In the fuss and worry about driving and shoveling, we adults tend to forget just how fascinating the fluffy white stuff is for young people. Next time it snows in your area, take a few minutes to enjoy this miracle of creation with your children. The exact activities will vary according to their ages, but try a few of these ideas to explore snow in all its glory.
- First or Nearly First Snow Experience? Very young children often experience snow for the first time on several occasions, due to hazy memories of the year before. Teach lots of new words, like "crunchy," "slippery," and "frosty." Older kids can get in on the vocabulary action with words like "hoary" and "crystaline." What kind of word picture can your child draw on a snowy day? Use words that appeal to all five senses.
- Make Tracks! Look for animal tracks, people tracks, and vehicle tracks. Try this game: while players are not watching, make tracks in the snow with sticks, rocks, or other devices (brooms are fun!). Players try to guess how the tracks were made. This simple activity helps children understand cause and effect, and encourages reasoning skills.
- Explore the Snow. Your young scientists can explore snow's physical properties. Catch snowflakes on black paper and use a magnifying glass. Create diagrams of different types of flakes. Can they be categorized? Do some research to find out why they are so different. What happens to snow that is put into the freezer? The refrigerator? How is snow similar to ice? How is it different? Why does it take longer for piles of snow to melt than the thin layers? The questions are as endless as your child's curiosity, and all that separates another annoying question from a science experiment is your attitude.
- Have a Sculpture Contest. Traditional snowmen are fine, but can anyone build a snowwoman? A snowdog? How about a snowcow?? Just keep an eye on young architects who may not fully realize the dangers of cave-ins, and closely supervise construction projects that involve walls, roofs, tunnels, or igloos.
- Play Fox and Geese. Resurrect this old-time winter game to occupy the kids outside. You need to play when the snow is deep enough to make paths. Tramp out a large circle, and make several spokes from the center, like a wheel. Choose one player to be the fox. The fox must try to catch the geese (they become assistant foxes when caught). Players must stay on the paths, though, and the hub in the center is safe for up to two geese at a time.
Take a moment and enjoy the fun of childhood in the snow. You'll be making memories to last a lifetime and encouraging learning, too!
Sandy Fleming is currently up to her knees in fluffy white stuff, but the kids are having fun. For more everyday ideas about how to have fun learning, sign up for her weekly newsletter by visiting the Learning Nook News subscription page.
Photo by MarcoIE
Loading ...
Comments are closed.