Winter Story Stretchers: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Winter Break is here! And although the snow we had outside has melted, we are enjoying some winter themed story stretchers at home (and some time playing and exploring outside as well). This year for our Winter Break Story Stretchers Playcamp, I've selected 10 of our favorite winter themed books along with some fun play, storytelling, sensory, art, science and STEM/STEAM challenge activities to go along with them. If you're at home over these next couple of weeks and looking for some play at home fun, these are great! If you're traveling and busy, they're great to store in the vault for an unexpected snow day or weekend at home. And if you're a classroom teacher looking for some theme related activities when you return, here's your source!

Those tiny little toes belong to baby S!

This first story stretcher was a bit of a sneak preview here since we did it on a snow day a couple of weeks ago. The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats has been a favorite book of ours for four years and just as many generations! It's a book I remember reading at my own grandmother's house, one that held a special spot on my mother's bookshelf and one of the first ones we bought for S as a baby.



Before we got our own copy of the book, I borrowed it frequently from the library. Our local branch had a set with extension activities that I photocopied to make our own laminated Peter stick puppet (and a snowman). S still loves that Peter puppet! You could draw, photocopy from the book, or print off your own picture of Peter to make a Peter puppet if you wish.

S and Y like to read this book all year round, but on our snow day, it was the first choice S grabbed from the bookshelf while Y took his morning nap. Once Y was up, we went out into our own snow and brought along some special ingredients to build our own snowman. We also brought along some ziplock sandwich bags for each boy to collect his own snowball to take home. But unlike Peter, who stores his in his coat pocket, we decided to store ours in the freezer. This has become a winter tradition here for the past few years and it is always such an exciting day (often a day close to Pesach when we are cleaning out our freezers, longer after any snow has melted here) when we take out our special snowballs to play with inside!

When we got inside, I had a fun process art activity set up at the table. I made some "Snow" Puffy Paint using about equal parts white glue and shaving cream. I mixed in some silver glittter and set out a cup for each of the boys. I offered both a wooden craft stick and a paint brush for them and had some wet wash cloths ready for sticky hands. If they wanted to go all in and fingerpaint, we were ready! If they didn't, there were options for that as well. We used dark blue card stock for our background.

Both of the boys LOVED the paint. It was fun dab, dot, drizzle and smear. One thing I did not take into consideration was that the white glue would dry clear, so if you want your Snow Puffy Paint to dry white, you'll want to add some white paint to the mix or use a flour and white paint mixture for your snow paint rather than glue and shaving cream. What I loved about the results was that it actually dried a shade of light purple that really reminds me of Keats' beautiful illustrations in The Snowy Day!

When we were done, the paintings needed to dry overnight. The next morning, I set the dried paintings at the boys' Morning Work table along with a red paper cutout of a snowsuit like Peter's that I drew and cut from red card stock, a printed photo of each boy's face to glue on top so they could play the role of "Peter" in the painting and a selection of winter themed stickers we had for them to add. I love how they each chose to add to their paintings and how they turned out in the end. I mounted them on black construction paper and we hung them on display in the living room for all to see.

This activity is the perfect combination of process art where the boys totally used the materials in their own way and "prepared project" where we added more formal components (like the "Peter" I helped to prepare and the stickers). They had a lot of fun taking this creative spin on a familiar book. So many times, we think we need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to preparing activities and children's book extensions for our children and I am here to say with confidence that good things are worth repeating. A great book is worth reading again and again and again. We've done story stretcher activities with this one before (you can check them out along with some other great winter themed activities here). We will probably do more in the future. And even if the snow outside is only left in small piles here and there where it has yet to melt, we can have our very own snowy day reminder inside! We'll be back with another great winter story stretcher soon.

Until then....

Happy Reading & Happy Playing!

Got Snow?

Needle felting--how I play the day
away when the kids are asleep!

I remember the excitement I used to feel as a little girl when in the wee hours of the morning, before the sun came up, I could hear the sound of snowplows traveling back and forth our suburban street. Surely there would be a snow day in the morning! What was it we were supposed to do with our pajamas to get a snow day again, wear them backwards or inside out? S cried this morning when we told him preschool was closed. So yeah, that happened! Nonetheless, once his initial disappointment surpassed (and my heart is so truly happy that school is a place he loves so much!) he settled into the excitement of the snow day with everyone at home. Here in Virginia, a few inches of fluffy white snow is enough to shut the world down. Nonetheless, I am southern enough now to no longer own a snow shovel (I used a dustpan on my front stoop) and to not really like these below freezing temperatures enough to brave the great outdoors. Plus we have all been fighting some runny noses around here so bringing the snow inside seemed like a great compromise this morning. Whether you're shut in or laughing at everyone who is, whether you approach a snow day with anticipation or trepidation, we've got you covered here at Play-a-Day for some fun snow day play!

Inspired by some recent posts from northern connections enjoying snowy sensory sensory play indoors, I scooped up a generous portion of our front stoop snow collection into our sensory bin and added in a couple of ice cream scoops, some plastic dishes, an empty plastic ice cream cone and some jars of colored water (red, blue and yellow food coloring added to a bit of water) plus pipettes for this Snow Cone Sensory Bin. I encouraged both boys not to actually eat the snow cones. Only one of them listened...

Y got his fill of "snow cones" and moved on to some play time in the living room while S got busy preparing snow cones, snow castles and, with the addition of a baby carrot nose, two pretzel sticks for arms and a couple of raisin eyes, even a tiny little indoor snowman! I love using pipettes for fine motor and transfer practice and S absolutely adores them as well. He played for over an hour in our Snow Cone Sensory Bin before he got hungry for some raisins and pretzels for snack (coincidence?)...

Variety is the spice of life and with just the right amount of snow, the possibilities are as limitless as patterns in a snowflake. Here are some more indoor and outdoor snow play ideas...

Both boys adore a great fingerplay and action rhyme. S has been a fan of "Five Little Snowmen" since he was just a baby and now Y is following suit...

He particularly likes hearing this while eating
pureed carrots...another coincidence? 

Meanwhile, S really has enjoyed making paper snowflakes this year. There are many great ways to make paper snowflakes and one of my favorite ways to introduce the activity in a pretty fool-proof method for early learners is with white paper coffee filters. This year I set an activity basket with all the materials for creating colorful paper snowflakes and visual directions I created and printed. S did the activity with me the first couple of times, but has returned to the basket repeatedly to do it on his own. He feels so proud to be able to fold the paper in half and in half again and in half again... It combines two of his very greatest loves: cutting with scissors and spraying with spray bottles!

We used white coffee filters, washable markers in a variety of cool tones, scissors,  a dark washcloth for placing under the work and spray bottle of water and a wooden tray for collecting small scraps before they are thrown away.

 I used photos to create visual directions for S so even after being walked through the activity with support the first time, he would have a reminder to do it independently in the future. We begin by coloring the coffee filter. I always inform my young artists that the appearance of their artwork will change after cutting and spraying so they do not become attached to a carefully planned illustration only to have it altered at the end! Next we fold the filter in half and in half again and again...and begin to cut out little shapes along the folds and center... S experimented a few times before getting the hang of this. I welcome "mistakes" as they are how we learn best and S did not become frustrated with this either. When we are done cutting, we set the folded coffee filter on top of a dark colored washcloth (so color will not stain) and spray a few times with water until it is completely saturated. I fold the washcloth over once to press out any excess water before carefully unfolding and revealing the resulting snowflake. Once dry, they can be hung in a window, strung from the ceiling or displayed wherever you like!

Some of our other snow day favorites are visiting our U-Pick-a-Project Basket, a collection of craft kits or simple projects for days or times that beg for something fun and exciting on a whim. S has been really into woodworking kits with his Tatty. Today they built a tzedakah box that we hung in our kitchen at his level. He was so excited to put in one penny, one nickel, one dime and one quarter after doing almost all of the hammering himself! You can find great arts and crafts kits on discount at craft supply stores after certain seasons, at Dollar Tree Stores or Walmart, or even create your own when you have leftovers from home or school projects. Some of our other favorites are making bookmarks, using coloring, paint or sticker books, and let's not forget playdough!

Snow days are great days for warming up in the kitchen. Whether you prepare something to eat or to play with, cooks of all ages love to join in! Perhaps you might make some Arctic Slime to play with or try your hands at another science experiment... S gets a kick out of popping popcorn on the stove-top and enjoying the resulting snack. And even Mommies who love to play need a little play break now and then...this is when I put some freshly popped popcorn into a movie style popcorn bag and set up a video for a bit!

A snow day at home is a welcome interruption to our usual routine here today, but I think we are all hopeful that school will open again in the morning! Until then, check out some more inspiration for snowy day fun at home and, as always, happy playing!

Beyond the Book: The Snowy Day

We recently had our very first snowy day! My toddler was so excited to finally put a sticker in the snowy section of our weather chart and even more excited to bundle up and play outside. He has been asking to read Ezra Jack Keats' The Snowy Day again and again since I first brought it out during our Winter Theme. In fact, as you'll see in the picture below, this has been a longtime favorite book of his! He was so eager to take his very own winter walk outside with his Tatty. Sometimes when it snows, we've brought toys, colored water and other accessories outside to play and explore with. This time, we kept it simple. He had an amazing time exploring the snow with an icicle! He loved looking for icicles, holding them, writing in the snow with them...

The next day, my husband took him on another winter walk. He learned how to make a snowball and throw it.
By today, warmer temperatures had begun to melt our snow away. We bundled up in snow gear and got ready for one more Winter Walk. Today I let my son lead the way! He was really curious about what was happening to all of the snow. He could still make snowballs, but as he rolled and shaped them, grass showed through. He wanted to find an icicle, but they were no longer hanging from the rooftops and cars! He led me on a neighborhood walk to look for icicles. Along the way, he learned how to make footprints in the snow. He observed different sized footprints and even footprints of other species. Could he find places where dogs and cats had walked through the neighborhood? We listened to the sound of water running down the gutters and observed puddles forming where ice and slush had been. We saw the sun shining in the sky and talked about how it warmed up the snow and ice, melting it away.

I could tell he was sad to see it go (even though I was rather pleased to have the roads and walkways more commutable)! We got a ziplock bag and labeled it and he helped me collect just one more snowball. My son is always asking to do science activities and during this winter walk, he would get to set up his own experiment. We collected our snowball sample and sealed the bag shut. We talked about how Peter's snowball had melted in his coat pocket in The Snowy Day and came up with some ideas about how we might have different results in bringing a snowball inside to keep. What would happen if we put it in our coat pockets? What if we left it on the table? We concluded those places are too warm and that the snowball would quickly melt. So where was the coldest place in the house? Where do we keep popsicles when we have them? The freezer!

So now my freezer is adequately stocked with one very special little snowball. He loved observing it later that day and seeing that it was, in fact, still there! And with very little time and very few materials, we were able to do a bit of science while simultaneously preserving the whimsy and magic of a snowy day beyond the big melt and beyond the book!

A blast from snowy days' past!

Winter Theme: Arts & Crafts

There are so many cute seasonal arts and crafts projects this time of year. You can certainly purchase winter-themed craft kits on the cheap at local craft supply stores, Dollar Tree and even big box stores. There's a lot you can do, however, without any kits at all right from the warmth and comfort of your own home. Here's a peek at some of our favorites from Winters past:

We especially loved this Invitation to Create a Snowman last year. Using white paint and a plastic cup for stamping as well as some construction paper accessories, google eyes and buttons to glue on, my son and I each built our very own snowman indoors. His was melting I think!

As much as I love an uncluttered house and am careful about selecting what I save, what I donate and what I toss throughout the year to keep it that way, I have a hard time parting with artwork my students and son have created. I may or may not need a little more time to part with the 5,624 paper plate turkeys I have from the last few years and I may or may not just serve Thanksgiving dinner on them next year and avoid the whole mess of dishes afterword. That said, selecting a few projects throughout the year to do on canvas creates a beautiful and finished look that children and parents alike can feel proud of for years to come. They make wonderful gifts and keepsakes. Last winter we did this masking tape resist snowflake painting on canvas, adding coarse kosher salt at the end for a gorgeous and realistic icy texture. We don't have enough wall space to accommodate endless amounts of artwork and we also don't necessarily want to look at snowflakes in July. Rather, we have some set areas where we hang artwork that gets rotated throughout the year. This is a fun way to reminisce as well as to welcome a new season or theme. I'm looking forward to swapping this one in again soon!

 And here are a couple less traditional "canvases" your artist can work from! Using pipettes, squeeze bottles or recycled condiment bottles full of colored water, you can create beautiful snow paintings outdoors in indoors. It's also a fabulous hands-on way to explore color mixing and snow melting!

Another version of coarse kosher salt on paint--my little guy painted this polar bear "ziplock bag style" when he was still a baby. Sprinkling kosher salt on top gives it the "frosty" look!

Ice prepared by freezing water in plastic containers overnight made the "canvas" on this watercolor painting. I did this last year both with my son and with my pre-k students. It provided a lengthy amount of fun and exploration as the colors mixed and settled into the ice. It's surely an activity we will pull out again here this year and it doesn't even need to be wintertime at all!

Lastly, fear not the mess of arts and crafts in the home! Never underestimate the power of a ziplock bag when it comes to very young painters or you just don't want to clean up hands, clothes and any number of other surfaces. Painting inside a bag still provides a great sensory experience for little hands and produces beautiful artwork to boot. Here my then little baby painted a snowflake. And speaking of snowflakes--my favorite fool-proof way to cut paper snowflakes and teach children to as well is with white coffee filters. The circular shape is a perfect one to begin with, they come in packs large enough to accommodate plenty of fine motor practice and they can be beautifully dyed by coloring with washable marker and spraying with or dipping in water. Once they are dry, they can be hung in the window for a colorful decoration to brighten the season.

Happy crafting!

Winter Theme: Sensory Play

Winter is a great season for sensory play! Whether you're exploring the wonderful world of snow outdoors or staying indoors and in search of some fun for all ages, there are a lot of great seasonally themed ways to incorporate sensory play into your repertoire. 

Here's a peek at some of our favorites:

Snow is a great sensory material in and of itself. Whether you head outside or bring it indoors, the temperature, textures and changes it goes through as it is manipulated provide a great sensory experience. Add shovels, plastic spoons, cups, and containers for digging and filling. Add some colored water and squeeze bottles or pipettes. Just don't forget to add mittens if your very little one is not a fan of the extreme cold yet!

ooops!

And still just as much fun one year later!

Speaking of very little ones--we did a lot of sensory play early on from the safety of a Bumbo seat right inside the sensory bin! Here's one filled with packing peanuts (which incidentally, this type is also taste safe and made from cornstarch--but they stick together when wet!). We also added in some winter themed toys to search for, play with and manipulate.

And for more infant-friendly sensory fun, we made this snow-in-a-sensory-bottle using "snow" from a little science kit my mother sent us. We still have it 2 years later and he still loves it!

Ice is a great addition to sensory play and small world scenes. I posted on this great winter-themed activity here.

 You can also get out that old set of watercolor paints and paint on ice! It's a great art and sensory activity to do in the winter and anytime year round.

If you're in the mood for some bubbly sensory fun, build (and explode!) your very own Fizzy the Snowman.

And for sensory fun you can revisit again and again, whip up your own recipe for snow dough with just 2 ingredients. This playdough recipe is all over Pinterest and actually feels cool to the touch when you're mixing it, which is half of the fun! Afterward, it can be sealed in a container or bag and stored for future play--though I would definitely toss it after a few hands on sessions. 

You Will Need:

1/2 cup conditioner (I use the cheapest possible white conditioner I can find)

3 cups baking soda

Combine and mix your ingredients. You can use a spoon, but I encourage you to get your hands (and your little ones' hands) right on in there. This snow dough actually feels cold! It will be crumbly but should be able to form and hold a shape. Next it's PLAY TIME! You do not have to add anything to have fun shaping and molding this snow dough but you can add it scoops/containers, small accessories to build your own snowman, or plastic toy animals as pictured here for your own Arctic Small World.

Happy and Hands-On Playing!

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!