Sneaking in Fruits and Veggies
February 17, 2015Toddler Drinks
February 19, 2015What can you do with your little one when it’s so cold outside? While we wait for the sunshine and warmth of Spring, here are some winter crafts you can do with your toddler to bring some snowy fun to the indoors.
Please note all of these activities will also work on language skills as you talk with your child about what you’re going to do, what you’re doing during the activity, and what you did after the activity.
Cotton Ball Snowman
You’ll Need: cotton balls, clear contact paper, construction paper, scissors, and stapler
Skills: Following directions, paying attention, fine motor dexterity, tolerance to touching sticky contact paper, counting
Cut three circles for the snowman- or make Olaf shapes- from the contact paper and staple to the construction paper, backing side up, to form the snowman. Your child can peel off the backing and place cotton balls on the contact paper. Your child can glue pre-cut snowman parts.
Kuffner, Trish. The Toddler’s Busy Book. Illus. Laurel Aiello. Minnetonka: Meadowbrook Press, 1999. Print.
Salt Pictures
You’ll Need: Salt, glue, black or blue construction paper, and cookie sheet with rims to collect extra salt
Skills: Following directions, paying attention, fine motor dexterity, hand strengthening to squeeze glue, tolerance to touching glue and salt
Place construction paper on rimmed cookie sheet. Either help your child dribble glue on the paper to make various shapes or you can make a snowy design or snowflakes. Pour salt in a bowl to increase the challenge. Sprinkle salt over the glue. Wait for the glue to dry, and then shake off the excess salt.
Popcorn Picture
You’ll Need: popped popcorn, glue stick, construction paper, and scissors
Skills: Following directions, paying attention, fine motor dexterity, prewriting if child uses glue stick, shape identification
Pop popcorn, using as little oil as possible. Draw snowman on construction paper. Also cut out shapes for eyes, nose, mouth, and hat. Draw circles on paper for the snowman’s body. You or your child can use the glue stick to color in the circles- use a thick layer of glue. Put popcorn on the glue. Add hat and face parts with additional glue. You can also add glue to the bottom of the paper for snow on the ground.
Crispy Rice Snowballs
You’ll Need: 3 tablespoons butter, 10 oz marshmallows, 6 cups crisp rice cereal, large, microwave-safe bowl, and wooden spoon
Skills: Following directions, paying attention, arm and hand strengthening, tolerance to sticky textures
Combine the butter and marshmallows in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with wax paper. Microwave on high for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. (Cooking times may vary.)
Stir with wooden spoon until smooth where your child can see you, but don’t let them touch as it will be hot.
Help your child add the 6 cups of rice cereal and him them help stir the mixture as it cools.
Rub butter on your child’s hands so that the mixture does not stick. Shape the mixture into snowballs, pressing firmly.
Supervise your child when eating the snowballs.
Dondiego, Barbara L. Crafts for Kids a Month-By-Month Idea Book. Illus. Jacqueline Cawley. Blue Ridge Summit: TAB BOOKS Inc., 1984. Print.
Paper Strip Snowman
You’ll Need: White, black, and orange construction paper, ruler and pencil, scissors, glue, and stapler
Skills: Following directions, paying attention, fine motor dexterity, prewriting if child uses glue stick, shape identification
Divide the white construction paper into 3 rectangles: first rectangle is 2 X 6 inches, second rectangle is 2 ½ X 8 inches, and third rectangle is 4 X 11 inches. Draw and cut out 2 circles for the eyes, a smile, and a hat on the black construction paper. Draw and cut out a small triangle with the orange paper.
Make three circles with each white rectangle and glue the edges together. Stack the circles on top of each other with the largest on the bottom and glue or staple together. Have your child glue the hat, eyes, nose, and smile on the face. Let the snowman dry and then flatten the bottom slightly so that it will stand.
Dondiego, Barbara L. Crafts for Kids a Month-By-Month Idea Book. Illus. Jacqueline Cawley. Blue Ridge Summit: TAB BOOKS Inc., 1984. Print.
By: Christine O’Matz, OTR/L Occupational Therapist