Make and Play Snow – Fun Winter Preschool Project

I LOVE this time of year. I find myself spending more time with my family, and going out of my way to create memorable experiences for my kids during the holiday season.

This year, I created a super-fun activity advent calendar (find the tutorial HERE), and each day we do something fun together. You can find a list of ideas HERE.

Our local weatherman has been toying with us for the last week and a half, forecasting a good chance of snow tonight. In true NW fashion, his forecast changed, and it looks like we won’t be waking up to snow. Since we are all HUGE fans of snow, I decided today would be a great day to make some of our own!

This project is TONS of fun, but I will warn you that your children and your table/floor WILL get messy! Do this project on a day when you don’t mind a little bit of extra clean-up. (Just remember that children and your kitchen table are washable!)

To make the snow you will need:

1 can of shaving cream

1 can/small box of corn starch

You can make a batch of snow for about $2!! I picked up a can of shaving cream at our local dollar store, and a can of corn starch for $1.17 at the grocery store. Making four kids super happy for a little over two bucks? Worth. Every. Penny. (And the mess!)

Dump the corn starch in a large mixing bowl, and begin to add in the shaving cream. It will be messy to mix up, but will eventually begin to form a soft and slightly crumbly dough, that can be packed to form snowballs and other snowy creations.

My kids had TONS of fun playing with their “snow” and loved this sensory experience. Sensory play is so important for young children, as they explore and discover the world around them. I find sensory play also provides lots of opportunity for rich language.

Have fun playing in the “snow” with your kiddos! We ended our night with a “Snowball Cake.” I made this using one of my favorite cake pans – “The Bake and Fill.” (Seriously, if you know a baker, get them this pan….totally fun to use!) I made a domed cake, that I filled with Cool Whip Frosting. We lightly frosted the top of the cake, and used powdered sugar “snow” on top, to create a giant edible snowball!