Snow and winter cold temperatures provide a unique opportunity for children to gain gross motor activity, experience new textures, and have fun. Below are a few ideas!
Collect items from outside (e.g. pine boughs, pinecones, cedar branches, sticks) from the ground. Place the collected items in various containers filling each part way with water. May add food coloring. To tie the ice creation outside in a tree, place a piece of twine in the container leaving a large portion outside of the ice. Place the container outside or in the freezer. Once frozen, remove from the container and use the twine to hang from branches.
Fill a balloon with water and add 4 drops of food coloring. Leave some air in balloon so it has room to expand. Freeze outside or in the freezer. Once frozen, slit the balloon and leave outside for a pretty decoration. You may also use containers instead of balloons.
Tips: Placing the balloon in a container or in the snow will insulate the balloons causing them not to freeze. So don't place the balloons directly in the snow or in a container.
Choking Hazard: Carefully dispose of the balloon pieces.
Using the same idea as above, fill vinyl gloves with water and food coloring.
Place water and food coloring in a bottle to spray or squeeze on the snow. Read more...
Yes, it will be cold. Yes, it will create more laundry, but there is great fun to be had! Sled. Make a snowman, snow angels, or a fort.
When the temperature dip below freezing, we saturate t-shirts, towels, or other fabric items to hang outside. Then we watch to see how fast each item freezes. The kids love it and don't even realize they are learning about science!
Roll-a-Picture are fun games to incorporate fine motor skills, visual perception skills, taking turns, and family time! Think Cootie with a pencil. Perfect for the cold weather, enjoy the snowman version of this game.
I had heard about it but never experienced it until our last snowstorm. One bite was not enough! Snow ice cream is our new family tradition. When you find out how easy it is, you will add it to your snow activities as well!
Snow Ice Cream Ingredients
8 cups snow
1 (14 oz) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 t. vanilla
Supplies
Large bowl
Large spoon or spatula
Can opener
Measuring spoons/cups
Individual bowls and spoons
Note: The sweetened condensed milk provides the sweetness to the ice cream. If you don’t have a can, you can substitute with milk, sugar and a dash of salt. Start with 1 cup milk along with 1/4 – 1/2 cup of sugar (based on desired sweetness).
Make paper snowflakes and enjoy a lesson on how God made each of us unique, just like every snowflake is unique. Add Psalm 51:7b to your craft: "Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." This is a fun way to remind children of God's love and forgiveness while creating beautiful snowflakes.
Tips for Making Paper Snowflakes:
Children love obstacle courses. They have so much fun doing it that they didn't realize they were getting exercise and learning. An added plus is that this activity can be done inside on a rainy day and with more than one children at a time. Learn more...
Fill a large container with snow and bring it inside for fun play without the cold. Shallow storage containers provide a wide play area and easy access for little bodies. For older kids, place the snow in the bathtub allowing the melted snow to run off. Have fun building roads for cars and igloos for toys animals.
Cold weather begs for baking! Time in the kitchen provides opportunity for children to explore the joys of cooking while practicing important skills like measuring, following directions, patience, and using fine motor skills. Try making various shaped sugar cookies or Kiss Cookies. For a fun twist, try making bread in a bag, where kids can watch the dough rise as they mix and knead it.
An extra special way to enjoy these baking moments is by sharing the results with neighbors or friends. Encourage your child to help wrap the cookies or bread and deliver them to others. Not only will this teach sharing and kindness, but it will also help build a sense of community and give your child the joy of making someone else’s day a little sweeter!
Cold days provide great opportunity to focus on fine motor building. Fine motor activities are tasks that help children strengthen the small muscles in their hands, fingers, and wrists, which are important for everyday skills like writing, cutting, and buttoning clothes. These activities develop hand-eye coordination and improve precision, helping children gain control over their movements. Enjoy this list of fun fine motor activities.
Turn your living room into a snowy adventure with this imaginative play idea! Set up a cozy "igloo" by draping blankets over a table or using a pop-up tent. Inside the igloo, add pillows and blankets to create a comfortable space for children to enjoy. Read or play with blocks, figurines, or other fun toys.
For added fun, fill a large container or bin with "snow" (cotton balls). Give the child cups, spoons, or small shovels to scoop, mold, and explore the "snow."
There is never a better time to read fun books about winter and snow than when it is cold out. You will love the teachable moments and the child will love the connections.
