Frozen Chalk

Frozen chalk is a great winter activity to make with your students or children. My preschool class made this for an "Ice" theme and it is even appropriate for toddlers. We continued to refreeze the pieces and let the children use them throughout the week until there was nothing left. They absolutely loved this! Using cornstarch, water, and some food coloring gives you a fun project that serves as an art, sensory, and science activity in one. 

Materials:

To complete this project you will need cornstarch, water, food coloring, and an ice cube tray.

Here is our YouTube video if you are interested in watching the process:

Preschool Table Top Activities :: Winter Snowflake Sorting

One last winter lesson before we welcome spring in the next few weeks.  This is a sorting lesson using plastic cups and plastic snowflakes that can easily be found in stores such as Dollar Tree, Walmart, or Michael's.  The snowflakes can be switched out for other seasonal items you think of.  Stickers or cut out items work just as well.

Sorting is an important activity that begins in the preschool years.  Activities such as these can encourage young children to recognize things that are the same and different building the skills for classification.

This lesson can be appropriate for children as young as two.  I am currently a two year old teacher and even my youngest students can accomplish this once I have worked with them for a couple weeks.  If you wish to make the activity easier start with two different types of items to sort.

Materials Needed:
-plastic cups
-seasonal items for sorting
-hot glue or tape to place an example on the front or bottom of the cup

Preparation:
The only preparation for this lesson would be to either glue or tape an example of which item goes in each cup if you wish.


Our YouTube Video demonstrating the process:

Winter Birch: A Watercolor Masking Technique

Using masking tape or painter's tape your child or students can create an evening winter scene of birch trees and snow.  The tape is used to mask the shapes of the birch trees and moon, while white crayon or oil pastel is used to draw snowflakes.  A blue watercolor wash is used over the picture.  After pulling off the tape (try to give the wash a few minutes to start to dry so as not to run) black or brown lines can be added as detail to the trees

Vocabulary to Introduce:

masking technique
watercolor wash

Materials:

-watercolor paper

-masking tape or painter's tape

-blue watercolor or watered down tempera paint

-scissors

-white and black crayon or oil pastel

Preparation:

Pre-tear or cut as many trunks and branches as necessary so that all you will need to do is hand them to the child or students to place on the paper.  Masking tape can rip the paper if it is pulled to quickly.  It sometimes helps to stick it to an article of clothing before handing it to the child or instructing them to do it if you can trust them not to fold the tape in on itself.  If you desire, tape off the other colors of paint so that they are not tempted to use them or place bowls  with the thinned tempera between seats placing  a paper towel beneath it to daub excess paint from the brush.

Our YouTube Video demonstrating the process:

Modifications:

For older children you can allow them to cut or tear the tape themselves.

Polar Bear, Polar Bear!

 Using chalk pastels on light blue construction paper, the child can create an portrait of this Arctic inhabitant.  This is a wonderful lesson for the winter and can tie into discussions of winter and the poles.  Be sure to explain the simples shapes that are used to create the parts of the polar bear as you create an example for the child. 

Vocabulary to Introduce:
geometric shapes (oval, circle, triangle, square)
chalk pastel

Materials:

-chalk pastels or chalk in various colors

-black construction paper

-aerosol hairspray or fixative

Preparation:

 As chalk pastels are messy be sure to cover the tables.  Place one sheet of light blue construction paper at every child's seat with chalk pastels between students.  When the students are finished with their art, spray the picture with hairspray or a fixative to set the pastel.  Do this in a well ventilated area or outside if possible.

Our YouTube Video demonstrating the process:

Winter Silhouette

The following lesson is a painting that uses tints of blue to create a winter sky.  Black paint is used to create tracks in the snow that lead to the silhouette of person sledding.  This is a great way for children to explore adding white to a color while creating a beautiful and simple piece of artwork.

Vocabulary to Introduce:
tint
silhouette

Materials:

-tempera paint (blue, white, black)

-brush

-masking/painters tape

-paper plate (for tint mixing)

Preparation:

Using scissors cut a curved line for the horizon from masking or painters tape.  Place this in the bottom third portion of the picture.  This aids in maintaining a clean line for the impression of snow while the curved lines of the sky are painted.  On the paper plate place three varying amounts of blue paint.  Next place white paint of varying amounts in two of the blue paint portions for the students or child to mix on their own.  Add a small amount of black for the silhouette of the sledder, the tree, and the footprints.  Place a small amount of water in a cup for rinsing brushes on top of a paper towel next to the paper.

Our YouTube Video demonstrating the process: