Baby It’s Cold Outside

Lola MagazineKiddos, Lola Shreveport

The winter months often bring a lot of “mom, I’m bored” comments. When it’s too cold for kids to play outside, these winter activities will save the day. With just a few ingredients you will keep your sanity and the whole family will have some fun! Win-win-win-ter all around!

DIY MARSHMALLOW IGLOO 

  • Foam plates
  • Foam bowls
  • Elmer’s Glue (or edible icing if you prefer)
  • Package of mini marshmallows
  • Hot Glue 
  • Scissors
  • Xacto knife
  • Toilet paper roll

STEPS

  1. Cut around the foam bowl so there is no flat edge. Cut a toilet paper roll into 2-3 inch. Next, slice each of those pieces in half. At this point, you should have mini arches.
  2. Trace the shape of the dome against the foam bowl and cut it out. Now, you can slide the arch into the bowl, and hot glue it in place. This is the entrance to the igloo.
  3. Hot glue the igloo to the bottom side of a paper plate.
  4. Now comes the fun part – the marshmallows! Begin by covering the entrance to the igloo with Elmer’s Glue.

SNOW FOAM

  • 4 cups of frozen baking soda
  • 2-4 cups of shaving cream

STEPS

Add the desired amount of frozen baking soda to a sensory bin or container.  We used two large boxes to give us 4 cups of baking soda.  

Slowly begin to mix shaving cream into the baking soda, slowly adding more shaving cream and mixing until the desired consistency is reached. 

SNOWSTORM IN A JAR OR CUP

  • Oil (vegetable oil or baby oil)
  • White Washable School Paint
  • Alka Seltzer Tablets
  • Cup, Jar, or Bottle

STEPS

  1. Add 1 cup of water to the vase
  2. Mix in 1 tsp of paint (acrylic glitter paint works well too)
  3. Add the oil to fill almost to the top of the cup.
  4. Break the tablet into pieces and drop one at a time into the oil. You may want to add additional pieces for a blizzard!
  5. Observe the reaction that takes place

COTTON BALL SNOWMEN

  • Cotton balls
  • Glue sticks or hot glue
  • Orange foam paper (and other colors for hat or scarf)
  • Googly eyes
  • Buttons or beads
  • Pipe cleaner for arms

STEPS

  1. Cut an orange nose for each snowman from felt.
  2. Glue cotton balls together.
  3. Glue two arms to the snowman made from pipe cleaners.
  4. Glue two googly eyes on the top cotton ball.
  5. Glue buttons or beads to the bottom cotton balls.
  6. Add a hat or be creative with extra materials

BORAX CRYSTAL SNOWFLAKES

  • 6 Tbsp Borax
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • Dental floss or string
  • 1 wide mouth mason jar or glass 
  • 1 pipe cleaner
  • 1 pencil or chopstick

Steps 

  1. Bring your water to a boil
  2. While waiting for the water to boil, cut your pipe cleaner into three equal-sized pieces
  3. Now line the pipe cleaner pieces up and twist in the middle, to hold them together in a snowflake shape
  4. Tie the string or floss to one of the pieces of pipe cleaner, then tie onto the chopstick or pencil
  5. Pour 2 cups boiling water into the mason jar
  6. Add the borax
  7. Stir until it is dissolved
  8. Place the pipe cleaner into the water, letting it hang from the pencil or chopstick
  9. Leave your snowflake sitting on the counter overnight. In the morning it will be covered in crystals!