Whether you may be or not … your kids are. They are a huge fan of the fluffy white snuff known as SNOW! Get them buttoned up, because I have searched for some of the most creative snow activities that will be a big hit at home, school, preschool and child care.

• Not your ordinary “Frosty” – Let children choose their favorite book character and let them decorate a snowman or snow sculpture to match the character. You can also use the same idea if you are celebrating a theme week. I challenge you to take a picture and post it on our Facebook page!

• Feed the birds – After the snow piles have been made, consider cutting an orange in half (for a snack), and then fill the orange peel half with bird seed. Children can then place the bird feeders in different piles of snow.

• Color your world – There are two fun and colorful ways to paint the snow. The first option is to mix tempera paint and food coloring in a mason jar or plastic container. Give children a paint brush and watch them color the snow. The other option is to mix food coloring and water and put the solution into eye droppers or squirt bottles and let the artists work their magic. Use leftover paint or solution to paint a target in your yard and hose a snowball throwing contest.

• Diamond Dig – Purchase some plastic “stones” (such as the kind meant for fish tanks) and take the sensory table outside. Let children dig for “diamonds and jewels.”

• Ice sculptures – Using ice cube trays, freeze colored water into cubes or other shapes from different containers you have around home or your center. Take children outside to stack their cubes or blocks, but don’t forget a bottle of water to act as the “glue”.

• Snow Forts – A favorite childhood memory of mine, was finding the largest snow pile we could to build a snow fort. We would dig a large hole just big enough for us to fit into. Children can even create snow bricks to build their own igloo.

• Hoopla – If you have a few hoola hoops stored in the garage, have a contest to see who can last the longest when they are all bundled up!

• Tic-Tac-SNOW – Draw a tic-tac-toe board in the snow. Play along using sticks for the X, and cones for the O.

• I scream, You Scream – We all scream for snow ice cream. Here is the recipe for a great treat after playing in the snow.

8-12 cups of fresh, white, new-fallen snow

10 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla

Large bowl

measuring cup

wooden spoon

freezer-proof container for storing your leftovers

I am hoping you have some great adventures with these ideas that will boost creativity, assist in your child’s fine motor skills, encourage exercise and create memories together.

Wishing you and your family the merriest of holidays.

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Carrie Kube is a director for Iowa River Valley Early Childhood Area Board. All thoughts and opinions expressed are that of the author and not the board and/or its community partners.