SNOWING ARTS AND CRAFTS

http://bit.ly/drjeanWinterFun

Snow Dough
You can use any play dough recipe for snow dough. Simply omit the food coloring and let the children knead in iridescent glitter to make it sparkle. (My favorite dough is: 2 cups flour, 2 cup salt, 2 TB. cream of tartar, 2 TB. vegetable oil, and 2 cups water. Mix ingredients together in a pan until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture forms a ball and sticks to the spoon. Cool and knead. Store in airtight containers.)
Note! Make sure children wash hands before and after playing with dough.


Snow Flakes
Let children fold coffee filters in half, then fourths and eighths. Cut little “bites” out of the folded edges. Open. You can make colorful snowflakes by coloring the coffee filters with water soluble markers before cutting them.

Hint! Make snowflakes out of newspaper, tissue paper, wrapping paper, and other types of recycled paper.


Snow Prints
Let children draw winter scenes on blue construction paper with crayons. Give them white paint and a sponge or Q-tip to “make it snow.”


Positive and Negative
Fold a sheet of construction paper in half. Cut three semi-circles similar to the one shown on the fold. Open. Explain the positive and negative shapes. Use the snowman cutouts for some of the games mentioned yesterday. Tape wax paper to the the back of the negative design as shown. Let children decorate and the hang on a window.

Ice Skating
Give each child 2 paper plates. Demonstrate how to place these on the floor and put one foot on each plate. Slide your feet as if skating. Put on some waltz music and let the children skate, twist, and turn. Play “freeze.” When you stop the music children must “freeze” in their positions. When the music begins again they may continue to skate.


Snow People
Instead of drawing snow “men,” encourage children to paint or draw snow ladies, snow children, snow pets, and other characters.


Sock Snowman
You will need a white tube sock and some fiber fill for this project. Children stuff 3 large handfuls of fiber fill into the toe of the sock to make the snowman’s body. Tie off with yarn or string. Stuff 2 large handfuls to make the middle section. Tie off. Stuff 1 large handful for the head and tie off at the top. Invert the top of the sock and pull over the head for a hat. Children can decorate with markers, felt scraps, etc. Encourage them to name their snowman and tell a story about what they would do if it were real.

Icebergs
Fill plastic containers with water. Add food coloring and freeze. Place these in your water table and tell the children they are icebergs. Add walruses, polar bears, and other plastic arctic animals.

SNOWING SKILLS

Use snowmen as a springboard for oral language, writing, math, reading, and science.

I’m a Little Snowman
(Tune: “I’m a Little Teapot”)
I’m a little snowman (Bend knees.)
Short and fat. (Extend arms in a circle.)
Here is my broom and (Hold out right hand.)
Here is my hat. (Touch head with left hand.)
When the sun comes out (Slowly melt to the ground.)
I’ll melt away.
But I’ll be back another day!

I’m a snow lady, (Bend knees.)
White and round. (Extend arms in a circle.)
In my hat and apron (Touch head and waist.)
I don’t make a sound. (Index finger on lips.)
When the sun comes out (Slowly melt to the ground.)
I’ll melt away.
But I’ll be back another day!

*Download this book at drjean.org.


How To
Let children discuss how to make a snowman. Dramatize making a snowman by rolling a big ball, and then a middle size ball, and then a small ball for the head. Fold two sheets of paper in half and staple. Have children write a book about how to make a snowman.



Before and After
Have children fold a sheet of paper in half. Ask them to draw a picture of a snowman before it melts on the left. Can they draw a picture of the snowman after it melts on the right? What makes a snowman melt?

*Give children cartoon frames to illustrate a snowman melting.


Snowman Addition
Draw snowmen on poster board similar to the one shown. Laminate. Children make sets (or write addends) in the top two balls and then put the sum in the bottom ball.


Snowball Math
Fill a clear jar with snowballs/cotton balls. Let each child estimate how many snowballs are in the jar and write their name and answer on a sheet of paper. At the end of the day count the snowballs. Who guessed more? Who guessed less?
*Let the children use the “snowballs” to make sets or to do addition and subtraction problems.


Frosty’s Magic Hat
Make flashcards for letters, numerals, words, math facts, or other skills. On several cards draw a black hat. Explain that when Frosty’s magic hat appears the children get to stand up and dance around. This is an easy game that you can play during transitions if you only have a few minutes.

Snowball Seriate
Cut different sizes snowballs (circles) out of cardstock. Let children seriate them from largest to smallest.


Counting Snowmen
Cut out 10 or 20 snowmen from heavy paper. Write the numerals 1-10 (or 20) on their bodies. Mix up the snowmen and then have the children put them in order.



Melt a Snowman Science Experiment
*This is such an easy science experiment, but your kids will get a kick out of it.
Give each child a clear cup with an ice cube in it. Ask them to draw a picture of what it looks like. Have them predict how many minutes it will take their ice cube to melt. Encourage them to draw what it looks like after five minute intervals. Whose ice cube melted the fastest? Whose lasted the longest?

READY FOR WINTER?

December 21st is known as the winter solstice or the first day of winter. It is the shortest day and longest night of the year. Although your students will probably have sugar plums dancing in their heads this week, you might want to add a touch of science to your lesson plans with these ideas.

Science
Ask your students what causes winter. (Accept their answers without judging.) Have one child pretend to be the sun and stand in the middle of the circle. Use a globe to demonstrate how the earth rotates around the sun. It takes 365 days or one year for the earth to go all around the sun. Demonstrate how the earth tilts on its axis away from the sun to cause winter. Why? What happens when the earth tilts toward the sun?




Signs of Winter
Brainstorm signs of winter. What happens to the temperature in winter? What happens to the plants? What happens to animals?


Vocabulary
Make an attribute web of winter words. Include winter clothing, sports, holidays, etc.

Animals Adapt
How do animals adapt in the winter? What animals hibernate?
What animals migrate? How do human beings adapt?




Habitats
Some habitats are very cold in the winter with ice and snow. Other habitats are warmer in the winter. Use a map of the United States and have children identify their state. Do they have ice and snow in the winter? Can they find a state where it’s warm and sunny in the winter? What do they think causes the difference?

Internet Search
Visit a weather site, such as weather.gov, to compare regional weather.

Nature Walk
Go on a nature walk and look for signs of winter. Let each child take a digital photograph of a sign of winter. Put these together to make a class collage.



Trees
Explain that evergreen trees stay green all winter. Deciduous trees lose their leaves in the winter. Can they find evergreen and deciduous trees on the playground? Can they find them in their yard at home?

Make a Book
Staple two sheets of paper and let children use descriptive writing to make a book called “Winter Is…”

Creative Writing
Invite children to write a story about “Old Man Winter.” I found this great writing paper free at www.teach-nology.com.



Read a Book
What’s your favorite winter book to read to your class?

I SEE THE MOON!

I SEE THE MOON!

I SEE THE FULL MOON!

I SEE THE SUPERMOON!

OCTOBER 6, 2025

I see the moon
And the moon sees me...

From the time children are toddlers, most of them are fascinated with the moon. The moon is FREE and it belongs to EVERYONE! Wouldn’t it be interesting to have children look at the moon every night for a month with their parents and draw a picture of what the moon looks like? What a meaningful way for families to do a little science together.

Facts for kids about the moon:

The moon goes around the earth.

The moon has no light, but it reflects the sun’s light.

The light of sun on the moon creates the different phases of the moon.
That’s why it looks different to us throughout the month.

It’s called a new moon when you can’t see it.

When the moon gets a little larger at night it’s called waxing.

As the moon gets smaller it’s called waning.

The moon is always up in the sky, but during the day when the sun is bright you can’t see it.

*What other things can you see in the sky? Take children outside and let them draw pictures of the things they see.

*Is there really a man in the moon? The moon has craters that make it look like a face.
Give children uncolored play dough and let them make a moon/pancake. Have them make craters in their moon with a pencil eraser or the end of a marker.

https://www.freehomeschooldeals.com/free-printable-moon-phases-mini-book/

Don’t forget to read two of my favorite books GOOD NIGHT, MOON, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOON.

   

LEAF PEEPERS

Take advantage of the science lab on your playground with these leaf activities.

Leaf Hunt
Give each child a lunch sack and let them collect 2 or 3 leaves from the ground. Bring these back in the classroom and sort by shape, color, etc. You could also graph the leaves by shape. (Whenever you collect items outside emphasize the importance of taking things from the ground. Return the objects to where you found them after exploring with them in the classroom.)

Science Center
Let children investigate leaves in the science center with a magnifying glass or microscope. Ask children to draw the enlarged leaf.

Hint! You can also take a photo of a leaf with your phone and enlarge it to show the veins and details.

Research
Check out a leaf identification book from the library. Can children match up their leaves with those in the book to identify which tree they came from?

Leaf Rubbings
Lay a sheet of paper on top of a leaf. Remove the paper from an old crayon and rub the side over the leaf to make a print.Hint! Use rubber cement to glue the leaf to the table. It will be easier for the children to make a rubbing, and you can just rub off the rubber cement after the activity.

Leaf Book
Let each child find a "favorite" leaf. To preserve, place the leaf in a sheet of newspaper and put a book on top overnight. Place the leaf in a zip baggie. Encourage children to dictate or write a sentence about their leaf. 

*Put several baggies together to make a book.

I Wonder Why?
Brainstorm why leaves turn colors and fall off trees in the fall. Have children go home and do a little research with their parents and report results in class the following day.

Deciduous Trees (Sandra Kelley)
Tune: "Do Your Ears Hang Low?"
Do your leaves fall down?
Do they tumble to the ground?
Do you lose your leaves in the fall?
Then you are deciduous that we know
because in the fall your leaves all go!

*What's the difference between deciduous trees and evergreen trees? Take a nature walk and ask children to identify both types of trees.

IT'S FALL Y'ALL!

Happy First Day of Autumn! Football, pumpkins, colorful leaves, and FUN are in the air!

Leaves Are Falling
(Tune: “Where Is Thumbkin?”)
Leaves are falling (Echo song. Children repeat each line.)
Leaves are falling (Flutter fingers down.)
To the ground. (Touch the ground.)
To the ground.
Red, orange, and yellow (Flutter fingers.)
Red, orange, and yellow
Falling down. (Touch the ground.)
Falling down.

*Let children dramatize being leaves and dancing in the wind. As the song ends they fall quietly to the ground.

*What happens to leaves after they fall from the trees? Later in the fall when there are lots of leaves on the ground demonstrate how to pick up a handful of leaves and crumple them in your hands. Explain how those leaves will decay and turn into soil.

Fall
Why do you think they call this season “fall”? What’s another name for fall?
What season comes before fall? What season comes after fall? Fall is a cool off time between hot summer and cold winter.

Signs of Fall
Brainstorm signs of fall and write them on the board. What kind of clothes do we wear in fall? What’s the weather like in the fall? Are there any special seasonal foods we eat? What kind of sports are popular in fall? What holidays do we celebrate in the fall? What do animals do to get ready for winter? What do plants do in the fall?

*Let children make an attribute web and label it with pictures or words of things that remind them of fall. Older children can do this as a writing assignment, but for younger children this can be an opportunity for the teacher to model writing and develop vocabulary.



Nature Walk
Go on a nature walk and look for signs of fall. Provide children with tablets, paper, and pencils so they can record their “observations” on the walk.

I LIKE AUTUMN Language Experience Chart
Let children dictate sentences about why they like autumn. Older children could write their own original stories about, “Fall, Fall, Best of All!”

Acrostic Poem
Write the words “fall” or “autumn” vertically down the side of a sheet of paper. Children think of a word that starts with each letter that relates to fall.

ROCK ON DAY

"Collect Rocks Day" was yesterday (9/16), but rocks are everywhere every day. Rocks can be a perfect spark for scientific investigations if you add a little STEAM. When you collect rocks or look at rocks, explain that scientists who study rocks are called geologists. Remind the children that they can be geologists, too!

Take a nature walk and invite each child to pick up ONE rock. You might need to limit the size to a rock that will fit in their hand. Take the rocks to the classroom and ask the children to observe their rock for one minute without talking. Go around the room and ask each child to make one statement about their rock. Encourage them to use descriptive words.

*Ask older children to write descriptions about their rocks.

*Place the rocks in a basket. Gently shake the rocks and then pass the basket around the class to see if each child can find his rock.

*Let the children sort the rocks. What was their sorting rule? Can they sort them another way?

*Check out a book on rocks from the library. Place it in the science center along with a magnifying glass. Ask the children to do research and identify the different rocks they collected. (Remind the children to return the rocks to nature after they have finished investigating them.)

*Are rocks older than you or younger than you?

*Make a list of all the things that rocks are used for.

*Have children make a design and build something with rocks.

*Let children paint rocks or use other art media to make paperweights.

*Place rocks in the math center for children to explore with the balance scale.

*For homework, ask families to take a walk and look for different kinds of rocks in their neighborhood.

*Encourage children to start their own rock collection with this idea. Cut an egg crate in half. Attach a pipe cleaner handle and use it to collect little rocks and pebbles.

PLAY DOUGH DAY

Play dough is multi-sensory, engaging, creative, and open-ended. Talk about PURPOSEFUL PLAY! National Play Dough Day is September 16th, but you can use it every day as a tool just like a worksheet or video game. Play dough also develops small motor skills which help children write. Here are just a few ways to integrate it into centers and independent learning in your classroom.

Comprehension
Let children make their favorite character and use it to retell a story.

Make something that you learned from the book.


Phonics
Rhymes – Make two objects that rhyme.

Sounds – Make objects that start with a consonant, blend, or diagraph you are working on.
Vowels- Make an object for a long vowel sound and short vowel sound.

Writing
Make something you like (or don’t like) and write about it.

Make something from a book you have read and write about it.

Make letter plates by writing letters with a permanent marker on plastic plates. Children roll play dough and make the letters on top.

Make letters (or words) using a bubble font. Children roll dough and fill in.

Make something that is a noun. How can you make it plural?


Math
Make objects that match numbers.

Make a set and then decompose it.


Science and Social Studies
Reinforce information from a science or social studies unit with play dough. Children could make animals from a habitat, parts of a flower, tools of community helpers, healthy foods…endless possibilities! 

Here's a link for my FREE Play Dough book:

Click to download pdf file

Play Dough Book is 46 pages of ideas and activities.

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WHY USE LEARNING CENTERS?

Learning centers are the most natural way to organize a classroom and encourage children to become active learners. Centers encourage children to make choices, explore at their own level, engage in hands-on discovery, solve problems, work with friends, use language, and be creative. Centers are also an effective way to use classroom materials, time, and space. Above all, learning centers capitalize on PLAY, which is the most meaningful and FUN way for children to learn.

Why use learning centers?

*Hands-on activities in centers provide many pathways to the brain and are engaging for young learners.

*Children can work at their own pace and level.

*Executive function skills of task initiation and task completion are nurtured with centers.

*21st Century Skills are enhanced as children cooperate with others, communicate, problem-solve, and think critically.

*Centers give children the opportunity to develop organizational skills and responsibility.

*Centers can provide children with purposeful practice for automaticity.

*Children take it in and take it in and take it in…and then something comes out! With centers we are laying a foundation by giving children a variety of rich experiences.


IT LOOKS LIKE I’M PLAYING BUT….

Just because children are playing, doesn’t mean they are not learning!!! Here are some center signs for you to post in your classroom to help parents, administrators, and other visitors recognize all the skills that children are developing.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12i0cGopnEY28T3hxovLjiZeoOYYVEy0W/view

Dramatic Play – It looks like I’m playing, but I’m developing social skills, emotional skills, independence, oral language, my imagination, responsibility, and the executive function. I may use these skills as a mother, father, safety officer, or politician one day.

Blocks - It looks like I’m playing, but I’m developing motor skills, math concepts (number, size, shape, space), oral language, social skills. eye-hand coordination, self control, and my imagination. I may be a builder or architect when I’m grown.

Art – It looks like I’m playing, but I’m developing my creativity, small motor skills, problem solving, sharing, cooperation, independence and responsibility. I may use these skills as an artist, illustrator, or designer one day.

Math - It looks like I’m playing, but I’m developing oral language, social skills, small motor skills, concepts about quantity, shape, size, pattern, and an interest in math. I may use these tools as a computer programmer, accountant, or mathematician in the future.

Library - It looks like I’m playing, but I’m developing alphabet knowledge, oral language, print knowledge, listening skills, eye-hand coordination, concepts about the world, and the desire to read. Maybe I’ll be a publisher, author, or librarian when I grow up.

Science - It looks like I’m playing, but I’m developing a curiosity about the world, sensory skills, problem solving, language skills, and experience with the scientific process (observing, predicting, experimenting, recording, reporting). If I’m a doctor, lab technician, pharmacist, or landscaper I will utilize these skills.

Small Motor - It looks like I’m playing, but I’m developing small muscles, eye-hand coordination, attention span, social skills, and concepts about size, shape, color pattern. I might use these skills as a chef or dentist one day.

Language – It looks like I’m playing, but I’m developing oral language, alphabet knowledge, print connections, phonological awareness, visual skills, book knowledge, phonics, motivation to read. No matter what I become when I grow it, it will be important to know how to read.

Writing - It looks like I’m playing, but I’m developing eye-hand coordination, small motor skills, alphabet knowledge, self confidence, vocabulary, and an interest in print. I might use these skills one day as a journalist, administrative assistant, or poet.

Thanks to Carolyn Kisloski for these fantastic center signs.

APRIL HAPPIES

Shower April with joy and good memories!

08-April

https://bit.ly/drJFreeApr

Remember that HAPPINESS IS CONTAGIOUS! YOU can add the magic to these activities with your smile, enthusiasm, and energy!

MARCH HAPPIES

MARCH HAPPIES will be like finding a pot of gold! There are handshakes, cheers, a clean up song, a treasure pirate ship, an egg flip book, a writing prompt “How to Build a Nest”, and “smiles of spring.”

Here's your free link so you'll be ready when March Marches in:

07-March

https://bit.ly/drJFreeMar

NOVEMBER HAPPIES

Carolyn Kisloski and I are grateful for YOU, and that’s why we’d like to give you a free copy of our NOVEMBER HAPPIES. You’ll find handshakes, cheers, attention grabbers, and finger plays with a QR code where I demonstrate them. We’ve got activities for beginning writers, days of the week, math, reading, and science, plus a special idea for Veteran’s Day. 

Here's a link so you'll be all set for a NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER!

 

03-November

https://bit.ly/drJFreeNov

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BUG ME

The Bug Dance
By Dr. Holly

Bugs, bugs everywhere!
Bugs, bugs everywhere!
On my shoulders, in my hair!
On my shoulders, in my hair!
Fat and lean ones, in-between ones
Fat and lean ones, in-between ones
Orange ones, red ones, pink and green ones!
Orange ones, red ones, pink and green ones!
Crickets, beetles, ladybugs too—
Crickets, beetles, ladybugs too—
One just landed on my shoe!
One just landed on my shoe!
Caterpillars, grasshoppers, spiders, ants
Caterpillars, grasshoppers, spiders, ants
One is crawling up my pants!
One is crawling up my pants!
I like bugs both big and small.
I like bugs both big and small.
I like them marching up the wall.
I like them marching up the wall.
I like them on flowers and in trees,
I like them on flowers and in trees,
But please, oh please, get them off of me!
But please, oh please, get them off of me!

Choral Reading – Teacher reads the first line and then children repeat it.

Thumbprint Bugs – Children make thumbprints on a page and then add details with markers to create bugs.

Play Dough Bugs – Let children create bugs out of play dough and sections of pipe cleaners. Encourage them to name their bugs.

Swat the Fly 

 Cut flies out of construction paper and write numerals on them. Tape to the wall or staple to a bulletin board. Give one child a fly swatter and have them turn their back to the wall as you say this rhyme:
Turn around and swat the fly.
Tell me the number that you spy.
The child turns around, swats a fly, and identifies the number.

*Write letters, words, etc. on the flies.

*Make a game with two teams. One child from each team holds a fly swatter. The teacher calls out a number, word, math fact, etc. and the first child to swat it correctly wins a point for their team.


Insect’s Body
(Tune: “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”)
Head (Point to head.)
Thorax (Point to chest.)
Abdomen – abdomen! (Point to stomach.)
Head, thorax, abdomen – abdomen!
And eyes (Point to eyes.)
And mouth (Point to mouth.)
And antennae, two (Stick 2 fingers up.)
Six legs (Wiggle 3 fingers on each hand.)

And there’s an insect for you!
(Leave off a verse each time you sing and hum.)



Ants on a Log

Celery cut into 3-4” pieces
Peanut butter (substitute cream cheese if there are peanut allergies)
Raisins
Directions:
Let children spread the peanut butter or cream cheese in the log.
Place raisins/ants on the log.
Eat and enjoy!