WINTER ACTIVITIES
Once everyone is suited up for the cold weather, here are some winter activities that you and your child can enjoy:
Blow Some Bubbles
Blowing bubbles doesn’t need to just be a summer activity. Grab some bubble solution and go outside into the cold weather. Have your child blow some bubbles and watch as they crystalize before their eyes.
If you have a blacktop outside, blow the bubbles there and see them roll around on the ground instead of popping. Have your child touch the bubbles and note how they feel. Eventually, the bubble solution itself will freeze and you have your child watch as the crystals slowly appear across the liquid’s surface. This is a great way to talk about the science of freezing and liquids.
Pinecone Birdfeeder
Learn more about the species that stick around during the winter months by making a pinecone birdfeeder. Start by tying a string around the pinecone. Then mix peanut butter with cornmeal, and oats. Use a spoon, or your fingers, to spread the mixture onto the pinecones. Finally, pour some birdseed onto a plate and roll the peanut butter covered pinecones in the seed until they are completely covered. Hang the pinecone birdfeeders in a tree and watch the birds (and squirrels!) as they visit.
Tracking Wildlife
Be animal detectives for a day and go outside hunting for wildlife tracks. Solving the mystery of “Who made those tracks?” can be incredibly fun and allow your child to practice their observation skills. Clues you can look for include:
Prints – look for claw marks and the number of toes
Feather marks – wing imprints and dropped feathers
Gait patterns – was the animal running or walking?
Browsing marks – claw marks in the bark, or nibbles here and there of the surrounding vegetation can show you who was walking by.
Go on a Color Hunt
Although the majority of the winter environment is covered in white snow, there are still tons of colorful objects that can be found. When you’re outside, have your child look for colors that they see and draw the objects that match those colors. Or, you can have your child guess what colors they’d like to find before going outside so they’re challenged to find objects with those colors. Tell them to get creative! Who knows what they can find in a snow-covered landscape.
