Outdoor Snow Day Fun
#1. Outdoor Activity
For all ages
Go out and play in the snow for a minimum of five minutes.
4 – 5 years
1. Collect a cup, glass or bucket of snow.
2. Put it inside the house in a safe place. What is going to happen to the snow?
3. Question: How long do you think it will take to melt? Write down your answer. Set a timer for the amount of time you think it will take.
4. Were you correct in your guess?
5. Collect a second, exact cup, glass or bucket of snow you did the first time.
6. Can you find a different, safe spot in the house that you think will make the snow melt faster?
a. Question: How long do you think it will take to melt in this new location? Write down your answer. Set a timer for the amount of time you think it will take.
7. Were you correct in your guess?
5 – 6 years old
1. Collect a cup, glass or bucket of snow.
2. Put it inside the house in a safe place. Use a ruler to measure how deep the snow in your container is. Write the measurement down. What is going to happen to the snow?
3. Allow the snow to melt completely. Measure what is in the container. Write this second measurement down. Are the measurements the same? What happened?
4. Bonus: Why do you think these numbers are like this?
#2. All Ages
When you are outside, try to make a snowman out of the snow.
2 – 3 years
1. Take a picture of your snowman with you standing beside it.
2. Have your parents/nanny send it to us at school.
3– 4 years
1. Make a snowman as tall as you are.
2. Measure how tall the snowman is. Write it down.
4 – 5 years
1. Make a snowman.
2. Measure how tall the snowman is. Write it down.
3. The next day, measure the snowman again. Write it down.
4. The next day, measure the snowman again. Write it down.
Question: What is happening to the numbers of your measurement? Why do you think this is happening?
5 – 6 years old
1. Make a snowman.
2. Measure how tall the snowman is. Write it down. Save the paper.
3. The next day, measure the snowman again. Write it down on the same paper.
Question: What is the difference between the numbers? What do you think will happen when you measure the snowman tomorrow? Estimate how tall you think it will be. Write it down.
4. The next day, measure the snowman again. Write it down on the same paper.
Question: What is the difference between the numbers from yesterday and today? Was your estimate correct?
Bonus: Estimate how long it will take your snowman to melt completely. Write your number down and put it in a safe place. Were you correct?
#3. Observing Birds
To identify birds: http://www.birds-of-north-america.net/
For all ages: Feed the birds where you can see them from your window.
2 – 3 years
1. Make a picture of the birds.
2. What color are the birds?
3 – 4 years
1. How many birds can you count?
2. Make a chart of the colors of the birds.
Red: #
Blue: #
Gray: #
Brown: #
Black: #
Yellow: #
Mixed Colors: #
4 – 5 years
1. Name as many of the species (kinds) of birds you see. Use the website http://www.birds-of-north-america.net/ with your parents. Write the names down (temporary/inventive spelling is fine to use.)
2. Pick one of the species. Count how many of these you see at your feeder in five minutes. Write the name and number down.
a. Pick a different species. Count how many of these you see at your feeder in five minutes. Write the name and number down.
b. Pick another species. Count how many of these you see at your feeder in five minutes. Write the name and number down.
5 – 6 years
1. Do the above activity for the 4 – 5 year olds.
2. Make a bar graph of the different species you see.
5
4
3
2
1
Sparrows, Blue jays, Cardinals, Sparrows, Starlings
3. Which species was most represented? Which species had the fewest representatives?
Bonus Activities for 5 – 6 years:
Find out what “migrate” means. Find out which birds at your feeder migrate to St. Louis from somewhere else. Look up on a map from where they have come. Have your parents help you find out how many miles they have to travel to get here for the winter.