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WINTER THEME

CRAFTS

Borax Crystal Snowflake
You will need: string, wide mouth jar, white pipe cleaners, blue food coloring (optional), 
boiling water (with adult help), borax (available at grocery stores in the laundry soap section), pencil
 Direction: With a little kitchen science you can create long lasting snowflakes as sparkly as the real ones. Cut a white pipe cleaner into 3 equal sections. Twist the sections together in the center so that you have a "six-sided" star shape. If your points are not even, trim the pipe-cleaner sections to the same length. Now attach string along the outer edges to form a snowflake pattern. Attach a piece of string to the top of one of the pipe cleaners and tie the other end to a pencil (this is to hang it from). Fill a wide mouth jar with boiling water. Mix borax into the water one tablespoon at a time. Use 3 tablespoons of borax per cup of water. Stir until dissolved, (don't worry if there is powder settling on the bottom of the jar). If you want you can add a little blue food coloring now to give the snowflake a bluish hue. Insert your pipe cleaner snowflake into the jar so that the pencil is resting on the lip of the jar and the snowflake is freely suspended in the borax solution. Wait overnight and by morning the snowflake will be covered with shiny crystals. Hang in a window as a sun-catcher or use as a wintertime decoration.

Cake Pan Snow Art
Materials:  A cake pan and rubber spatula for each child (can be brought from their homes), water-soluble markers
What to Do:  If your group can't spend a day in the snow, they can still bring some inside for fun.  Ask each child to bring a cake pan and rubber spatula from home.  Have extras yourself in case anyone forgets.  Just outside the meeting place, have them fill the pan with snow, pat it down until it's firm, and smooth it with the spatula.  Inside, give the group lots of water-soluble coloured markers and tell members to draw a winter scene.  The markers will glide over the snow like ice skates.  To save the paintings, place them back outside in the cold until it's time for the group to go home.

Cereal Snowflakes
Honeycomb cereal makes great snowflakes.

Frosty Winter scene
Color a scene with crayons, press hard, then paint with white paint. The paint won't stick to the crayons. sprinkle with clear glitter while paint is still wet.

Ice Painting
Materials: Ice Cubes, Craft Sticks, Tempera Paint powder, Several Colors, Spoon, Heavy paper
Direction: To make an ice cube paintbrush poke craft sticks into partially frozen ice cubes. Then continue to freeze solid. Take an Ice cube paintbrush by its handle and rub it back and forth over the powdered color on the paper. Try putting small amounts of other colors on your paper and rubbing those with another ice cube paintbrush. Let dry.

Ice Candle
You will need: 5 gallon plastic bucket or pail, nonstick cooking spray (optional), water, 
candle, Some nice freezing weather
Direction: Spray the inside of the bucket with the no-stick spray or rub with a little oil. This helps if you have problems with the ice sticking to the bucket when it's time to remove. Fill the bucket three quarters of the way full and set outside to freeze. Leave overnight (depending on how cold it is!). In the morning remove the ice block from the bucket. On the bottom there should be an area that is still liquid. Drain out the liquid and slush and turn it over. Allow to freeze for at least for four more hours. The pocket where the water was now makes a great place to insert a candle. Light and place outside in your yard when it's dark for a beautiful ice "crystal" candle luminary! Be sure to have an adult help you light the candle!
 

Make a Snow Gauge
Take an old clear plastic soda pop bottle and cut off the top half. Mark the outside in centimeters or inches with a permanent laundry marker and place it outside in a place where it can collect the falling snow. Measure how much melted snow it takes to make water. Collect some snow in a container and record the level of snow on the container. Let the snow melt. How much water is there? Are you surprised at the difference?

Make a Glacier
Fill a bowl with snow and bring it inside to partially thaw, and then add more snow on top. Keep doing this all winter long. You will then have the "layers" of ice and snow like a glacier.

Pinecone Bird Feeder
Summer or winter, this natural pinecone bird feeder is a decorative and simple craft for kids. Make a few and hang them from your trees outside as homemade outdoor ornaments.
What you'll need: Pine cone , Paper plate, Butter knife, Smooth peanut butter , Birdseed, Ribbon or yarn , Scissors 
How to make it: Cut a long length of yarn or ribbon to hang the bird feeder. 

Snowflakes on Glass
Great way to show kids how each snowflake is so differentand keep it permanently.
What you'll need: A piece of glass and hairspray (aerosol, not pump) 
How to make it: Freeze the glass and the hairspray and wait for the snow to fall. Spray the frozen glass with the frozen hairspray and let some snowflakes settle on the glass. Bring the glass inside to thaw for 15 minutes and you will have a permanent record of your snowflakes.

Sparkle Snow Paint
Material: 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup water
Direction: Mix together and put in a squeeze bottle. Squeeze doughy paint out on to black construction paper. Make anything snowy, snowflakes, snowmen, - we made snow covered mountains with the moon and northern lights. Let dry thoroughly and it will sparkle. May also be painted (when dry) and allowed to dry again. This is a great 3 dimensional effect for snow.

Snow Scenes
Have the children use white chalk on black paper.

Snow Globe
Make your own snow scenes.
What you'll need: An empty jar with lid , Epoxy glue or silicone seal (hot glue may also work, I haven't tried it) , Small plastic animals, trees, scenery items, etc. , Glitter , Water and glycerin 
How to make it: Glue animals, trees, scenery items, etc. with epoxy or silicone seal to the lid of the jar in a pleasing arrangement. Let dry completely, probably overnight. Fill the jar (not quite full) with water and a little glycerin (will work without glycerin - glycerin makes the snow fall a little slower) and add a tablespoon or so of glitter. Gently try to put the lid on, first adjusting the amount of water in the jar - keep as full as possible. The lid must then be glued on with epoxy glue or silicone seal. Leave to cure several hours, then shake and enjoy!

Salt of the Earth
Supplies: 2 cups salt, 1 cup cornstarch, 1 1/4 cups cold water, paper clips. Mix the salt, cornstarch and cold water in a saucepan. Ask an adult to heat the mixture until it is very thick.
Let the dough cool a little. Then squish it between your fingers until it's smooth. Use the dough to form the letters of your name. Press the paper clips into the backs of the letters to make hooks. Let the dough dry until it's hard. Then hang the letters in your room as a reminder to be the "salt of the earth."

Toothpick Snowflakes
Glue and arrange on black or dark blue paper. you could paint them white if desired.

Take a Good, Close Look at Snowflakes
Great way to show kids how each snowflake is so different.
What you'll need: Black paper or fabric (place in freezer) , Magnifying glass
How to make it: Take the black paper or fabric out of the freezer and outside when it's snowing. Let some snowflakes land on the paper and quickly use the magnifying glass to see the beautiful shapes. 

Whipped Soap Snowman
Empty two to three cups of Ivory Soap in a large bowl. gradually add just enough boiling water to soap to make it thick and creamy. Make a picture using the whipped soap.

ACTIVITIES

Animal Tracks
See if you can find the tracks of dogs, cats, birds, and other wildlife in the snow. Check out a book from your local library on animals and animal tracks and see how many different animal tracks you can identify.

Butt Bump
Equipment:  A snow covered area
How to Play:  This is a simple traditional Inuit children's game that's lots of fun!  In pairs, the children stand back to back with "butts" about 12 cm apart.  Without moving their feet or looking over their shoulder, they try to "butt-bump" each other off balance.  Anyone who falls over should be amply cushioned by snow and snowsuit padding.

Coloured GlassesMake craft foam or cardboard glasses for each child. Tape coloured cellophane onto the frames for lenses. Use a variety of colours. Take the kids outside on a snowy day wearing the glasses. Let them describe how the trees, sky, clouds, birds, animals and snow look. Throw snow into the air. Have them make rose, ice blue, sunny yellow or leaf snowfalls. Ask “ Did the different colour lenses change the snow in any way?

Exploring an Icy Landscape
Materials:  None
What to Do:  Take your Children for a hike along a lakeshore or the edge of a river.  Talk about ice and snow and how it makes the area look so very different from how it looks at other times of the year.  Try to find some animal and bird tracks to identify.  Notice how it can be quite difficult to see where the land ends and the ice begins.  Talk about how fish and frogs are surviving winter under the ice and waiting for spring to come.  It's a great opportunity to talk about safety on the ice with your Children.  Warn them never to walk on ice without adult permission and supervision.  Explain how dangerous it is to fall into icy cold water, and how important it is to get warm and dry immediately if it does happen.  If it is frozen solid and you know it is safe to use, go for a walk on the ice.  Slide on the clear spots.  Or, simply go out into the yard at your meeting place and play a game in the snow.

Freeze
Play music and have the children walk around in a circle. When the music stops, the children freeze by standing still in a stooped position.

Getting Ready for WinterTake a walk to find insects and spiders getting ready for winter.Look for caterpillars in cocoons.Some will sleep through the winter; others sleep through the summer and waken fall.Find a butterfly, ladybug beetle, and other animals.Look for insect eggs in masses that look like cotton; praying mantis in sticky looking blob on up branch; school and in large parts on plant stems called Gales, where some will laugh out, or adult insect are along curbs, under rocks or leaves, it in old bird nests, around buildings, or on trees and plants.

Growing Icicles
Get an open tin can, a hammer, a nail, string and water. Use the hammer and nail to make a small hole in the bottom of the can. Punch two holes in the side at the top of the can to hang it with string. During a frosty evening, fill the can with water and hang it outside. (Try coloured water.) An icicle should 'grow' from the can's bottom. The size of the icicle will depend on the size of the hole and the temperature. If the weather is cold enough the water may freeze in the can making it bulge.

How Deep is the Snow? Have the kids dress in their winter gear for outside. Measure the depth of the snow by using their hand, arm or by stepping into it with their feet or legs. Where is the snow deeper? Why? Let them make their own mini drifts by bending down and blowing into the loose snow.

Icicle Game
Have the children pretend to be icicles as they move about on the play area. Choose someone to be the sun. When the sun touches someone, he or she must "melt" and fall down, laying very still.

An Ice Garden Take the kids outside to look for icicles Have them bring two or three or icicles back inside with them also bring in some snow divide the group into teams of four give each team the bottom of a plastic gallon milk jug filled each jug with about 3 inches of snow poke the icicles in the snow with the pointing up Let each team have two different colors of food coloring Tell the kids to drip the food coloring over the icicles.See how long it takes for the Magic Garden to melt.

Musical IciclesTake the kids outside to search for icicles. Ask the kids how they are shaped. Why are they shaped in this way? Use a metal rod and tap each one gently. Do they sound alike? Why or why not? Break one and ask what it sounds like. What do they feel like?

Shaving Cream Snow
Let the children play with shaving cream and pretend it is snow. They pile it up and make snowmen and all sorts of creations.

Snow Shoes
Rent, borrow, or buy some snowshoes and see if you can master walking on deep snow. You can even try making your own out of a curved branch and heavy twine. The trick to snow shoes is to be sure and lift your toes up when you try and walk!

SnowshoesTake the kids for a walk in the deep snow. Let them feel themselves sink and have difficulty walking. Then the kids can pretend to be rabbits hopping, deer running, or wild ducks waddling. Have them describe what is happening as they move. Give each child: snowshoes” made from the sides of cardboard boxes, snowshoes shaped, with string coming through two holes in the middle. Tie onto feet. Is it easier to walk in the snowshoes? Or walk to walk as an animal?

See How Much Water is in the Snow
Great science activity to show kids the ratio of snow : water.
What you'll need: A container, preferably clear plastic , Ruler, Snow 
How to make it: Gently fill the container with fresh snow, then bring it inside and let it melt. Measure how much water is in the container. You can try this several times over the winter, using different kinds of snow (light fine snow and big fluffy snow) to see if there is any difference in the amount of water.

Sprinkle in SparkleTake a walk with the children and look for ice coated trees or bushes.Sprinkle some salt on the ice of the few branches.Let the children look closely to see if anything is happening.Have the children feel a branch that doesn't have salt on it and then feel the one that was salted.Can they feel a difference?What is happening?

Tracking in the SnowTake the kids outside. Follow the tracks to see where they go. Look at the depth of the track. Ask what kind of animal makes these tracks. What food would it eat? Where do they live? See if you can find its home. Count how many tracks you see. Record the information on a recorder so it can be played back in class/meeting area.
 
 

SONGS 

Snowflakes (Sung to Sailing, Sailing)
Snowflakes, snowflakes
Falling to the ground
Each one rests so gently
They never make a sound
 Snowflakes, snowflakes
Are so pure and white
The special thing about them is
No two are alike

Two Little Snowflakes
Way up high in the winter sky,
2 little snowflakes caught my eye.
Down to the ground they fell without a sound.
And before very long,
It was snowing all around.
 

FOOD

Jello in the Snow
Mix jello as per directions on package. Pour into CLEAN baby food jars-one per student. Place containers in a large tub. Together, fill tub with snow. Watch to see when jello sets.

Snow Slush Dessert
Yummy!
What you'll need: Fresh, clean snow , Frozen juice concentrate (thawed, but cold) , Cold glasses or bowls 
How to make it: Scoop the snow into a glass or a bowl, drizzle a few spoonfuls of concentrate on the snow and enjoy.