MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Many metro school districts, and even many more rural ones, called off school for the day.

Both Minneapolis and St. Paul decided to go ahead with classes.

Later in the day, the districts did cancel after-school activities.

Among the hundreds of schools, daycares and head start programs canceled due to the snow was the state’s largest district, Anoka-Hennepin.

There alone, some 39,000 students got something they don’t get too often.

It was just after 6 a.m. Tuesday morning when Shannon Vetsch answered the school’s automated call.

Heavy snow in the north metro surprised her and her girls with a rare snow day.

So this teacher at Sand Creek Elementary put together a “stay home” lesson plan.

Actually, daughters Kate and Julia took care of that — putting pencil to paper to come up with lists.

“Sleep in, then watch a movie, bake, probably bake banana bread or something then play outside,” said Julia, a 3rd grader.

With the snow too dry to make real snowmen, the girls decided to paint them. Think of it as art class, at the kitchen table.

“It’s nice because usually we’re so busy on weekends and in the evenings when we get home,” Shannon Vetsch said. “Just to have a day to be forced to stay together.”

After art came science. The girls found out what happens when vinegar and baking soda mix. A little food dye makes for a colorful — albeit messy — display.

“It’s great,” Shannon said. “We’ve already accomplished painting and shoveling with dad, checked off the list at 6:30. So early risers get a lot done.”