Do you have snow outside? Are you looking for a winter activity for toddlers or preschoolers?
Bring some snow indoors and try our Snow Numbers activity. It’s a fun way to practice number recognition and work on fine motor skills. If you don’t have any snow, you can make your own.
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Materials Needed for this Snow Numbers Activity
Snow
Water
Containers and tray for watercolors
Large storage bin or baking dish
Tablecloth or towels
Tip: While big, a flat plastic underbed storage container is perfect for this activity. You can write the number big and there is plenty of room for more than one child to work together.
How to Set Up the Numbers in Snow Activity
We had lots of snow on the ground so I filled a large underbed storage container with snow. You can use any size container really. I would recommend at least the size of a 9×13 baking dish to give you enough room to play.
Set your container up in an area that’s okay to get a wet. I like to place towels down on top of my kitchen floor.
Draw numbers in the snow. Use your finger or a butter knife.
Add a few drops of washable liquid watercolor to each container of water. I chose red, yellow, and blue. We can explore coloring mixing in the snow as well.
Place a dropper in each of the watercolor and water mixtures. I like to use the jumbo eye droppers from Learning Resources. Squeezing the droppers works on fine motor skills. You could also use smaller medicine droppers, spoons, or even a spray bottle.
Ways to Play With This Snow Numbers Activity
Encourage your child to color the numbers. If the numbers are difficult to see, you can color them first. Show your child what to do with the first few numbers and then have him follow behind you.
As your child is coloring a number, talk about the numbers and colors. What number do you see? Which color are you using? What happens when you add yellow to the red?
Allow your child to add color onto the numbers, around the numbers, or anywhere in the snow.
You could even work on positional words. Can you add red water under the number 7? Let’s drop blue water on top of the number 5.
Challenge your child to add colored dots next to a number. Where is the number 4? Can you add 4 yellow dots below the number 4?
You could extend this snow numbers activity for older children as well. My kindergartener couldn’t resist playing. Practice addition by counting colored dots.
More Snow Inspired Winter Actvities
While there’s snow on the ground, try these snow science explorations.
Get the whole family outside to play with these fun snow fort building toys.
Play this snowball toss alphabet game with pretend snowballs.
Do some art outside when you use these simple 2-ingredient snow paints from Ruffles and Rain Boots on your yard.
Do More Activities With Your Family
Join our fun Facebook community, Creative Family Fun for Busy Families, for daily activities that are great for kids and families. We’ll chat, share, and have fun. It’s a safe and private place to share ideas for family and kids activities.
I’d love for you to join me! Just click the link below, request to join, and answer the questions (they’re easy, I promise). Come join the fun! Join the Creative Family Fun for Busy Families community here.
