We love to build snowmen in the winter, but sometimes it's simply just too cold to go outside. The last few weeks, for instance, have been like -30 to -50 C! Brr.
So sometimes we have to get a bit creative when it comes to building a snowman.
I thought it'd be fun to make little snowmen indoors using some loose parts and a mirror.
This loose parts snowman activity for preschool is a great way to work on body parts, creativity, fine motor skills, counting, imagination, and so much more!
A version of this post originally appeared on the CBC Parents website.
What You'll Need for this Snowman Activity for Preschool
This little winter loose parts activity doesn't take much time to set up as you just have to create the basic snowman shape and set out the materials. Here's what we used:
- Small mirror - I found these at the dollar store.
- Dry erase marker(s) - To draw the outline of the snowman and to add details to the snowman.
- Buttons - Any size, shape, or color will work.
- Foam snowflakes in various colors and sizes - To help decorate the finished scene.
- Other possible loose parts you might want to consider including: small twigs, cotton balls, or googly eyes
To set up this activity, I drew a snowman body on the mirror using the dry erase marker and set out a wooden tray nearby with the foam snowflakes and buttons. The invitation to play looked like so:
Time to Create a Loose Parts Snowman!
I set out this activity for my oldest son, J, while my youngest son was taking a nap and I was curious how he would use the different materials to create a snowman.
The first thing he decided to add were some arms. While he drew them using the dry erase marker, I do think it would have been really fun to include some little twigs for this part.
Next, he used the buttons to decorate the upper body and to create eyes and a mouth. How colorful!
Then J declared that, "It needs a carrot nose!" All snowmen need carrot noses, right? So, he drew a big, fat carrot nose.
Since we're creating a snowman, it makes sense to add some snow details. For instance, he drew a line to show the ground on which the snowman sits upon. Then he added some falling snowflakes to the sky and to the ground. Here's how it turned out:
Afterwards, J erased the mirror, wanting to make a new snowman. This time he took the lead and drew the body himself. He then ended up creating an adorable skinny snowman with button arms and tiny dot eyes. Seriously, how cute is this little snowman?!
I wonder what kind of snowmen your kids will create when you give this loose parts snowman activity for preschool a try!
