Community Education - current class catalogs Families - Winter/Spring 2020

Activities Winter time fun! Stay indoors The weather outside may be frightful, but we’ve come up with 25+ ways your little ones and you can still have a blast this winter. Keeping toddlers and preschoolers active in the winter can often be a challenge, so we asked our expert ECFE and School Readiness Preschool staff to share their favorite ways to enjoy our winter wonderland and cures for cabin fever. Bonus - download a printable checklist of these 25 activities and find 25 additional snowy and cozy fun ideas! bit.ly/WinterTimeFun Head outside You may just want to hibernate, but children still need fresh air during the winter. So, grab your hat and mittens and enjoy the snow! • Make patterns or tracks in the snow • Fill a spray bottle with water and a little food coloring and ‘spray paint’ the snow • Use pails and shovels to build snow castles • Make snow critters – how about a caterpillar, use twigs for the antennae • Make snow angels • Build a snow family • Play snow soccer • Make snow faces on your trees • Blow bubbles and watch them freeze • Draw pictures in the snow • Pin the smile or nose on the snowman • Catch snowflakes on your tongue www.ahschools.us/ecfe Some days it is just too cold or icy to go out. Ward off cabin fever with these ideas: • Create an indoor obstacle course • Cook or bake something together • Have an indoor picnic • Feed the birds – String popcorn, cranberries and cereal or peanut butter on a stick rolled in bird seed • Finger paint with pudding • Make a tent with a blanket – indoor camping, don’t forget a flashlight • Have a snowball fight with cotton balls or rolled up socks • Drink hot chocolate or warm cider and watch the snow fall • Put bubble wrap on the floor – how many ways different ways can you use to make it pop • Have an indoor beach party • Play dress up • Make paper snowflakes • Make a marshmallow snowman And don’t forget to curl up under a blanket with a good book. A few of our staff favorite winter-themed books are: • “Snowy Day” by Ezra Jack Keates • “Snowmen at Night” by Caralyn Buehner • “The Mitten” by Jan Brett • “Holly’s Red Boots” by Francesca Chessa • “Here Comes Jack Frost “by Kazuno Kohara Whether we have no snow or too much snow, we hope you find some great activities for your family indoors, outdoors or both. Don’t forget to stop by our Facebook page and share your favorite wintertime activities - facebook.com/AnokaHennepin ECFEandPreschool 17

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