Baby It’s Cold Outside….
As a nanny for the past 6 years I have found that the Winter months can be the prettiest but yet the longest day for a caregiver, mother, father or whom ever get the joy of taking care of the kids while someone is away working. *Perfect crafts for you to also use as gifts for your loved ones.
It’s the best job, but when those winter months come you better start to get creative. So I wanted to share with you some ideas that I do inside with the kids.
At home crafts…
Snow can be fun but who are we kidding…by the time you get the little one bundled up you either have to change a diaper or someone has to go potty. So an alternative that I found was to bring the snow to you and make it. It’s super easy and fun for all. I will warn you it can be messy but its super easy to clean up!
Recipe:
1/2 cup of conditioner (I picked a cheap brand but one that smells good)
2 cups of Baking Soda
Mix together
Felt Snowmen:
Things you will need
Felt colors:
*White, orange, blank and fun colors for scarf
Poster board
Glue
How to:
Cut three different size circles from the white felt (I traced plates and bowls to get the perfect circle)
Cut nose from the orange
Two eyes and three buttons from the black one
Place and glue the three circles to the board and then have the child have fun dressing up the snowman.
(You can even play a gam of “pin the nose” on the snowman) great to see the kids giggle and have fun with this)
Snow Globe Glitter:
Things you will need:
Empty water bottle
Glue (clear)
Water
Glitter
How to:
Fill up the 1/4 of the empty water bottle with clear
Fill up the rest of it with water
Sprinkle in as much or as little as you would like.
You may want to put take at the top near the cap
Snowman with cotton balls:
Things that you will need:
2 paper plates
Construction paper:
*Orange
*Black
*Choose your color for scarf
Stapler
Glue
How to:
Cut inner part of the part of the paper plate
Cut 2 circle for eyes 3 larger circles for buttons
Cute orange triangle for the nose
Take the two plates and use the glue to cover them with the cotton balls
Let dry
Staple the two plates together
Glue on the nose, eyes, buttons and scarf
Salt Ornaments:
Things you will need:
1 cup of salt
1 cup of flour
1/2 cup of water
Bowl
Rolling pin
Paint colors of your choice
(we painted a foot print to look like a snowman)
How to:
Mix all ingredients in bowl
Roll out in the shape you would like and then put in hand or foot print in dough
Poke a hole at the top and it can be used as an ornament
Bake at 100 for 2 hours
Let cool and paint
Finger Painting:
Have fun and let them be creative
Frame and hang
Now those all can be great hands on activities for when its cold out but I would also suggest you check local museums and play places for you to take them to so that they (and YOU) can have some kid/adult interaction. Check out the museums websites for the free days for Illinois residence.
Some of my favorites in the suburbs and city of Chicago
Little Beans
Pump it Up
Naperville Children’s Museum
Kohl's Museum
Shed Aquarium
Science and Industry Museum
Fiels Museum
Local library (story times)
Hope this helps you all out and would love to hear what you all do during these cold winter months!
Author: Jeniece Sullivan
