If you are looking for fun seasonal activities you must read our Pre-Writing Curriculum Enrichment Series written and illustrated by Peggy Hundley Spitz, OTR. The books are split in 5 sections and each section is packed with seasonal activities to enhance your classroom or therapy session. The sections are as follows: Trace & Draw, Crafts and Costumes, Cooking, Stories to Color and Read and Games.

This month’s activity comes from the Crafts and Costumes section of Winter Activities: Snowflakes Snowflakes Everywhere.

Materials:

• 1 White tube sock
• Rubber band
• Polyester stuffing
• Fabric paints
• Felt Strips, 1” x 12” or Ribbon
• Colorful yarn scraps
• Scissors

Directions:

1. Fill sock with polyester stuffing. Leave 2” at the top unstuffed.
2. Wrap rubber band around the top of the sock to close the end.
3. Tie a felt strip or ribbon firmly around the sock where the neck and the scarf of the snowman should be. This will divide the sock into “head” and “body”.
4. Tie some colorful scraps of yarn around the rubber band,
5. Use fabric paints to add features and buttons to your snowman.
6. Allow paint to dry completely.
7. Enjoy!

Activities:

1. Explore and encourage tactile awareness by discussing the variety of textures- stuffing, sock, felt, paint, yarn and rubber band.
2. Add uncooked beans or uncooked rice instead of polyester stuffing to make a weighted snowman.
3. Add lavender scented sachet to the inside of the snowman for a relaxing friend.
4. Encourage each child to make their snowman unique and name them.
5. Use light colored socks such as light blue or pink and shorter socks, see how different they look.

Make it a sensory activity:

After you complete your snowmen enjoy our recipe for Winter Fruit Salad. The recipe is in the cooking section of Winter Activities: Snowflakes Snowflakes Everywhere.

Winter Fruit Salad

Food Needed:

• 1 red delicious apple, cored and sliced
• 1 granny smith apple, cored and sliced
• 1 winter pear, cored and sliced
• 1 8oz can mandarin orange slices
• ½ cup seedless grapes
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• Miniature marshmallows
• 8-10 maraschino cherries

Equipment Needed:

• Large Bowl
• Plastic knives
• Mixing spoon
• Can opener
• Serving bowls

Directions:

1. Wash & dry hands.
2. Cut apple and pear slices into cubes. Place in a large bowl.
3. Wash grapes. Add to bowl.
4. Open can of orange slices and drain. Add to bowl.
5. Add some marshmallows and ½ cup of shredded coconut. Stir in until all the fruit is covered with coconut.
6. Spoon into serving bowls. Sprinkle with more coconut and top with a cherry.