When the first snowflakes fall, children are usually beside themselves with excitement. Unfortunately, all that excitement soon turns to boredom. Planning ahead for snow day activities can be a sanity saver for parents. There are many fun and easy winter crafts and activities for kids that are perfect for those dreary winter days when outdoor play isn't possible.
Winter Kids' Games and Activities
Grab a copy of Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin (Houghton Mifflin; September 28, 1998), the picture book biography of a man who studied snowflakes for many years, and read it with your children. Then, try some of these snowflake games and activities.
- Catch your own snowflakes on a sheet of black paper and study them with a magnifying glass to see if you can see how different they look.
- Make old fashioned folded paper snowflakes. Use white glitter to make them extra special.
- Write a play based on the individuality of a snowflake and act it out. For example, have the main character be a person who just wanted to be like everyone else and then found out how great it was to have a special characteristic.
- After the first snowfall of the season clears the air, many people make a snowy treat called snow cream from the next snowfall. Add a teaspoonful of vanilla, a scoop of sugar and a cup of milk to a bowl of snow. Add more sugar, milk and vanilla to taste.
Preschool Winter Crafts
Preschoolers can make so many fun and easy winter crafts that the challenge will be choosing which one to make. A few ideas for winter crafts for children are:
- Use cotton balls to build igloo or snowman scenes.
- Make a village using rice, cereal and oatmeal boxes of different shapes and sizes. Decorate them with paper scraps and bits of trim. Finish each house off with snow made from cotton balls or stuffing on the chimney and roof. Don't forget to make people for the village. Old fashioned clothespins are ideal, since they don't have any small parts.
Preschool Winter Activities
- Acting out the movements of a snowflake is a perfect winter activity for preschoolers. Have the children begin by standing and swaying slightly, as if they are being blown about by the wind. Then, tell them to slowly crouch down until they are near the floor. From this position, they should lie down, as if they have finally drifted to the ground.
- An old favorite with young children is imitating different animals. Acting out the movements of animals that remind people of winter, such as penguins or polar bears is a great winter kids' game.
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