoor activities that are also rewarding, enjoyable and creative.

"It may be helpful for caregivers to help plan and/or offer some options for indoor activities to help reduce potential stress and irritability if the child is required to stay indoors," he advised.