Winter Tree

I thought I'd get in one more winter craft/project before the time for "winter" themed things was over (even though this doesn't go with my theme this week).

Materials: blue construction paper (or you could use black), bare tree shape cut out of a paper bag, white paint, q-tip, cotton balls, glue

Activity: Glue your tree to your blue paper. Dip the q-tip into white paint and use to make "snow" on the tree and surrounding paper by dotting on the paint. Use cotton balls to make snow at the bottom of the tree.

Mitten Matching Game

This is a simple and easy to make game that will help your child with color identification and one to one correspondence (which is an important early math skill). You can make many versions of this game to go with different themes. I went with mittens since it goes with the themes we've been exploring in our house.

Materials: Construction paper of various colors, sharpie, glue stick, and contact paper (optional)

Directions: Cut out 2 mittens for each color. Glue one mitten down to the "mat" (which I used black construction paper for). Write the color name on the other mitten. It's really good for young kids to have things labeled with print, even if they cannot read it yet. I would recommend laminating this or using contact paper to cover it. It will protect your pieces from getting ruined.

5 Little Snowmen

Materials: Construction paper, white paint, sharpie, orange marker, words to "5 little snowmen" (which is in the Snow lesson plan)
Directions: Paint and print your child's hand. Allow time for it to dry. And details with markers. Write or print and glue the words to "5 Little Snowmen" finger play. I put ours on the fridge so we can remember the words and look at it and do the fingerplay together.

Mittens

Materials: White paper, construction paper, yarn, makers, glue

Directions: Cut out two mittens from the white paper. Let your child color them with markers. Glue the top 1/2 of mitten down to construction paper and cut around the mitten for the colored border. Make sure you leave some of the bottom unglued so you can slip your yarn in. Slip the yarn between the 2 sheets of paper and complete gluing.

Tissue Paper Mitten

Click here for directions and photo of tissue paper mitten.

This is a really cute craft, so I thought I'd share it. If you have a younger child you could just have them paint or color the mitten.

Popsicle Stick Snowflake

Materials: 3 popsicle sticks, glue, paint brush white paint

Directions: Glue popsicle sticks to form an X and then put a third horizontally through the X to form a snowflake. Allow glue to dry. Once dry, have your child use a paint brush to paint the snowflake white. You can sprinkle with glitter at the end and add a magnet to the back or a ribbon to the top.



**My son really liked this project. It went over much better than I thought it would. He was giggling the entire time he was painting. I plan on glittering it and putting a magnet on the back so I can hang it on my fridge. But first I have to get those things from the craft store! ;)

Handprint snowflake

Materials: Dark paper, white paint, paint brush

Directions: Paint your child's hand white. Place their hand down on the paper (try to have them spread their fingers- a little harder with younger kids). Then continue to do the same overlapping the palm.

Snowman

Great book to go along with this activity: How to Build a Snowman (Little Scholastic)


Materials: White posterboard or construction paper, various colors of construction paper, glue, crayons, markers, and various collage materials (buttons, pom poms, etc)

Directions: Cut 3 circles out of posterboard or construction paper (I used various sized plates to make my circles). I allowed my son to color the body portions of the snowman with crayons, since he wouldn't be able to do any of the gluing and decorating. But older children can do all the decorating themselves with supervision. Construct the 3 circles to make a snowman and use your other materials to decorate and "dress" him. Hang at your child's eye level.

Snow bottle or jar

Materials: White paper, clear bottle or plastic jar, tinfoil (optional), hot glue or super glue

Directions: Basically make confetti out of your sheet of white paper. If you have an older child you can allow them to cut or tear the paper- both are great fine motor skills. If you want to add small pieces of tinfoil that is an option. You can also decorate the bottle or jar with snowflake stickers. (I did because I had them around from scrapbooking.) You don't have to add a lot of paper and tinfoil. Just enough to make about 1" piled in the bottom of your bottle or jar. Once you are done glue on the lid. Your child can shake up an instant snow storm in their bottle or jar!


For older kids try making a snowglobe. (Click for link to instructions.)

Painting a snowstorm!

We are already a day behind (go figure!) because I didn't factor in my husband being off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. So here we are painting our snow storm.

Materials: dark construction paper, white tempra paint, glitter (optional)

Directions: Pretty simple. Just let them finger paint a "snow storm" on the construction paper. If you want you can add a little glitter, but I didn't because as you can see by my little man's lip he likes to taste his paint. ;)

Snow Theme: January 19-23

Snow

Week 3

Vocabulary Words: snow, cold, white

Books: Welcome Winter (Little Scholastic) and other snow/winter themed books

Rhyme/Song/Finger Play:

Five Little Snowmen

Five little snowmen on a winter's day
The first one said, "Wake up, so we can play"
The second one said, "Let's stomp on the ground."
The third one said, "Let's roll around."
The fourth one said, "Let's run and run and run."
The fifth one said, "I'm afraid I feel the sun."
"Oh dear," cried the snowmen, As they looked toward the sky.
And the five melting snowmen waved a fond goodbye

Activities:

Monday

“Snow paint”- white paint on dark paper (add glitter if wanted)

Play with snow or ice in a tub (emphasis on the word “cold”)

Tuesday

Color a snow picture

Snowflake jar- tear pieces of paper up small and put into a jar or bottle for “snow” in a bottle

Wednesday

Build a paper snowman

Thursday

Handprint snowflakes

White hunt, homemade white book

Whipcream snow play

Friday

Make snowflakes with popsicle sticks

Snow in a plastic bag