ealing with the let down after Christmas and the cabin fever that comes during that January weather can be daunting. Here are a few ideas to help combat it.
Mix water and cornstarch together in a saucepan and boil until thick, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and add dish detergent and food coloring. When cool let the children use it on fingerpaint paper, wax paper, etc. This paint has a slightly curdled texture and is excellent for cleanup because of the soap.
Mix together, cover the table, put goop on a cookie sheet or other large container. Let children play with it using their hands. This is very messy but provides oodles and oodles of entertainment. Goop is watery and also solid if left for about 10 seconds. It seems magical to them and also allows for great discussion on liquid and solid forms of things.
Cut out shape of houses, bushes,
trees, moon etc, and glue them onto black paper. Have children put glue on the house etc. where they want the snow to be. Sprinkle sugar, salt or baking soda over the glue and shake off the excess. Hang on the wall or window.
This works amazingly well in getting children accustomed to the fact that it is indeed mitten weather.
Cut out shapes of mittens, hats, scarves etc, and have the children decorate with sparkles, stickers etc. Then hang them up near the area where their real mittens etc, are stored as a reminder about what they need to put on before they go outside.
Tired of saying, "Don't eat that snow!"? Fill a jar with the whitest snow you can find and bring it inside. Let it melt and then show the children the results. No matter how clean that snow appeared there will always be some dirt in it and as they say,"Seeing is believing".
Take coffee filters and let the children color then with markers, make sure they are colored in completely. Wet the filters ( the colors will run together) and let dry. Hang them on the window to let the sun shine through. They are very colorful and resemble stained glass.
Have fun!