To throw or not to throw: have you had snowball throwing debates at your school? In addition to establishing a limited snowball throwing area, the Bulls Eye game below is another alternative to kiboshing the activity altogether. And find three more games and activities to enjoy in the snow. I found them at a Scottish site called Creative Star where you can find many ideas for outdoor learning and playing.
Now let's hope for snow!
Bulls Eye
Snowballs do not have to be thrown at people. It’s possible to have a range of static targets. Using chalk, draw a target board on the side of a building, wall or fence.
However, if you have food coloring in spray bottles, children can also spray targets onto the ground. First, the area has to be stomped down flat. Then draw rings or squares or whatever target and number value you or your children wish with the colored water.
Sticks, flags or wooden spoons can be used to mark the value of each area, rather than trying to spray the numbers. Finally, the children will need to decide the rules. Will it be best of three snowballs, or the first to 20 points, etc.?
Angels for Birds
Remember making snow angels? This activity takes the concept a little further.
Working in pairs, one child makes a snow angel by lying on their back and moving their arms and legs. Their partner helps them up to avoid spoiling the angel. Then, using a variety of different bird foods, e.g. peanuts, sunflower seeds , bird seed, corn meal, fill up the angel kind of Zentangle-style.
They may find it easier to use any natural material nearby to add interest and to save on bird food, e.g. stones, branches and leaves.
If this activity is undertaken near a window, then it can be a great way to watch which birds visit the school grounds.
Headless Snowman
This is so much fun! Make a snowman without a head. Then children take in turns to stand behind the snowman as if their head belongs to it. You can have a range of props such as wigs, scarves, hats, sunglasses, etc. for the children to wear. Teachers on duty can have their phones at the ready to take pictures, of course.
Cool designs
This takes a little preparation -and an overnight hard frost. Suggest to students that they take to school a plastic salad greens container. During a week of very cold nights, they can fill them up with packed snow or water one day. The next day, when the contents have frozen, students can use their ice bricks to build a structure or sculpture. They can keep at it for days. And of course the rule at the school is: you can only break what you yourself built.
Now let's hope for snow!
Bulls Eye
Snowballs do not have to be thrown at people. It’s possible to have a range of static targets. Using chalk, draw a target board on the side of a building, wall or fence.
However, if you have food coloring in spray bottles, children can also spray targets onto the ground. First, the area has to be stomped down flat. Then draw rings or squares or whatever target and number value you or your children wish with the colored water.
Sticks, flags or wooden spoons can be used to mark the value of each area, rather than trying to spray the numbers. Finally, the children will need to decide the rules. Will it be best of three snowballs, or the first to 20 points, etc.?
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| Wikimedia |
Angels for Birds
Remember making snow angels? This activity takes the concept a little further.
Working in pairs, one child makes a snow angel by lying on their back and moving their arms and legs. Their partner helps them up to avoid spoiling the angel. Then, using a variety of different bird foods, e.g. peanuts, sunflower seeds , bird seed, corn meal, fill up the angel kind of Zentangle-style.
They may find it easier to use any natural material nearby to add interest and to save on bird food, e.g. stones, branches and leaves.
If this activity is undertaken near a window, then it can be a great way to watch which birds visit the school grounds.
Headless Snowman
This is so much fun! Make a snowman without a head. Then children take in turns to stand behind the snowman as if their head belongs to it. You can have a range of props such as wigs, scarves, hats, sunglasses, etc. for the children to wear. Teachers on duty can have their phones at the ready to take pictures, of course.
Cool designs
This takes a little preparation -and an overnight hard frost. Suggest to students that they take to school a plastic salad greens container. During a week of very cold nights, they can fill them up with packed snow or water one day. The next day, when the contents have frozen, students can use their ice bricks to build a structure or sculpture. They can keep at it for days. And of course the rule at the school is: you can only break what you yourself built.
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