Day 202: snowed in our kitchen

First our bathroom and now the kitchen! HA!

Okay, not really that funny. I tried. I'm sick, cut me some slack.

Anyway, Sam had so much fun playing with the snow inside yesterday that I thought more about it and came up with a different way we could play with it today.

I filled a cookie sheet with snow and set it on the kitchen table.

Then I picked out some animals (I will explain more about which ones I picked and why later) to use.

I sat Sam down with the snow and animals in front of her and asked if she remembered how we found tracks out in the snow that animals had made. Did she remember how her own feet made tracks in the snow when she walked? This was her chance to make some tracks by using her toy animals.

I showed her how to push the animals in, how they could walk or run on the snow and make trails and then I handed her the animals.

After she made a bunch of tracks I showed how we could use a spoon to "erase" the tracks and start again.

She loved this part.

But my favorite part was the questions I could ask and the conversations we were having while she was making tracks. Here are some of the questions:

• How many legs does that animal have?
• How are those tracks different from these?
• Put all the animals with two legs over here. And all the animals with four legs over here.
• Can the deer run in a circle?
• Can the deer run in a straight line?
• Are the big feet easier to get into the snow or the small feet?
• Which animal has the biggest feet?

She loved talking about the animals, seperating them into piles and making comparisons. This was a good activity for us but it took a lot of my attention and involvement.

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The Nitty Gritty!

Did you see I posted twice today? I would love for you to scroll down and check out my other post as well! 

So when I was looking for animals to bring this idea into reality I realized that because we have a pretty large collection of wooden animals we don't have many animals with very realistic feet! This might be the first time I am cursing not having more plastic in this house! HA! Anyway, we used a duck (webbed feet and only two), a deer (skinny legs that sink in very far), a giraffe (larger feet than the deer), a cat (smaller animal but actually wider feet proportionately than the deer), a dinosaur (just needed something with REALLY big feet and it only had two feet) and a human.

I think this could be a great activity for a varying range of ages. With older kids the comparisons and use of a wide range of animals would be important. As well as maybe making stories, adding other props or elements with the snow.

This would also work in a classroom setting if enough cookie sheets could be gathered. My daughter's preschool actually had snow in her sensory tub today! I was so impressed/surprised that I actually laughed out loud when I saw it. Don't know if we think a like or if she reads the blog (HI Mrs. Becky if you are out there!).

Okay, now go. Keep scrolling and read my FIRST post from today!

Comments

[amber]

Great idea!! I blogged our tub snow play! You are amazing!! :)

[jodie]

DUDE! I looked EVERYWHERE for that damn dinosaur! gray was so sad he only had two when we got home! love this idea and if we have a snow day tomorrow i'm totally doing something like this!

[Debi]

I love that you brought snow into the house! I'd love to try this idea in our backyard here in very urban Los Angeles. We rarely see animal tracks near home, so I think this would be a great learning opportunity. Thanks for the idea!

[Angela]

I absolutely love this idea. We will definitely do this tomorrow when we are getting some fresh snow. You are full of such wonderful ideas!! You are an awesome mom!
xo, Angela

[welcome to our wonderland]

we love doing that and do every time we bring in snow from outside, its so much fun!

[Janet]

I love this idea! I'm a big promoter of bringing a tub (or cookie sheet) of snow indoors for kids to play in.

I'm waaaaayyy behind on reading blogs lately. Forgive me for non-commenting for a while!

[autumn mama]

hi !thanks for stopping by the blog and saying hi -- your blog is lovely ! have you ever filled the sensory bin with snow? It is very fun -- i am an ECE teacher and when it is too cold for outdoors we fill the bin - get our mittens and play with snow in the bin !
light and peace to you

[Sheila D]

I've been following your blog for a bit but this is the first time I've commented. I love this idea! I'll have to give it a try this weekend as my little guy is stuck in casts right now and is really missing the snow! I'm sure he'll love it if I bring the snow inside! :) Thanks for the great idea!

[Kitchen]

I love you brought home in the snow! We rarely see animal tracks near the house, so I think this would be a great opportunity to learn. Thanks for your idea!