Playing in the… SNOW!

Bundle up! It’s time to play in the snow! As with any new experience, some little ones will love it right away and proceed to cover themselves with the fluffy white stuff while others may need a slower, gentler introduction.

Start by watching from the window. Look at the snowflakes and “oooh aaah” while you allow your little one to take it all in. Talk about how snow is “cold, brrrr” and it can be “wet” and “pretty, aaaahh”. Take the tune of London Bridge is Falling Down and sing:

“All the snow is falling down, falling down, falling down. All the snow is falling down. It’s white on the ground.”

Bringing the snow INSIDE can be a warmer (and easier) way to experience snow. Go outside and fill a bucket or load some snow on a cookie tray. Bring it inside for your little one to touch/explore and drive pretend snowplows through! “Pusssh, wheeee, beep beep, all clear!” Try to shape the snow into a ball “roll, roll, roll” or “pat, pat, pat” into a pancake. Put a little food coloring in for fun and “WOW!”

Getting ready to play in the snow is a whole new experience as well. LOTS of opportunity to practice getting dressed and talking about clothing and body parts. Take the tune of If Your Happy and You Know It and sing:

“Put your boots on your feet on your feet. Put your boots on your feet on your feet (clap, clap). Put your boots on your feet. Put your boots on your feet. Put your boots on your feet on your feet (clap, clap).” – or use tongue clicks instead of clapping as your hands will be busy getting your little one ready! Repeat song for 1) arms in your coat 2) legs in your pants 3) hat on your head 4) hands in your mittens… then start all over once your toddler starts to take it all off!

Now, we’ve finally made it OUTSIDE! Yippee!! If your little one isn’t yet walking well enough for snow, just let them sit down and play. It’s like a sandbox, but colder! Get out some buckets and shovels or just let them cover your hands. “Tap, push, stack, crush, crunch” and whatever other snow action seems like fun. Show them how to make a snow angel and “flap, flap, flap” your wings. Find a small hill and just log roll down “roll, roll, roll” (yes, I always say things in 3s). Stomp and make tracks to play follow the leader or just “stomp, stomp, stomp” and see whose footprints are bigger.

Whether you allow your little one to eat the snow or not, most will give it a taste! It’s fun to feel the flakes on their tongue and it’s a good way to practice imitating parents’ funny faces! If you want to encourage more of it – “yummmmmy” but if you would prefer not to encourage it – “yucky”.

There are also the tried and true snow activities: snowball making, snowman building, and SLEDDING! With a baby, sledding may be more like pulling him through the snow over a flat surface rather than a speedy downhill plunge, but either way it’s still a fun ride – “wheee” and “ready, set, go!”

Here’s a fun fact about learning to talk and playing in the snow: your little one might talk MORE once when you get back inside and recap your adventures – after their mouth unfreezes – ha!

Of course, you don’t need anything to go outside and experience the snow (aside from appropriate warm clothing), but here are some fun things to consider:

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