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Winter Wonders
Submit your winter wonders ideas!!
SONGS, POEMS AND FINGERPLAYS
-
First Snow
Snow makes whiteness where it falls,
The bushes look like popcorn-balls.
The places where I always play,
Look like somewhere else today.
~Mary Louise Allen~
- Ice
When it is the winter time
I run up the street
And I make the ice laugh
With my little feet--
"Crickle, crackle, crickle
Crrreeet, crrreeet, crrreeet."
~Dorothy Aldis~
- The Snowman's Resolution
The snowman's hat was crooked
And his nose was out of place
And several of his whiskers
Had fallen from his face.
But the snowman didn't notice
For he was trying to think
Of a New Year's resolution
That wouldn't melt or shrink.
He thought and planned and pondered
With his little snow-ball head
Till his eyes began to glisten
And his toes began to spread;
And at last he said, "I've got it--
I'll make a firm resolve
That no matter what the weather
My smile will not dissolve."
But the snowman acted wisely
And his resolution won
For his splinter smile was wooden
And it didn't mind the sun!
~Aileen Fisher~
- Icy
I slip and I slide
On the slippery ice;
I skid and I glide,--
Oh, isn't it nice
To lie on your tummy
And slither and skim
On the slick crust of snow
Where you slid as you swim?
~Rhoda Bacmeister~
-
Snowflakes
Snowflakes falling through the air,
Falling, falling everywhere.
Twisting, turning, floating down,
Covering white the noisy town.
Roofs are laden, window edges,
Snow is sticking to the ledges.
All the streets are silent now,
Comes the whirring of the plow.
Clean behind it shines the track,
Cars are coming, click-a-clack.
People shoveling, piling snow,
Makes clear the way to go.
Wagons crunch and autos whir,
Wheels that turn and never stir.
Children run and slide and tumble,
Snow all over, not a grumble.
Snowballs flying, dodge and run!
Here's a day of snowy fun!
~Elizabeth Cleveland~
ARTS AND CRAFTS
- Snowy Scenes
In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of soap flakes and 1 1/4 cups of water for every six children.
Beat with a hand mixer for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is fluffy and has the consistency of
heavy whipped cream. If the mixture is too thick, add 1/4 cup of water.
While the mixture is being prepared, have each child use crayons to draw a house on a piece of light
blue construction paper.
Divide the soap-flake mixture into several containers. Let the children use the mixture to fingerpaint
snow around their houses. Snowmen can be added to their winter scenes by outlining snowman shapes in
the soap flakes with their fingernails.
**Variation: Prepare snowflake mixture using 1 cup of water for every 2 cups of soap flakes to
make a thick mixture. Let each child mold three balls from mixture and stack them on a 6" square of
oaktag to create a snowman. Press scraps of red yarn into the snowmen to make mouths. Use small,
dark stones or buttons for eyes and buttons on suit. Let dry for two or three days.
- Cotton and Chalk Pictures
Draw a winter scene on blue construction paper with white chalk and crayons. Use cotton to cover and
accent snowbanks, snow-covered roofs, snowmen, etc. Fasten in place with liquid glue.
- Frosty
Paint a snowy scene on blue construction paper. Allow the paint to dry. Glue two round makeup sponges
to the paper for a snowman's body. Then glue on construction paper features.
- Snowmen
Collect an empty plastic jar (such as 20 oz. powdered-drink-mix containers) and an old sport sock
for each child. Stretch sock over the top of jar to resemble a hat (if necessary, cut toe off).
Then glue on sequins, buttons, pom-poms, etc. Draw features with permanent markers. Glue on
paper "tree branch" arms.
- Wooden Snowman
Convert wooden ice-cream spoons into snowmen. Glue a construction paper top hat to the wide end of
spoon. Use markers to draw face features and buttons. Tie a length of ribbon around the neck for scarf.
These can be used as puppets.
- Wintery Snow Scene
In advance, spread Honeycomb cereal on a sheet of newspaper and spray-paint white or paint on with brush white
tempera paint. Sprinkle with glitter while still wet. On a sheet of blue construction paper, glue
two or three circles of white paper for snowman. Draw features with markers or add construction paper features.
Then glue on painted cereal to resemble snowflakes. Use white crayon or chalk to add any other snowy details.
- Yummy Snowman
Glue regular-size marshmallows to blue construction paper to make a snowman. Use markers and construction
paper scraps for features, buttons, etc. Stick in toothpicks for arms. Glue small marshmallows onto
paper for snow falling.
- Eggshell Snowmen
Collect washed eggshells--crush eggshells and dry in oven at low temp for an hour. Draw snowperson
outline on blue construction paper. "Paint" with glue. Sprinkle eggshells onto the glue. Gently press
the eggshells into the glue to secure them. When glue is dry, shake excess eggshells from paper. Decorate
snowman with ribbon, buttons, twigs, glitter, yarn and construction paper scraps. Using white
tempera paint and cotton swabs, paint snowflakes on paper for a snowy background.
RECIPES
- Snowflake Cookies
Place a small paper doily onto a graham cracker square. Shake powdered sugar over doily. Gently
lift doily to see fancy snowflake pattern.
- Cheese Toast
Kids will enjoy these warm winter snacks! Place piece of sliced cheese on bread. Sprinkle on parmesan
cheese and toast in toaster oven or regular oven.
- Hot Cocoa Mix
Great gift for parents! For one hot cocoa mix you will need: 3 spoons of Nestle Quik, 2 spoons
of nondairy creamer, 1 spoon of dry milk, 1 spoon of powdered sugar and 3 large marshmallows.
Stir together the above ingredients and place into resealable plastic bags. To make a cute
stirring stick for this: Push a plastic stirring stick through two or three marsahmallows; use
decorating gel to add snowman features.
- Vegetable Soup
What better to make in the middle of winter than vegetable soup? First read
Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert. Here's the recipe for easy vegetable soup to be made in
crock-pot.
1 can green beans
1 can peas
1 can carrots
1 can corn
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 small onion, chopped
- Delicious Snowmen
Spread peanut butter on graham crackers. Cut two marshmallows in half and arrange three circles on cracker
to resemble snowman. Microwave the cracker for five seconds. Using peanut butter to decorate snowman
as desired.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
- How Do Animals Stay Warm in Arctic Weather?
Explain that just like people have special cold-weather clothing, so do Arctic animals. Explain that
in addition to thick coats of fur and skin, most Arctic animals also have a thick layer of fat that
adds extra warmth.
Demonstrate how a layer of fat provides protection from cold with the this experiment:
Spoon 1 1/2 cups of solid vegetable shortening inside one quart-size Ziploc bag. Turn a second bag
inside out and place it inside the bag with the shortening. Zip the two bags together so that the
first bag is sealed to the second bag. Then evenly spread the shortening between the bag layers.
Have each child insert one hand inside the zipped-together bags. To secure on hand, place
rubber band around top of bags. Then have child dip both of his hands into a bucket of ice water,
deciding which hand stayed the warmest.
- For the Birds
Use circle-shaped cereal such as Cheerios and Fruit Loops for children to thread onto string, colored
yarn or twine to hang from tree branches for the birds. Tie a jingle bell onto end of string so that
the kids may listen for the bell and see the birds eating.
Another bird feeder idea:
Spread peanut butter on "petals" of pinecone. Tie a ribbon or string at top to hang birdfeeder.
WINTER BOOKS
- Elmer in the Snow by David McKee
- Kipper's Snowy Day Mick Inkpen
- One Snowy Day by Jeffrey Scherer
- Snow Riders by Constance McGeorge
- The Snow Whale by Caroline Pitcher
- Snowballs by Lois Ehlert
- The First Snowfall by Ann Rockwell
- Snip, Snip...Snow! by Nancy Poydar
- The Snowy Day by Ezra Keats
- The Mitten by Jan Brett
- Sleepy Bears by Mem Fox
- Dear Rebecca, Winter is Here by Jean Craighead George
- Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
- The Snowman by Raymond Briggs
- The Big Snow by Hader Elmer
- Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton
OTHER WINTER UNITS AND RESOURCES AT ALPHABET SOUP
- Bears
- Christmas at Alphabet Soup
- Valentine's Day at Alphabet Soup
- Presidents' Day
- Holiday Nameplates
- Writing Paper for Winter Holidays
- Writing Paper for Fall and Fall Holidays
- Personalized Santa Letters
Back to Thematic Pages
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·Giraffe
·Seashells
·Sun I
·Sun II
·Beach
·Dogs
·Rabbits
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·Cats
·Cow
·Lamb
·Chicken
·Turkey
·Horse
·Duck
·Pig
·Goat
·Rooster
·Goose
·Chickens
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