Showing posts with label Snow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Snow. Show all posts

Monday, January 26, 2026

Winter Learning and Activities for Kids (Winter at Abundant Family Living)

Children dressed in winter coats and knit hats smiling outdoors in the snow, representing winter learning and family activities at Abundant Family Living.

Winter Learning and Activities for Kids | Abundant Family Living

Winter Learning and Activities for Kids

(Winter at Abundant Family Living)

Winer is in full swing at my house.  We were iced in yesterday, but thankfully, things are thawing out today.  I don't know about you, but once Christmas is over, I'm ready for Spring.  Sadly, another winter blast is predicted for next week, and Spring seems a long way away.  I've been quiet on the blog lately because I'm restocking my baby blanket supply in my Etsy shop.  I sold nine blankets before Christmas, and I can't make new ones fast enough.  Anyway, since we are still in the middle of winter's fury, I have gathered up 12 winter posts from this blog.  I hope you will find them helpful for planning winter activities for your family.  Here's a peek at winter at Abundant Family Living.

 Polar Bear Books and Activities for Kids

Penguin Activities for Kids

Snowflake Activities for Kids

Winter Soup Recipes

Don't Eat Snow Ice Cream

Snow Activities for Kids

Snowman coloring book for kids featuring winter snowman coloring pages that help preschool and kindergarten children practice color words through fun seasonal activities
Snowman Coloring Book for Kids – Practice Color Words with Winter Snowman Coloring Pages

Snowman Coloring Book for Kids

Snowman Drawing and Writing Practice

Winter Snow Activities for Kids

Winter Science for Kids:  How Animals Survive the Cold

Snowflake Science:  Exploring Symmetry and States of Matter

K-5 Snowflake Science:  Mini Unit Lesson Plan

Here are a few other ideas from around the web!

Kids Winter Activities:  50+ Ideas - Little Bins for Little Hands

50 Fun Snow Activities for Kids - Bright Path

Winter Survival Guide:  15 Indoor Activities for Kids of All Ages - Wee Care Pediatrics

24 Pack Build a Snowman Kit

DIY snowman craft kit for kids with foam snowman pieces, hats, scarves, buttons, arms, skis, ornaments, and storage tubs in festive winter packaging
Let’s Build a Snowman DIY Craft Kit for Kids – Winter Holiday Snowman Decoration Set

Snowman Bingo printable game for kids featuring colorful winter and Christmas icons, including snowman, Santa, reindeer, ornaments, candy canes, and snowflakes—fun winter classroom or holiday party activity.
Snowman Bingo Printable Game for Kids | Winter & Christmas Activity

Winter Shape Cutouts

Winter shape cutouts variety pack featuring colorful paper snowflakes, mittens, and snowmen for classroom crafts and winter activities

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wo young children bundled in winter coats sledding in the snow, promoting winter learning and seasonal activities for kids at Abundant Family Living.

Winter Learning and Activities for Kids | Abundant Family Living

Check out all of my online spaces at TinaTruelove.com!

Friday, January 16, 2026

K–5 Snowflake Science Mini Unit Lesson Plan

K–5 snowflake science mini unit cover featuring diverse elementary students smiling and learning about snowflakes, symmetry, and winter science concepts.
K–5 Snowflake Science Mini Unit

K–5 Snowflake Science Mini Unit Lesson Plan

Unit Title

Snowflake Science: Exploring Symmetry and States of Matter

Grade Levels

Kindergarten–5th Grade (easily differentiated)

Unit Length

3–5 days (30–60 minutes per lesson)

Unit Overview

This winter-themed science mini unit uses snowflakes to help students explore symmetry, states of matter, and physical changes. Through hands-on experiments, art integration, and observation activities, students build foundational science skills while engaging their curiosity.

This unit is ideal for elementary classrooms, homeschool families, co-ops, and winter science studies.


Essential Questions

  • What is a snowflake?

  • Why are snowflakes symmetrical?

  • How does water change states of matter?

  • Can two snowflakes ever be exactly the same?


Key Science Concepts

  • States of matter: solid, liquid, gas

  • Freezing and melting

  • Deposition (introductory for upper grades)

  • Symmetry and patterns

  • Scientific observation


Vocabulary (Adjust by Grade Level)

  • Snowflake

  • Symmetry

  • Pattern

  • Solid

  • Liquid

  • Gas

  • Freeze

  • Melt

  • Ice crystal

  • Water vapor

  • Deposition (Grades 3–5)


Lesson 1: What Is a Snowflake?

Focus: Introduction to snowflakes and symmetry

Objectives

  • Identify basic snowflake features

  • Understand that snowflakes have repeating patterns

  • Recognize symmetry visually

Activities

  • Observe real snowflakes (if available) or photos under magnification

  • Read a snowflake-themed nonfiction picture book

Here are two suggestions:

Snow Book Cover
Snow by Uri Shulevitz is available here.

Curious About Snow by Gina Shaw Cover
Curious About Snow by Gina Shaw is available here.
  • Discuss why snowflakes look similar but not identical

Differentiation

  • K–1: Identify shapes and repeating patterns

  • 2–3: Count sides and locate lines of symmetry

  • 4–5: Compare snowflake structures and record observations


Lesson 2: Snowflake Symmetry Lab

Focus: Geometry and symmetry

Objectives

  • Identify lines of symmetry

  • Create symmetrical designs

Activities

  • Fold-and-cut paper snowflakes

You might find these resources helpful:
1-2-3 Fold and Cut Paper Snowflake Book Cover
This 1-2-3 Fold and Cut Paper Snowflake Book is available here.

Snowflake Cut Out Paper Book Cover
This Snowflake Cut Out Paper Book is available here.

100 Cut Out Snowflake Designs Book Cover
100 Cut-Out Snowflake Designs by Susan Sturgill is available here.
  • Draw and label lines of symmetry

  • Compare designs with peers

Extension (Grades 3–5)

  • Use mirrors to test symmetry

  • Introduce six-fold radial symmetry


Lesson 3: States of Matter and Snowflakes

Focus: Solid, liquid, and gas

Objectives

  • Identify the three states of matter

  • Observe physical changes

Activities

Key Discussion Questions

  • What state of matter is ice?

  • What happens when it warms?

  • Can water change back again?


Lesson 4: How Snowflakes Form

Focus: Weather science and physical changes

Objectives

Activities

  • Teacher-led explanation with diagrams

  • Cotton-ball cloud model demonstration

  • Optional crystal-growing experiment (with adult supervision)

10 Magical Crystal Growing Experiments for Kids (KiddieKatsBooks)
10 Magical Crystal Growing Experiments for Kids is available here.


Upper Grade Extension

  • Introduce deposition as gas → solid

  • Compare freezing vs. deposition


Lesson 5: Snowflake Science Integration Day

Focus: Cross-curricular application

Activities (Choose 2–3)

  • Science Journal: Draw a snowflake

  • Writing: “If I Were a Snowflake…”

  • Math: Count symmetry lines or fractions of a snowflake

  • Art: Snowflake watercolor resist or collage


Assessment Options

Formative

  • Observation checklists

  • Science journal entries

  • Class discussions

Summative (Choose One)

  • Snowflake mini poster

  • Oral explanation of states of matter

  • Snowflake science foldable


Materials Needed


Family & Homeschool Extension Ideas

  • Observe frost patterns outdoors

  • Watch a short snowflake formation video

  • Create snowflakes from household materials


Standards Alignment (General)

  • NGSS: Physical Science (Matter and Its Interactions)

  • Math: Geometry and symmetry

  • ELA: Informational text and writing

  • Art: Pattern and design


Teacher Notes

This mini unit is designed to be flexible. Lessons can be taught independently or as a full unit, making it ideal for winter learning, weather units, or seasonal enrichment.

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K–5 snowflake science mini unit lesson plan cover featuring two children playing in falling snow with illustrated snowflakes, winter science for elementary students
K–5 Snowflake Science Mini Unit Lesson Plan

Visit all of my online spaces at TinaTruelove.com!

Monday, January 13, 2025

Winter Snow Activities for Kids

Winter Snow Activities for Kids:  Girl Smiling, Wearing Winter Clothing
Winter Snow Activities for Kids

Winter Snow Activities for Kids

We don't get a lot of snow here in the South, but his past weekend, we got a whole 2 inches at my house.  The snow didn't completely cover all of our grass, but we had enough to enjoy.  I love watching the snow fall and the winter wonderland it creates as it blankets the ground.  I don't particularly like to get out in it, but my daughter took my granddaughter (her niece) out for a few minutes to play.  The powdery snow didn't last long.  As is usual around here, the snow becomes icy pretty quick.  Many of you live in areas where you get lots and lots and lots of snow so you are able to get your kids out more often to enjoy your winter wonderland.  Engaging in winter snow activities encourages exercise, imaginative play, and provides opportunities for family bonding.  Let's explore a variety of winter snow activities that will keep your kids entertained and active, making the most of winter fun while it lasts.

Outdoor Winter Snow Activities

Winter Bowling Game:  You can make an outdoor bowling game by stacking up a row of plastic cups.  Stack each set of cups in a triangle tower.  Encourage your kids to pack snowballs to use as bowling balls.  See who can knock down the most cups.  If you don't want to make one yourself, here are several cute options.

Winter Scavenger Hunt:  On a sheet of paper, draw several pictures of outdoor items that can be found in your yard.  You might draw an acorn if you have Oak trees.  You might draw a pebble if you have pebbles near by.  Other ideas are bird nest, flower pot, porch sign . . . anything your kids can look for around your house when it snows.  Here is one you can purchase if you want to.

Winter Scavenger Hunt
This Winter Scavenger Hunt Game is available here.

Snowball Target Practice:  Set up a few targets on a fence or porch railing.  Let the kids throw snowballs to see if they can knock down the targets.  Choose a safe place for the kids and protect your windows.

Make ice ornaments:  Pour wanter into shallow bowls.  Tell your kids to place flowers, acorns, sticks, pebbles, evergreen leaves, or whatever they think is pretty.  Place a string, yarn, or cord into the water, but leave a loop hanging out of the water.  After the water freezes, break away the ice and tell your kids to hang their ornament masterpieces on outdoor tree limbs or nearby bushes.  

Take a nature walk:  Bundle up for this one.  You can carry hot cocoa with you in a thermos for a warm drink along the trail.

Snow paint:  Use colored water in spray bottles.  Let the kids use their imaginations and go wild with this one.  

Snowball in a Spoon Relay Race:  Give your kids a spoon and line them up.  Place a snowball in each spoon.  Have the kids race to a line in your yard without dropping the snowball.  

Create Snowmen or a whole snow family:  Get the whole family involved.  Each family member can make a snowman or snowwoman to represent himself or herself.  The result is a snow family that resembles your human family.

Indoor Winter Snow Activities

Indoor Snow:  If you have real snow, you can bring a big bowl of snow inside.  Let the kids use plastic people, houses, and animals to create snow villages.  If you don't have real snow, you can make fake snow using baking soda and shaving cream.  Learn more about that here at Make Life Lovely.

Snowflake Art:  Using glue, salt, and watercolor paints, kids can decorate beautiful snowflakes on paper.  I suggest using cardstock.  You pre-draw a snowflake on each sheet or print snowflake images using your home printer.  Let the kids use the glue, salt and paint to decorate the snowflakes.  Be sure to hang them up somewhere so that your kids can enjoy them for a while.

Indoor Balloon Snowman:  Blow up white balloons.  Help the kids glue the balloons together to make an indoor snowman.  They can draw on the faces and buttons.  You could pre-cut fabrics so that they can dress up their indoor snowmen.

Create a snowstorm in a jar:  This is a fun science experiment for kids.  Head over here to MomBrite to learn how to do this.

Play Pin the Nose on the Snowman:  This is fun spin off the old game, Pin the Tale on the Donkey.  You can draw it up yourself and cut out the carrot noses for the kids to pin or you can get a set already made up for you here.

Pin the Nose on the Snowman
This cute Pin the Nose on the Snowman is available here.

Snowman Coloring Book for Kids:  You can download my Snowman Coloring Book for Kids to your home computer, print it out, and let the kids start coloring right away.

Snowman Coloring Book for Kids
This Snowman Coloring Book for Kids is available here.

You may also like:

Snow Activities for Kids

Snow Activities for Kids
Snow Activities for Kids

Penguin Activities for Kids
Penguin Activities for Kids

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Winter Snow Activities for Kids:  Group of Kids Smiling, Wearing Winter Clothing Out in the Snow
Winter Snow Activities for Kids

New on my Author Blog:  TinaTruelove.com

Saturday, December 31, 2022

Snowman Coloring Book for Kids - Practice Color Words (Freebie Included in this Post)

It's January!  Wells, it's almost January.  As I write this post, it is actually New Year's Eve here in the southeastern region of the United States, but I'm preparing for all the fun stuff ahead for the new year, particularly January.  I have lots of snow themed activities to share with you on my Facebook page for the first week in January.  We will be doing polar bear activities in the second week, and then on to penguin fun.  Today, I want to share with you a new file I just finished.  It's hot off the press, so to speak.  Introducing my new Snowman Coloring Book for Kids.  

Coloring is good for kids.  Coloring helps children improve small motor skills.  Coloring keeps children focused on one activity for a long period of time, helping to improve attention spans, especially kids who particularly enjoy coloring.  Coloring in coloring books helps improve creativity.

Coloring is great for other areas of development as well.  Coloring helps children build relationships when they color together.  Completing coloring pages together builds teamwork skills when children share pages and crayons.  This activity might even help improve negotiating skills as children discuss which colors to use and which colors compliment other colors.  

Children might stumble upon a science lesson when they discover that some colors, when combined, create new colors.  

Coloring can be a great way to spend time as a family.  Pull out coloring books, crayons, markers, watercolors, and tempera paints.  Set a few hours aside to build and improve on all the skills above while enjoying hours of quality time together as a family.

Snowman Coloring Book for Kids - Practice Color Words
Snowman Coloring Book for Kids - Practice Color Words

Snowman Coloring Book for Kids - Practice Color Words

This Snowman Coloring Book includes a total of 7 pages, a cover page plus 6 pages for your child or classroom children to color.  Your kids will first follow the one step direction on each page.  For example, on the first coloring page, the one step direction says, "Color the snowman's scarf red."  

At the end of each one step direction on each page is an image of the crayon color to match the direction.  This will help your child to identify the correct color.  The color word is written on each crayon image as well as in the one step direction so your child can practice identifying color words and matching the color to the color word.  The color words to practice in this coloring book are red, orange, black, blue, purple, and green.

Here is one page I'll offer you for free.  Simply right-click and save this page to your computer.  Then, print it out for your child to color.  Of course, I hope you will consider the complete 7 page coloring book that you'll find here.

Snowman Coloring Page for Kids - Practice the Color Word, Red
Snowman Coloring Page for Kids - Practice the Color Word "Red"

After your child has finished following the direction on each page, you can certainly allow your child to finish coloring each page as he or she desires.  Then, if you have snow in your area, get the kids outside for a fun time playing in the snow.  

Living Abundantly in Him, Tina




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Snowman Coloring Book for Kids - Practice Color Words
Snowman Coloring Book for Kids - Practice Color Words

You might also like:

Snowman Activities for Kids

Snowman Activities for Kids
Snowman Activities for Kids

Snow Activities for Kids

Snow Activities for Kids
Snow Activities for Kids

I think most of the United States is still recovering from last week's heavy snow up north and record cold temperatures here in the southeast; though we did get a light dusting of snow here in the north Georgia area.  You might be tired of snow, but I can just about guarantee you that the kids are not.  January is a good time to get out the art and craft supplies and do lots of cool snow activities for kids.  Even if you live in an area where you never see snow, you can still have some snow fun because you can make fake snow at home.  

Here's a list of fun snow themed activities for you to enjoy with your kids at home and in the classroom.

Snow Activities for Kids

Snowman Coloring Book for Kids

Snowman Coloring Book for Kids, Practice Color Words
Snowman Coloring Book for Kids, Practice Color Words

How to Make Snow Paint - Crafty Morning

How to Make Fake Snow for Pretend Play - The Purposeful Nest

Snow Volcano Science Experiment - Kindergarten Worksheets and Games

Ice Balloons Science Experiment for Kids - Eating Richly

How to Make Snow Paint - Little Bins for Little Hands

Snowman Decorating Kit
This Snowman Decorating Kit is available here.

Snow Mobiles Sensory Activity - Busy Toddler

Salt Crystal Snowflakes Winter Fun for Kids - Living Well Mom

Snow Foam Winter Sensory Play for Kids - No Time for Flashcards

Exploding Snowman Experiment & Winter Science Activities - 123 Homeschool 4Me 

Snowstorm in a Jar Science Experiment - MomBrite

Snowball Maker Kit
This Snowball Makers Set is available here.

Snow Candles - Reality Daydream

What's in the Snow:  Winter Fine Motor Activity - Taming Little Monsters

Snow Puzzle - Happy Toddler Playtime

How to Make Coffee Filter Snowflakes - The Printables Fairy

How do Snowflakes Form?  Winter Science Activity for Kids - Kitchen Counter Chronicles

Snow Powder
This Snow Powder item is available here.

Fizzy Snow - Inspiration Laboratories

Marshmallow Snowflake Craft - For the Love of Food Blog

Snowstorm in a Jar Experiment:  Easy Winter Science Activity for Preschool - B-Inspired Mama

This is the Best Way to Make a Simple Paper Snowflake for Kids (Cutting Activity) - Early Learning Ideas

Simple Glittery Snow Slime Recipe - iHeartCraftyThings

Snowflake Suncatchers
This beautiful Snowflake Suncatcher Kit is available here.

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Snow Activities for Kids, Pin
Snow Activities for Kids

You might also like:

Penguin Activities for Kids

Penguin Activities for Kids
Penguin Activities for Kids