Seasons of Snow

Letter:  Dd
Color:  Orange
Shape:  Triangle *


BRRRRR!  I think I need to switch our weekly theme to Beaches and Hot Weather, I must be jinxing us! It is the first winter in a long time that we've had this much snow I think...at least since I've had to navigate children in it.  Layers, layers and more layers!!! But it's so much fun!  Playing in the snow, sledding, skiing, snow days...have I convinced you yet?? ;)

This week we are continuing our winter exploration.  Using our Triangle Shape as a base, we are making snowflakes! I've folded the construction paper squares into triangles for the kiddos to start with.

We have had a low Teacher/Student ratio (1:3) the past few weeks, so it's a good time for us to work on Scissor skills.  I remember when my oldest did his preschool screening they said he had poor scissor skills.  I was dumbfounded and looked at them like they had four heads.  " He's two years old people!! I spend my time keeping them AWAY from him! Of course he has poor scissor skills."  But little did I understand this is actually good fine motor practice for them, somewhere between my education degree and my first son turning three I must have lost that little tidbit of info - along with things like how old I was.  To this day I blame childbirth and am still claiming to be at least five years younger than I really am. ;)

So don't be afraid of the scissors!  Get a good pair, I recommend the Fiskars brand of kid scissors.  They are nicely rounded, have large finger holes so that you can get in there and help them with their grip and they are sharp enough not to cut skin but able to cut construction paper no problem. 

2 yr old Owen cutting away! (with some help of course)

If you'd like to practice scissor skills at home, here are some printable worksheets that you could use to practice on.  Scissor Skills  Try using other fun items to practice on like Play Doh and Spaghetti...remind them to avoid the hair.

4 year old Dean, cutting solo with finger positioning reminders

We opened our Triangles and realized we had been making snowflakes!! How exciting!  We decided to add to some tissue paper decorations for a little more fine motor practice.  Today less was more as far as the tissue paper went...more important matters loomed like Power Rangers needing to go down the slide and Little Einsteins needing to go on the Firetrucks...

Some other great books for you to check out this winter are:

Gooseberry Goose by Claire Freedman

The Mitten by Jan Brett

Dream Snow by Eric Carle

*  BTW,  just kidding with the above Triangle link...just making sure you're paying attention! Check out THIS one instead.