“Let it Snow” Winter Storytime/Craft (Ages 3-9)

 

“Whether or not there is snow outside, we can have some winter fun inside with fun stories and songs, plus an indoor snowball fight and a snowman craft.”
I also do this as a straight preschool storytime without accompanying craft.

Though we have already had way too much winter weather,
this storytime was planned a long time ago!

Book: The Snowy Day - Ezra Jack Keats  (This classic Caldecott-winning title offers opportunities to mimic Peter (e.g. toes in, toes out), ask questions (what could be making that third line in the snow?)
STEM opportunity – discuss what happened to the snowball in Peter’s pocket? (warm house -- melted – pocket would be wet, later it would be dry – “evaporation” – faster if you put coat in the drier)
Alts: Snow – Uri Shulevitz  (often use this video at end of program) or Blizzard -- John Rocco (especially with school age groups)

Snowflake Rhyme  (5 snowflakes, 1 sun, numeral cards) (source unknown) (numeration practice -- have kid volunteers select the correct numeral cards as we add the snowflakes)

 

One little snowflake with nothing to do.

Along came another and then there were two.
Two little snowflakes laughing with me…three.
Three little snowflakes looking for some more…four.
Four little snowflakes dancing a jive…five.
Five little snowflakes having so much fun.
Out came the sun, and Then there were none!

and/or  Snowflakes Falling Action Song: (Tune: "London Bridge," source unknown)

Snowflakes falling from the sky,
from the sky, from the sky,
Snowflakes falling from the sky
To the ground below.
Watch them as they dance and whirl,
dance and whirl, dance and whirl,
Watch them as they dance and whirl
-- Soft white winter snow.

Book: Snowballs – Lois Ehlert  (a perfect inspiration for creative crafts, also makes a good book for early literacy -- can use spelling to guess identity of each snow creature: m-o-m, b-o-y, c-a-t, etc.) <– skipped in 2017 used for “Bundle Up” 
2017 substituted Toys Meet Snow – Emily Jenkins

Glove Puppet: 5 little Snowmen All in a Row (source unknown, used numeral cards)

Five little snowmen all in a row
Each with a hat and a big red bow
Out came the sun and it stayed all day
And one of the snowmen melted away.  4. 3. 2. 1…

Action Song: I’m a Little Snowman (to “I’m a Little Teapot”, suit actions to words)
I’m a little snowman, short and fat
Here is my broomstick, here is my hat.
When the sun comes out, I’ll melt away
Drip drip drip I’m a puddle today!

Book: Snowmen at Night – Caralyn Buehner
(Alts. Sneezy the Snowman – Wright, All You Need for a Snowman – Alice Schertle)

Booktalked DVD: Raymond Brigg's The Snowman (wonderful wordless video with beautiful soundtrack) -- also on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTaq20TN4ao  or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmzZKfse7_c

Flannel Snowman/Bunny Puppet: Chubby Little Snowman (source unknown)

A chubby little snowman
Had a carrot nose.
Along came a bunny
And what do you suppose?
That chubby little bunny
Looking for his lunch
Ate that little snowman’s nose
Nibble, Nibble, Crunch!

Book/Song: Frosty the Snowman – Steve Nelson & Jack Rollins


Song/Flannel: In the Freezer –  by Joe Scruggs  Song on Joe Scrugg’s “Traffic Jams”
Video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woEPJhmQous (used with Snowballs-Ehlert for “Bundle Up” storytime 2017)

There was snow on the ground
But it was a sunny day.
We knew that our snowman
Was going to melt away.
So we asked our Mom
And though it did not please her,
She said we could keep
Our snowman in the freezer.

Chorus:He’s in the freezer,
He’s our snowman.
He’s in the freezer,
Getting a frost tan.
He’s in the freezer,
Keeps as cold as he can.
He doesn’t go to school,
He just keeps cool,
In the freezer –

We feed him bits of frost
And lots of ice cubes.
We show him to our friends
When we come home from school.
We watch him as he sits
Next to the frozen squash,
‘Til Dad shuts the door and says,
“It’s starting to defrost. Chorus

One night at suppertime
My Mom said it was sad
As she told us of the ice cream
That we could have had.
Our snowman was taking up
All the room it seems,
And she didn’t have a place
To put our ice cream. 

Final Chorus:He’s on the sidewalk
And he’s melting fast.
You know a snowman
Was not meant to last.
It won’t be long now
Before he melts away
And we’re having ice cream
For dessert today!
It’s in the freezer!


VHS/DVD: Snow - Uri Shulevitz or The Snowy Day -- Ezra Jack Keats

Activity: Snowball fight using plastic bag snowballs, to the music “Sleigh Ride” by Leroy Anderson (on album Season’s Greetings)
Making snowballs for the program:
1) Gather a white plastic grocery bag into a long, skinny tube-like length with the handles on one end.
2) Fold the length in half, then in half again.
3) Wind a rubber band around the middle until it is tight.
4) Cut open both ends to remove any folded areas.
5) Then fluff out pieces
Idea courtesy of:  Susan Dailey, librarian, speaker and author of "A Storytime Year"

Additional book possibilities:
Snow -- Manya Stojic
Stranger in the Woods -- Sams
Rabbit's Snow Dance – Bruchac

Crafts:

Snow creatures (inspired by Ehlert’s book) – Materials: White & colored construction paper, markers, scissors, glue, pompoms, buttons, feathers, etc.

Cut out paper snowflakes http://thechocolatemuffintree.blogspot.com/2012/12/making-giant-snowflakes.html (could use large tissue paper) (booktalked Snowflake Bentley – another Caldecott)
 
Another possibility: If Picasso Painted a Snowman by Amy & Greg Newbold

1/13, 1/15 (storytime w/o craft), 1/17 – storytime/snowball fight/snowball&snowflake making craft

See also carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2014/12/winter-storytimetheatercraft-jan-bretts.html & http://carolsimonlevin.blogspot.com/2014/01/pre-school-storytime-button-up-for.html

http://www.hbook.com/2015/01/choosing-books/snowy-days/