It is -43C today with the windchill in these parts. We do try to get outside in most weather, but I think we’ll be having a snow day today. The little ones will likely spend some time playing in the snow – inside. This is something we have done several times throughout the winter season for the past few years. In the summer, we do a water bin.
For cold winter days, fill a rubbermaid bin with the cleanest snow you can find. Lay a large towel under the bin. Then try any of these ideas with your new snow sensory bin:
- Make snow people – paint them with watercolour paints! Rounded measuring cups or an ice cream scoop work well to make body of the snow person.
- Add animals – add some toy animals to the bin and the kids can make mountains and valleys to play on.
- Treasure hunt – hide some animals, stones, gems, or other small items in the snow and have the kids find them with chopsticks or a small shovel.
- Fill the bin with cooking and baking tools – a garlic press, measuring spoons, measuring cups, muffin tins, etc. Think of it as a mud kitchen, but with snow!
- Provide a basket of natural items such as sticks, stones, leaves, pine cones, etc. and let their imaginations run wild.
Please share your ideas for a fun snow sensory bin in the comments!
This post was shared as a part of Montessori Monday and Hip Homeschool Moms.
I am going to try this with the kids this week. I love it! I’m out of food colouring though. Maybe I could make some with frozen beets, berries or carrots?
Also…would be nice to share this on FB through your website. Do you have a link?
Maria, we painted the snow people with watercolour paint! You could definitely make some natural dyes – beets, onion peels, blueberries, etc – or watercolours work really well. You can also put them in a spray bottle and it makes a really pretty effect – that might be more of an outdoor thing, though! The kids had a lot of fun with the spray bottles outside.
Have fun!