Snowflakes

We have snow!

This is pretty exciting news around here because where we live, it does not snow very often. Maybe once or twice each winter we’ll see an inch of snow … if that.

Well, with snow in the forecast and a school holiday, we had a Snowflake Day at home. We did several of these activities and may do a few more this week…

 

• Snowflake Pancakes … we started of the morning with these warm snowflake pancakes topped with strawberries and cream.
  1. Mix up regular pancake batter (whole wheat doesn’t work as well. It clogs the squeezy bottle.)
  2. Pour into a squeezy condiment-type bottle.
  3. Design your edible snowflakes!

• Read “Snowflake Bentley” by Jacqueline Briggs Martin … I had never read this book before and it’s pretty fascinating. It tells the story of Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley who discovered how to take pictures of snowflakes.
  1. We actually got the read-along CD with the book from our library. It was fun to listen to with the kids.
  2. The story is a simple biography in story form with more detailed facts on the sides that you can read. Very interesting.

 

• Read “The Art of the Snowflake” by Kenneth Libbrecht or “Snow Crystals” by W.A. Bentley.
  1. These books are AMAZING. The are full of beautiful pictures of snowflakes. My whole family has loved looking through them.
  2. “Snow Crystals” is Snowflake Bentley’s own book of photographs that he had published just before he passed away.

 

• Fold and Cut Paper Snowflakes … After looking at the amazing snowflakes in the books, we had fun making our own.
  1. Use this tutorial to fold your paper to make a six-sided snowflake.
  2. This was a little tricky for my 4-year-old and my 2-year-old could not do it by herself. They ended up telling me where to cut, then they unfolded it!
     • TIP! Kelly from Little Wonders’ Days told me that they folded snowflakes with magazine pages which are much thinner and easier for younger kids to cut. Brilliant!!

 

• Make-a-Flake … this online game was a hit with all three of my kids.
  • Go here to play Make-a-Flake.
  • The computer folds a piece of paper for you.
  • Then you click to make the scissors cut out any design you like.
  • Click “Preview Flake” to see your snowflake.
  • Start over and make as many as you want!

  

• Marshmallow Snowflakes
  1. You’ll need large marshmallows, mini marshmallows & a box of toothpicks
  2. Poke 6 toothpicks into a large marshmallow
  3. Use the mini marshmallows to make a snowflake design.
  4. My kids liked eating the marshmallows afterwards

•  Read “Millions of Snowflakes” by Mary McKenna Siddals … another great snowflake book.
1. Cut out 5 small snowflakes.
2. As you read, count out 1, then 2, then 3… snowflakes on a piece of black paper.

My sister-in-law made these popsicle stick snowflakes with her cute kids. I think they turned out great! Thanks for the pictures Lindsey!

• Popsicle Stick Snowflakes
  1. Crisscross and glue 3 craft sticks together with hot glue to form a 6-sided snowflake.
  2. Use sequins, jewels, glitter, stickers and even crayons on to make a unique snowflake.
  3. Hang up your snowflake to enjoy!

• Letter S Snowflake
  • Cut out a large S for each child from blue cardstock. Or print the letter S above (click, download, print) on blue paper.
  • Glue white cotton balls inside the bottom of the S to make a snowy ground
  • Stick white snowflake stickers inside the top of the S.

• Crystal Snowflakes … I’ve had this pinned on my Pinterest board for quite a while now. They grow overnight!
  • Cut 3 equal pipe cleaners and twist together to form a 6-sided snowflake.
  • Cut 6 small equal pipe cleaners and twist to the end of each side (see above)
  • Follow the tutorial here at Silver and Chalk. You suspend the pipe cleaners in a borax solution overnight to grow amazing snowflake crystals!

Snow

• Cotton Snow Song
  1. Give each of the kids a piece of cotton batting (snow).
  2. Sing the song below while they hold the "snow" on their head.
  3. Repeat the song, changing the body part each time.

The snow is on my [head]

It landed there you see.

I went outdoors to play

And snowflakes fell on me!

*(sung to "The Farmer in the Dell")

• Snowball Obstacle Roll
  1. Fill a large white trash bag with crumpled newspaper and tie it closed so it looks like a huge snowball.
  2. Set up an obstacle course and let the kids roll the giant snowball under tables, around cones and through tape lines!
  3. This sounds really fun when my kids start getting antsy inside during our rainy winter months!
• Shaving Cream Snow Storm
  1. Squirt shaving cream (snow) onto the table.
  2. Smooth it around, then place several small toy cars in the snow.
  3. Let the kids drive the cars through the snow!
• Read "The Jacket I Wear in the Snow" by Shirley Neitzel. Available here. 
• Before you read
  1. Ask the kids to suggest clothes they wear in the winter.
  2. Show them that item (a hat, scarf, mittens, etc) and lead them in the rhyme below.
  3. Tell the kids that "The Jacket I Wear in the Snow" is about these articles of clothing we wear outside in the snow.

I would wear a [jacket], a [jacket], a [jacket].

I would wear a [jacket] to play in the snow.

• After you read 

  1. Write the following words on the bottom of 3 pieces of paper, leaving the blank space.

     • I would wear a ___________ to play in the snow!

  2. Cut out clipart of the clothing mentioned in the book. Feel free to use the ones below …                                                          

  3. Have the kids select a card, color it and glue it in the blank space.

  4. Have him draw a picture of himself wearing that item on a snowy day.

  5. Staple all the pages into a book.

• Instant Snow! … find it here.

  1. This looks so fun! It’s powdered “snow” and you just add water to make it expand 100 times into fluffy, white SNOW! Apparently it looks and feels just like snow, without the cold. We live in an area that does not get snow, so my kids would love this. The reviews are very good!

  2. I love the suggestions to put it in a sensory or water table or large tub and use little shovels, buckets, cars and plastic animals to play in it.