Winter
Coffee Filter Snowflakes
Use a basket-style coffee filter (round shaped) to make a snowflake. Fold the filter in half three times. Cut out shapes along the edges of the folds to reveal a beautiful snowflake when unfolded. Discuss with your child the uniqueness of each snowflake made!(read more)
Everlasting snowballs
This is a great way to "recycle" those plastic grocery store shopping bags. You'll have to do this first part yourself: use scissors to cut plastic bags into very thin (1/4") strips - 2 or 3 bags should be plenty. It should look almost shredded. Place these in a large bowl and set aside. Take another plastic bag and scrunch it into a fist-sized ball, wrapping ...(read more)
Indoor Snowball Fight
If it's too cold to play outside on a wintry day, and you and the kids are feeling cooped up, try this fun activity. Roll up a bunch of white tube socks to create "snowballs." Tell the kids it's time for an "indoor snowball fight" and let them burn off all that pent up energy! Be sure to put away the lamps first...(read more)
Ice Ornament
Create an "ice ornament" or "ice sculpture" by arranging natural objects found on a nature walk (like pine cones, leaves, sticks, rocks) in a shallow pan. Fold a length of string in half and lay it in the pan so the fold is over the edge of the pan and the two ends are in the center of the pan. Fill the pan with water and freeze (either ...(read more)
The Magic of Mistletoe
Hang some mistletoe in strategic spots all over the house and explain the tradition behind it to the kids. You'll get a kick out watching them scramble to stand under it or, as the case may be, finding ways to avoid it. Of course, in keeping with the holiday spirit, keep a lookout so you can grab them for a hug and a kiss when you catch them ...(read more)
Wintry Painting
Directions for making Crystal Paint: Combine 1 cup Epsom salt with 1/2 cup of water in a bowl. Add a few drops of food coloring or liquid tempera paint to make different colors. Be sure to mix the paint well and store in a small jar. Using the Crystal Paint, have your child paint a winter scene onto a piece of dark construction paper. ...(read more)
Indoor Beach Party
When winter is getting the best of you, have an indoor beach party with your kids (and friends)! Get out the swimsuits, sunglasses and beach balls, put on some Beach Boys tunes, lay out some beach towels and have a picnic! The kids will love getting out these items from summertime and don't ALL kids love to have as few clothes on as possible?(read more)
Pasta Snowflakes
This is a fun activity to do on a cold day when you and the kids are stuck indoors. Using white spray paint, coat uncooked wagon wheel-shaped pasta and let dry on newspaper. (Plan on about 25 pieces of pasta per child.) Then, glue the painted pieces of pasta onto construction paper in snowflake shape. An easy way to create this shape is to glue one ...(read more)
All-Season Snowman
Make an indoor snowman any time of year using stackable boxes and household items for clothes and eyes, nose and mouth! Use your preschooler's creativity, but some suggestions are vanilla wafers for eyes, raisins for mouth, and a cracker for a nose. (read more)
Mitten Snack
Use a mitten-shaped cookie cutter to cut two pieces of bread. Arrange the bread with thumb shapes together, like a mirror image. Spread peanut butter or cream cheese on the bread. Decorate the mittens with raisins, coconut, carrot slices, or thinly sliced celery. Older children can try to decorate the mittens exactly the same to make a matching pair!(read more)
Winter Windows
Add a small amount of liquid dish soap to white tempera paint. Mix it thoroughly. Have your child paint pictures or designs on a window. Cover the windows with plastic wrap and let the paint sit overnight. The next day, remove the plastic wrap from the windows and you'll see your frosty "winter" window come to life! **By including the liquid detergent, the paint ...(read more)
Paper Bag Gingerbread Man
Cut a Gingerbread Man out of a paper grocery bag. Let your kids decorate him with buttons and scraps of fabric and any other art supply you have on hand. Then read the story together and have a fun time acting out the different parts.(read more)
Paper Snowflakes
Decorate your home for winter with "unique" snowflakes made by your preschooler! Show them how to fold the paper multiple times and then use scissors to cut small notches and unfold to see their creation!(read more)
Reindeer Food
In a Ziploc baggie, combine 1/2 c of oats and 2 tablespoons each of green and red colored sugar. You can also add Rice Krispies if you'd like. On Christmas Eve, sprinkle the "reindeer food" on your front lawn. If your family doesn't celebrate Christmas, you could also create "Winter Rabbit" or "Snow Fox" food. Several websites also have cute poems that you can type up and place ...(read more)
Mitten Sequencing
Trace 11 mitten shapes on construction paper and cut them out. Write one number from 0 to 10 on each mitten. String a piece of yarn between two chairs to resemble a clothesline. Have your child clip the mittens with clothespins in order from 0 to 10. You could also use this activity to practice putting letters in order.(read more)
Skiing Cotton Ball Snowman
Take two cotton balls and glue them together. Then take two wooden stir sticks, like the kind for coffee, and cut them about 1-2" long each. Glue the wooden sticks to a piece of paper side by side. Then glue the two glued cotton balls, one on top of the other, to the sticks with the sticks sticking out just a little bit in front to make ...(read more)
Paper Evergreen Trees
Make a simple 3-dimensional evergreen tree from construction paper. Fold a piece of green construction paper in half, then cut it in half along the fold. Put the two pieces together, and fold them in half again. Draw half an evergreen tree along the fold -- half of a big triangle will work fine. Cut along the line you just drew to create two identical trees. ...(read more)
Handmade Snowflakes
Take a piece of white paper. Have the child fold it several times into a small piece. Cut off the corners, and cut triangles into the sides and open! It should resemble an original snowflake art to be hung in a window. You can make several and string them together to hang from the ceiling.(read more)
Snow Painting
On those cold snowy winter days, bundle up your kids and give them a couple of spray bottles. Fill the spray bottles with water and add a little food coloring to each one. The kids can spray the colored water onto the snow and create a masterpieces!(read more)
Advanced Shaving Cream Snowmen
This activity is a more advanced rendition of the "spray shaving cream on a table and let the kids create their own snowman" idea. For this version, first have the kids draw a snowman on dark-colored construction paper. Then combine 2 parts REGULAR (not menthol or gel) shaving cream with 1 part Elmer's liquid glue in a plastic container. Depending on how much mess you're prepared to ...(read more)
Can't Catch Me, I'm The Gingerbread Man!
Kids love to try to find this quick little guy, and this activity is a great way to teach problem solving skills and work on reading. Begin by making up clues to several locations in the house ("Run, run, as fast as you can to the place where you eat your lunch"). At each location, leave a part of the Gingerbread Man (his gumdrop buttons or a picture ...(read more)
Cotton Ball Snowman
Find different size cups or mugs for preschoolers to trace (no glass ones). If you don't have different size cups to use, try small round containers, lids, or unopened cans. You'll need three different sizes. On paper have preschoolers trace three circles in stacking order with the biggest on the bottom. Have them fill in the circles with cotton balls and a little bit of glue. You can simplify the ...(read more)
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