Tot School – The Snowy Day

{This post contains affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy.} 

This is my favorite book of all time.

Over the past few weeks of snow, we have taken advantage of the opportunity to read The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats.  I already wrote about why and how much I love Mr. Keats in a previous post.  And now for the fun we had celebrating Peter and his snowy day!

We read the book every day, many times a day.  I don’t know what it is about this book, but my son’s face brights up every time we read it!  The wording is so descriptive, and yet so simple!

After we read the book several times, I chose to give him his little Peter doll that I made.  Super easy — here is a tutorial.

We also were able to watch the movie — which is really just the book on the television, sometimes with Peter “in action.”  I love these types of (Scholastic) movies for children — they are simply the book on video, and this one was approved by Mr. Keats himself!   As you may know, I shy away from television for my children, but as my son has gotten older, I do acknowledge — and I want to embrace — that it is a part of our world.  And these videos are a beautiful compromise.  This The Snowy Day rendition made my son love Peter, and Ezra Jack Keats, even more!

I also printed and laminated a mini-book of Peter.  (This is from Homeschool Share, but it looks like they took FIAR printables down for now.)  My son liked holding it — and he also impressed me by putting the whole story in order! 

We also got to read The Snowy Day from a Big Book that I kept from my kindergarten teaching days — John couldn’t believe it!

You can also read the book online at We Give Books!!

Sensory Fun

Our sensory bin was very simple.  I placed our Peter doll in a bin with styrofoam packing peanuts and some sticks.  This was kind of a pain because those packing peanuts stick everywhere!  I don’t advise it : )

We also had some simple sensory time with shaving cream on our kitchen table.  John was really getting the hang of making tracks with his fingers — and we did a quick letter review, and John discovered that he can make circles : )  That was very exciting!

And then, of course, we ventured outside in the snow.  John wanted to do all the things that Peter did.

First, we looked out the window to see all the snow!

We bundled up in our red coat : )

We went outside and made tracks, made tracks with a stick, smacked some trees with the stick, and walked with our toes pointing in and out.

We tried making snow balls — and ate them!

We made a snowman.

We made John’s first-ever snow angel.

We went sledding down the neighbors’ hill.

And we learned about snow melting, as we watched his little snowman melt with the warmer weather.

Then we made a little snow covered tree.

Starting with our materials:

• blue construction paper
• brown construction paper: cut into a trunk and some branches
• glue and paint brush
• white glitter
• a Peter made from red, brown, and black paper (I used our Peter doll as a template)

Loves working with a paint brush.Our first real time with glitter was successful!

I was only planning on making the tree, but John said that there had to be a Peter to smack it : )
Super excited about having two Peters. Our finished snow-covered tree to smack shimmers beautifully in the sun.

More wonderful The Snowy Day posts:

We wanted to use a lot more of these ideas, and probably will these next couple of weeks!

Delightful Learning — I would love to make gluten-free “snow ball” cookies.

Her Household Rhythm — I love their crayon shaded Peter picture!

Homeschool Creations — I love the picture with white snowflakes.  Doesn’t it look just like the book?  Jolanthe also has many free printables available on her site!

We are still enjoying The Snowy Day and I know we will do more next winter when my son is a bit older. Please link your time with the book — I know my son would love to look at pictures of other children doing snow-related and Peter-related activities : )

 

Follow Amy – Wildflower Ramblings’s board Winter Crafts & Activities for Kids on Pinterest.