Winter Theme: Snow Play and Snow Days!

Ah, Winter! I no longer live in the incredibly snowy climate of my own childhood (and cannot say I miss it either), but we do get some here and the whole season just has a whimsical and playful feel to me. There is no playground like the one you can make yourself from a perfect, wet snowfall. And when you get too cold and it's time to come inside for a break, there is plenty of seasonal fun to be had indoors! As I gradually set up our learning and play-space for the Winter season, I keep a few things in mind.

Snowman Bowling Set--created from styrofoam
cups and permanent marker. Five minutes of
preparation time and yields several times
that amount of time in tossing a "snowball" (we
used a small rubber ball) and re-stacking!

• I favor toys and materials that encourage abstract thought and imagination. This is often a season of accumulation (and I don't just mean in feet of snow). There are a LOT of toys on the market and it can be hard to sort through what's a must-have for all time and what's just the newest trend this season. [I still want a Tamagotchi, I don't CARE what you say!] For what it's worth, I continue to try to purchase only toys that don't have a short developmental shelf-life--that is, they are things my child can grow with and continue to use as he gets older and/or things that will stand the test of time and play to be functional for future little ones. 



We ended up with a LOT of these packing peanuts last year. They are
great for crafts (they stick together with just water) and sensory play!

•  Use what you have! In addition to being particular about what types of toys we invest in or suggest to doting grandparents this time of year, I also make a lot of our playthings and learning materials. There are a lot of fun activities you can prepare for and even with your children using items you already have in your home. Hitting the kitchen together on a cold day is a great way to warm up and spend time together--and you can cook up things to eat as well as things to play with while you're there.

• ALWAYS BE PREPARED! As a kid, I used to listen for the sound of plows driving by while it was still dark out because that most certainly meant a snow day when the snow came up. As parents, we often live in fear of the dreaded snow day. What will we do now? I keep a keen eye toward a play-space that is conducive to longer (even unexpected) stretches of independent play. I also keep a stocked U-Pick-a-Project Basket of easy to set up crafts and activities that can be pulled out for such an occasion. Toy rotation and a playroom set up with a minimalist approach also means that in a pinch, you can get an old activity out of the closet and it will have that just-like-new feeling again. And if like us, you sometimes feel the amount of presents at the holidays and birthdays is too overwhelming to rip into all at once, you can put a few away for those unexpected sick-at-home or snowed-in days. 

Do you wanna build a snowman?

I love flannel boards and felt sets for story telling and play. I have an area of our house with a lot of empty low wall space that is covered in felt just for this purpose. I also frequently create temporary flannel board spaces, like this poster board wrapped in felt and hung on a door front. Most of my felt sets are homemade but I have also found some great ones at thrift stores. With the set-up pictured below, we've had a lot of fun over the years building and accessorizing our own snowmen and penguins. The doorknob made a great place to hang the felt pieces not in use and to store the set between play and story telling sessions.

Speaking of building a snowman indoors...never underestimate the fun that can be head playing with and exploring snow INSIDE. Whether it's too deep, too cold or just too much to get outside in the snow, using a plastic bin indoors filled with snow can be a fabulous alternative. Throw in some shovels for digging, some containers and buckets for filling or even some colored water for "painting."  It's guaranteed to be a winner without the stress of stuffing everyone into snowsuits.

And when you do have the patience, energy and climate conditions to stuff into snowsuits, there is definitely a whole white world of fun waiting out there. Don't be afraid to bring along some spray bottles with colored water to paint that world a different color or two!

This blast from the past photo is here to remind you to Stay Warm and Happy Playing!