Here are some of the benefits that snow play can bring to your child
There are many benefits to children’s development through the provision of snow in their environment: they have a chance to explore the snow, its temperature, texture and how it melts when held. If children can experience snow first hand they can investigate its properties and learn whilst having fun and enjoying themselves.
Snow gives unique opportunities for outdoor play and learning. It requires creativity, scientific observation and negotiation skills. Children become very creative when building with snow and create snow creatures using various objects to decorate them. They learn the complexities of problem solving as they try to mould snow into different designs.
When friends play together, they learn social skills needed for negotiation as they come to understand how to take turns while sledging. These are not rules that are taught to them; they are spontaneously created by the group, and are likely to be internalised on a much deeper level. This is play in its organic form; experimenting, discovering, problem solving, negotiating, and creating all wrapped up with the emotion of joy.
Some of the activities you can do with your child in the snow.
• Experiment how we can build with it;
• Change the colour of the snow – Fill empty squeezable bottles (such as washing up bottles) with warm water and a few drops of food colouring. The children can then use them to write, make patterns and mark make in the snow.
• Snow angels – in a clear space of snow and lie down, then move your arms and legs from side to side to create your angels.
• Snowman – a must do creation when it snows but why stop at the traditional snowman, where else could our imagination take us?
