Delaware is expected to receive heavy snow starting Saturday, Jan. 24, and running through Monday, Jan. 26.

Most adults, especially those who are already constantly shoveling driveways, would prefer to stay inside with a hot beverage. However, adults with children, especially children who used up their screen time, may need to help the youngsters enjoy the winter wonderland that Mother Nature is laying out in front of us.

To aid those who have to venture outside, here are some activities for parents and children.

Sledding in Delaware

Grab your toboggan, oil up the runners on your sled or grab a coaster sled like Clark Griswold in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” and head for the hills, no matter how small the elevation.

Here’s a quick list of great places to go sledding in Delaware.

One place you shouldn’t sled is the Delaware dunes. The dunes contain fragile wildlife habitat and protect the beaches and the communities they border.

Building a snow fort

There will be mounds of snow built up from shoveling and snow plows. This gives children and adults the perfect opportunity to build up the best fort to make sure snow marauders won’t take over your home.

It’s best to avoid tunnels and igloos because of the potential for collapsing, but an open fort is safe and a key element for our next activity.

Snowball fights

You have your defense system – the fort – which means you have an advantage over those people who refused to prepare for battle. Call a few friends up and have a neighborhood snowball fight.

Safety tip: Avoid headshots and using iceballs. Sure, it gives you a tactical superiority, but we’re not looking for anyone to get hurt − just have a lot of fun.

Snow sculptures

Sure, you could make a snowman, there’s nothing wrong with being traditional. However, expand your imagination and create an army of soldiers. You could create snow dinosaurs and have your own Jurassic Park. You could re-create Stonehenge or the idols on Easter Island.

If those are a little above your abilities, there are always snow monsters that will protect your home.

How to dress for cold weather

Before you go outside, you need to dress for the weather.

According to the National Weather Service, wear several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing. Remove layers to avoid sweating and chill. Outer garments should be tightly woven, water-repellent and hooded.

Wear a hat because much of your body heat can be lost from your head. Cover your mouth to protect your lungs from extreme cold. Mittens, snug at the wrist, are better than gloves. Try to stay dry and out of the wind.

Trump had threatened eight European countries, including Denmark, Norway, France and Sweden, with 10% tariffs for opposing his desire to acquire Greenland before backing off.

A Danish government official told The Associated Press after Trump’s speech that Copenhagen was ready to discuss U.S. security concerns. But the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, underscored the government’s position that “red lines” — namely Denmark’s sovereignty — must be respected.

It was not immediately clear how Trump’s canceling of tariffs might change such calculations.

The framework could include expanding on the 1951 treaty between the U.S. and Denmark, which allows an American military presence in Greenland in perpetuity.

Coons said he spoke to Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who he said welcomed the possibility of the U.S. reopening or expanding some of its former facilities in Greenland.

“I frankly think with regards to Denmark and Greenland, Trump risked a lot and gained virtually nothing,” Coons said. “I believe the ultimate terms of this deal will reflect that he got nothing more than he could have achieved by simply asking nicely and using the existing relationships we have with the Danes.”

Coons said he plans to question Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the president’s threats about Greenland and the recent arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the U.S. military during Rubio’s testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee next week.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

The Delaware Senate passed two bills on Jan. 22 that address the 2025 reassessment of all Delaware properties.

One bill allows New Castle County to perform a quality-control check on some assessments, especially for nonresidential properties that saw large drops in value. The other gives subpoena power to the finance offices of each county government.

Both bills now head to the House, and if passed, would need a signature from Gov. Matt Meyer.

Quality control in New Castle County

Some commercial properties got a tax break as a result of the newly assessed property tax values. Those breaks were the opposite of what many residential properties saw, which was a jump in their tax bills.

Small-business owners have been affected by higher tax bills, sponsor and Bellefonte Democratic Sen. Dan Cruce said, along with the many residents in his district.

The bill would require New Castle County to conduct a quality-control check on assessments with actual and clerical errors and for nonresidential properties that saw a decrease of at least $300,000 from their previously assessed value or whose tax value is 25% less than its most recent sale price, among other criteria.

“This bill represents a policy solution and a commitment to fairness and transparency,” Cruce said in the session in Dover on Jan. 22.

Wilmington has invested $500,000 into block-by-block assessments to bring to the county for adjustments, along with programs for taxpayers to better navigate their new bills. Wilmington and assessment contractor Tyler Technologies have acknowledged that some residential property values fell “outside of industry standards.”

City Council member Christian Willauer, who has been outspoken about the reassessment’s impact on Wilmington, said this legislation is not enough to fix faulty assessments.

“If the legislature thinks the county doesn’t have authorization, they need to give the county unlimited authorization,” she said. “Don’t limit them on what errors they can fix.”

Any adjustments have to be made by Sept. 30, the bill says, and tax statements with school taxes need to be mailed by Nov. 16. The tax payment deadline is Dec. 31 in the bill. It passed with 17 “yes” votes and 4 absent votes.

County Finance offices could get a boost of legal authority

Every county’s finance office might have subpoena power to fix reassessments in the future.

A bill sponsored by Elsmere Democratic Sen. Spiros Mantzavinos gives a little more legal power to county finance offices to compel particularly nonresidential properties for more information when adjusting assessments based on the commonly used income approach. Lawmakers insisted it will be used sparingly.

It passed with 15 “yes” votes, 1 absent, 1 “no” and 4 not voting.

Shane Brennan covers Wilmington and other Delaware issues. Reach out with ideas, tips or feedback about reassessment and property taxes at slbrennan@delawareonline.com.