Enjoying the Snowy Days!

Posted by Jan 19, 2017 Book Based Activities, Books, Winter

Snowy days can be full of wonder, excitement and fun. A fresh blanket of snow makes the world seem quiet and new. Give kids the opportunity to enjoy a snowy day, whether you have snow outside or not!

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The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats is a classic story of a young boy enjoying all of the fun and wonder which accompany a fresh snowfall. When Peter wakes up to find a fresh snowfall outside, he ventures out to have all kinds of snowy fun. From sliding down hills to making snow angels, the character embraces the joy of a fresh snow and reminds us how magical snow can be! Whether you have snow where you live or not, there are many activities that you can use along with this book to entertain your kids and have some fun!

Snowy Tracks – In the story, Peter goes out in the snow and makes different tracks with his feet. Spray shaving cream onto a tabletop, or pour flour onto a plate. Have kids drag their fingers through it to create tracks. Have them mimic some of the tracks that Peter made in the book.

Digging in the “Snow” – This is a great sensory activity for young kids which allows them to explore and try different utensils and tools without any mess. Fill a bin or a bowl with cotton balls and provide kids with measuring cups, spoons, ladles, tongs, or other safe kitchen utensils. Let them explore the “snow” on their own, or challenge them to try their best to scoop it into piles or cups. My daughter had a lot of fun trying to pick up and scoop the cotton balls.

Snowpile Search – This activity is a spin on the “snow” bin above, but it allows kids to work on fine motor skills, as well as recognition of numbers, letters, and colors. Fill a bowl or bin with cotton balls and plastic letters or numbers. Provide kids with tongs, spoons or other tools to sift through the “snow” and find them. Once they’ve explored, start directing them to find certain letters, numbers or colors. My daughter loved playing with her “snow pile” and digging for the right letters.

Work on your balance with this snowy day game!

Snow Day – This story is full of fun activities to take part in when you have a snow day. If you have snow outside, have a fun day inspired by Peter’s snow day! Make snow angels, have a snowball fight, make fun tracks in the snow, build a snowman and slide down a hill. If your kids don’t have snow, have them create their own snowy day story and write about all of the things that they would like to do in the snow. Would they try skiing or sledding? Would they build a snowman or a snow family? Get creative trying to bring some of their snowy day dreams to life! Clean socks rolled into balls make a great substitute for snowballs. If you don’t want them throwing them at each other, stack up a few cups and see who can knock them down.

 

Snowflake Balance – Bring the snow inside by creating a giant snowflake on the ground in white tape. Encourage your kids to walk along the arms of the snowflake without falling off. To make this more difficult, cut some small snowflakes out of paper and toss them around the giant tape snowflake. While kids are walking along the tape, have them gather the snowflakes without falling off the line.

We all scream for snow ice cream!

Snow Ice Cream – A fantastic way to finish your snowy day adventures is some snow ice cream! Even if you don’t have snow, there are ways for you to enjoy this delicious snack! If there isn’t fresh snow around your house, you can create some by crushing ice in a Ninja blender (or another strong blender if you have one). Whisk 1 cup of milk, 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and 1 tsp vanilla into 5-6 cups of fresh and clean snow (or your snow-ice). Top with your favorite ice cream toppings and enjoy!

 

While those of us living in snowy areas may want to grumble about more accumulation and more ice to remove from our cars, don’t forget the childlike wonder of snow days when you were young. Take a few minutes and enjoy the snowy wonderland with your kids and give in to your inner child! We can all benefit from some snowy day fun now and again!

What are you favorite snowy day activities? Share in the comments!

 

42 comments on “Enjoying the Snowy Days!”

  1. As an elementary/ reading teacher, and mommy, I absolutely love your blog! There are some great ideas here for snowy days. We live in NY and although I don’t like the cold, I realize that my son loves it and I should try to make winter as fun as I can for him! If you ever want to collaborate please let me know!

    • Thank you so much! I have a hard time remembering the cold and snow are fun for kids too! I will definitely check out your page, as I am always up for a collaboration!

  4. I love this so much! Living in the desert, we rarely get snow, but I love all these activities I can try with my little guy to enjoy the winter weather inside.

  6. We don’t have snow out here unfortunately, so little man won’t see it for a very long time. But we can take some of these amazing activities and show him what snow is like!

  12. I love the different books and activities you have on this post for a snow day. It’s important to keep little ones busy when you are stuck inside on cold winter days.

  14. I haven’t heard of this book but it sounds wonderful! I really love all the activities you’ve suggested to compliment the book’s theme! They’re so simple and cute! My daughter would love them!

  15. So funny how we all have to come up with different activities depending on where we live! 😉 We’re in the south so I’m over here coming up with water games and outdoor fun for my son. Good job mama!

  16. I love this book! It’s such a great addition to any classroom or home library. I love books about snow. Especially since I grew up in a warm climate, they helped me imagine what it’s like to live somewhere where it actually snows.

    • I think this is a great one to introduce kids to snow! I grew up surrounded by snow a good portion of the year, but it’s a great reminder for those of us living in it too!

  21. Another book to add to my list for next year Christmas! Thanks so much for the suggestion.

    Thanks so much for posting your blog post to the #FanDayFriday Link Party! I hope you have a great experience with the link party and come back again next week! #fdflinkparty

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