Why not make an icy hanger to explore changes in nature.
1. Choose a suitable container eg takeaway tray, plant pot, saucer.
2. Collect natural items on your walk, sticks, feathers, leaves, flowers or choose tiny toy items. Eg Lego figures, dinosaurs, marbles.
3. Place a piece of string in the dish leave a loop hanging outside the dish.
4. Fill with water, leave the dish outside if it is freezing or in your freezer overnight.
5. Using the loop hang the frozen block outside so the children can watch as the ice returns to water.
If you want to extend this activity you could use a deeper bowl of water.
1. Add items beginning with the same sound eg car, cat, key, comb.
2. Or add items for your child to count.
3. Or simply add their favourite toy eg dinosaurs, Michu squishy toys.
4. Once the water is frozen the children can use a toy hammer or rolling pin to tap at the ice to get at the items.
Use unusual items to freeze water like rubber gloves or balloons. Put food colouring in and as they melt the colours will mix. These can be added to the bath at bath time to make it more fun.
You can use bubble mixture in the winter to make frozen bubbles. Heat your mixture in the microwave for a few seconds , blow the bubble as high as you can, so there’s time for them to travel through the air and get cold. Try catching the bubble on your wand so you can see the colours.
A good way to get warm after being outside in the cold is to chant or sing the song “Here we go round the mulberry bush”. Encourage your child to join in with the suggested actions. Fit each action to the rhythm
Here we go round the mulberry bush
The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush,
Here we go round the mulberry bush,
On a cold and frosty morning
We rub our hands to keep us warm,
Keep us warm, Keep us warm,
We rub our hands to keep us warm,
On a cold and frosty morning
We stamp our feet to keep us warm,
Keep us warm, keep us warm,
We stamp our feet to keep us warm,
On a cold and frosty morning
Make up your own verses e.g. We jump up and down to keep us warm or We blow on our hands to keep us warm. See if you can make up new actions to each verse, we’d love to see what you come up with.