Play ideas for freezing days
As the rain and puddles turn to snow and ice, we have ideas for play whether you want to explore the weather outside or stay inside and keep warm.
Our first activities involved exploring snow and ice outside, so wrap up warm and see what you can find.
Snow patterns
What you need
- A spray bottle
- Water
- Food colouring
What to do
- Fill the spray bottle with water and a couple of drops of food colouring.
- Show your child how to squeeze the handle to spray the snow.
- Give them time to squeeze and make lines and patterns in the snow.
- Talk about the lines, shapes and colours they make on the snow.
This activity is great for helping your child strengthen their hands, which is an important part of developing their grip and control.
Ice collection
What you need
- A bucket or other containers
What to do
- Take the bucket or container and go for a walk.
- Find ice and place it in the bucket.
- Talk about the patterns and anything you see frozen into the ice.
You can take the ice back inside and talk about how it changes as it melts.
If you’ve spent some time outside, or decide it is too cold to explore the snow and ice outdoors why not try some indoor frosty fun.
Frozen toys (or objects)
What you need
- Containers
- Toys or objects – that will fit in the container.
- A baking tray or bowl
- Salt
- Spoons or sticks
What to do
- Place a toy or object in the container and fill with water.
- Put the container in the freezer overnight.
- Show your child the ice and tell them they will be able to get the toy out.
- Tip the block of ice into a bowl or onto a tray.
- Give your child some spoons or sticks to touch the ice.
- You can also give them some salt.
- Chat about how the ice changes as it gets warmer and as they put salt on it or chip away at ice.
Snowflake spins
What to do
If you’ve been watching snow fall, suggest you and your toddler dance like snowflakes.
Show them how to spin and turn like a snowflake before falling to the ground.
Do this for as long as your child is interested.