Free Printable Penguin Winter Sports I Spy Game

This free printable penguin winter sports I spy game for kids is a perfect way to work on a variety of skills!

---

I think it makes a lot of sense to share this adorable wintery I spy game given that we are on fourth (or fifth or sixth? I've lost count at this point) consecutive day of temperatures well below -40 C. Between that and the amount of snow in my front yard (I don't think our snow pile has ever been this huge!), it's clearly February in Saskatchewan.

So, whether you experience winters like we do (I hope you're somewhere much warmer!) or not, this free printable penguin winter sports I spy game is adorable. It features penguins skating, skiing, tubing, and more.

This game is perfect for animal lovers and sport lovers alike.

I Spy Games are Versatile!

I spy games are tons of fun and great for kids of all ages. You can use them with toddlers or preschoolers or even preteens and teens. I know that lots of people have even used my I spy games with elderly people and those with dementia.

What I love about I spy games is how versatile they are, even beyond appealing to various age groups. There are lots of different ways to use them (there's a section below with some ideas) and they can also be used in different settings.

For example, I spy games are perfect to use as a quick boredom buster activity at home when the kids are saying, "I'm bored!" Or to keep kids busy while you're cooking supper.

They can also be used in the classroom as part of a learning center or included in a specific lesson or unit. You could also use them as filler activities for those kids who finish their classwork quickly.

You could also print off a bunch of the I spy games, package them up into a binder, and create a busy book for road trips or plane rides. You could even laminate them first (here's the laminator I use and love) or put them into sheet protectors and use a dry erase marker so that the book could be reused over and over.

I spy games are also a great activity to use in speech or occupational therapy since they can be used to target a variety of skills, which we'll touch on in the next section.

The Benefits of I Spy Games for Kids

There are lots of benefits to playing I spy games like this winter themed one.

For instance, they're great for developing visual tracking skills and improving visual discrimination. After all, these printable games require kids to visually scan through the objects, compare and contrast them, and find all the ones that are the same.

Then there's obviously the math benefits. I spy games are a great way to practice and develop math skills such as sorting, counting, comparing, etc.

You can also work on fine motor skills using I spy games. You might cross off items, cover them in play dough, or use tongs to place pom poms to cover the items (see the next section for other ideas for how to use I spy games).

Furthermore, you could work on handwriting skills with I spy games. After all, there is an answer sheet to record your answers and kids can practice writing numbers or drawing tally marks.

Playing I spy games with your kids is also a great way to work on speech and language skills. You could target articulation and vocabulary for instance. All of my I spy games include written words to accompany the images to aid in comprehension, especially for hyperlexic learners.

I spy games can also be a great way to work on executive functioning related skills and working memory.

See, lots of benefits! Now, let's take a look at some different ways to use this I spy game.

How to Use this I Spy Game

The most obvious way to use this I spy game is to simply print and play (you'll be able to download your copy below). Just grab a pencil, start counting, and record the number of items you found on the answer key (write the number or use tally marks, if you'd prefer). 

Maybe you also want to cross off or circle items on the game sheet with a pencil as you find them.

Another option would be to use bingo dabbers or dot markers. You could also use pom poms or counters to cover the items as you count. You could even pair pom poms with tongs or tweezers to target different fine motor skills.

You could also laminate the I spy game first to make them reusable. Simply use dry erase markers to cross off the items as you find them and fill in the answer key. 

You could also use play dough instead of dry erase markers to cover the items on the laminated game sheet. That way you add an additional sensory component.

Finally, you can go digital by playing this I spy game right on the computer or tablet. You can also pull it up during a Zoom meeting, teletherapy session, or similar using the screenshare function. Then use the annotate tool to cross off the items.

Download the Free Printable Penguin Winter Sports I Spy Game

This penguin winter sports I spy game has three pages: a game sheet, a page to record the answers, and an answer key. Both the answer sheet and answer key include the image as well as written words to describe the object.

To get a copy of this I spy game, click the link below:

>> Click here to download the free printable

 

Want More I Spy Games?

You'll find even more themes in the I spy games bundle!

Click here to get your copy of the I spy games bundle

Free Printable Build a Snowman Barrier Game

This free printable build a snowman barrier game is a perfect way to work on speech therapy and language goals this winter.

---

Do you want to build a snowman? (Hopefully, you also sing that every single time you see this question.)

Now, what if building a snowman required no actual snow (although we have an abundance of that around here!) and could be used to work on speech, language, and social skills? Well, that's where this free printable snowman barrier game comes in handy.

You simply try to create your own snowman, complete with a hat, face, arms, and scarf and see if the other players can follow your instructions to make their snowman match yours. Ready to try it out? Keep reading!

What is a Barrier Game?

Barrier games are a way to practice speech and social skills concepts by creating and describing scenes to another player and having them recreate the scene on their own game board. An example of a barrier game that you might be familiar with is Battleship.

We personally use barrier games to work on skills such as:

• Following directions

• Listening skills

• Prepositions (on, under, above, beside, next to, etc.)

• Expressive speech

• Vocabulary

• Turn taking

• Comprehension

But, of course, that's not all! You can use barrier games to practice a wide variety of different speech, language, and social skills. You can learn more about barrier games and their benefits here.

How to Use the Free Build a Snowman Barrier Game

To prep this barrier game, you will need at least two players. Simply download, print two copies of both the scene and the items (one copy for each player), cut the individual items, and laminate all pieces for durability (optional).

To play this barrier game, have all players sit at a table and set up a barrier. A file folder or book works great! The goal is to make sure that all players cannot see each other's materials.

Each player takes turns placing an object on the scene and describing to the other player where to place the objects. It's important to give clear and specific directions on where to place the objects.

The objective of the game is to have identical pictures at the end. That is, all players should have matching scenes with the items placed in the same spots for all players.

Download the Free Printable Snowman Barrier Game

This free printable barrier game includes four pages, including detailed instructions on how to play, a landscape or scene, and game pieces.

Keep in mind that you'll want to print two copies of each page and laminate everything for durability before use.

To get your copy of this barrier game, click the link below:

>> Click here to download the free printable

 

Want More Barrier Games?

You'll find even more themes in the barrier games bundle!

Click here to get your copy of the barrier games bundle

Free Printable Winter Pop it Number & Letter Order Mazes

These free printable winter pop it number and letter order mazes are inspired by pop it fidgets. Simply find and connect the letters or numbers in order.

---

After I released these Christmas pop it number order mazes and Christmas pop it letter order mazes, I had quite a few requests for other themes, specifically a winter themed set. So here we are.

The basic idea with these number order and letter order mazes is that you connect things in order. So you'll connect letters from A to Z in order or numbers from 1 to 20 in order (depending on which printable you are doing from this pack obviously).

And since they use letters and numbers, you know they're great for hyperlexic kids!

So be sure to grab a copy of these winter pop it number and letter order mazes for your kids below. I know they're going to love them!

About these Winter Pop it Number & Letter Order Mazes

Below you will find two winter themed number and letter order mazes. 

The number one is snowman themed and you have to connect the numbers in order from 1 to 20. 

The letter one is snowflake themed and you have to connect the uppercase letters in order from A to Z. 

To play, simply start at letter A or number 1 and connect the letters or numbers in order. For example, you would draw a line from 1 to 2, then 2 to 3, then 3 to 4, and so on.

Please note that you don't need a physical pop it fidget to complete these number and letter order mazes. They're simply inspired by winter themed pop it fidgets.

I highly recommend laminating these mazes first so you can reuse them over and over. Here's the laminator I use and love.

Download the Free Printable Pop it Mazes

This two page printable includes two mazes, one snowman number order maze and one snowflake uppercase letter maze. I highly recommend laminating for durability and to make them reusable. Simply pair the laminated mazes with a dry erase marker.

To get a copy of this printable, click the link below:

>> Click here to download the free printable

 

Want More Winter Pop it Mazes?

This printable is a free sample from the Winter Pop it Number & Letter Order Mazes Pack. If you love this activity, then grab a copy of the full pack below. It includes a total of 12 mazes in 2 different themes.

Get your copy of the Winter Pop it Mazes Pack

Free Printable Snowman Emotions Activity

Looking for a way to teach kids about emotions this winter? Try this free printable snowman emotions activity for kids! It's a great way for kids to build their emotional vocabulary.

---

This cute little snowman activity is the perfect way to work on emotional skills with your kids this winter. 

It's also a great activity for kids of all ages! You can even use it to target other skills besides emotions, such as fine motor skills or speech. Don't worry, I provide some ideas for how to use this printable later in the post.

So if you're ready to make learning emotions fun this winter, then you're definitely going to want to grab a copy of this snowman emotions activity! The real question though is...do you want to build a snowman? (Please tell me you sung that!)

About this Snowman Emotions Activity for Kids

In this activity, kids can learn about different emotions all with a cute snowman theme. The idea is to pair a snowman face or expression with a matching emotion word and add these items to the image of a snowman.

Essentially, this activity is a snowman emotions matching game where you are matching a facial expression of a snowman with a related emotion word. 

To play, simply pick a snowman face or expression and add it to the snowman's head. Then find a matching emotion word that matches the snowman face they picked. 

Or you could start by picking the emotion word first and then finding the correct expression to put on the snowman. 

By the way, there are 50+ different emotion word cards included. With that many words, you know we're going beyond basic emotions vocabulary here! 

And speaking of emotion words, you can easily customize this activity to fit your child and their social emotional development needs. For example, there are three blank cards included so that you can write your own emotion words. 

Another way to customize this activity is to just pick and choose which words you want to target or include. Maybe you have a younger child and want to stick to easier emotion words like happy or sad. Or maybe you have an older child who's ready for words like disappointed and optimistic.

Another way to play with this emotions snowman is to laminate the snowman image and use a dry erase marker. By the way, here's the laminator I use and love. Once it's all laminated, kids can draw their own funny snowman faces and write a corresponding emotion word in the box. I'm sure that their own emotional snowman will be super cute using this variation!

You could also use the printable as a emotions chart or feelings check-in with your kids.

Finally, you could also do some cut and paste work with this snowman activity to build fine motor skills. But then you would need to print a few copies of the snowman image.

See, there are lots of different possibilities for how to use this cute little snowman pack!

Download the Free Snowman Emotions Printable

This four page printable includes one snowman, 16 faces representing different snowman feelings, 57 emotion words, and 3 blank cards to write emotion words on.

To get your copy of the snowman emotions activity, click the link below.

>> Click here to download the free printable

 

Free Printable Snowflake Themed I Feel When Cards

Looking for a way to work on emotions with your kids this winter? Try this set of free printable snowflake themed I feel when cards with adorable snowflake emojis. They're a great way to get kids talking about their feelings.

---

I think it's incredibly important to normalize talking about emotions and feelings, not only as adults, but for kids too. 

So I think it's a good idea to start teaching kids early on that's all feelings are valid and normal. And that's it perfectly okay to express those feelings with and around others. 

Obviously within reasons...I'm not saying they should hit people when they're feeling angry or anything. Instead, I think it's awesome if they feel comfortable enough to say "I feel angry right now" out loud. That's a big deal.

But getting kids to open up about their feelings and emotions can be tricky. 

Hopefully, though, these snowflake themed I feel when cards will be a great way to get the conversation started. You can grab the free printable below.

About these Snowflake Themed I Feel When Cards

These I feel when cards feature 8 different emotions: happy, sad, surprised, calm, angry, excited, bored, and frustrated. Each card features a phrase with the written emotion word and a snowflake emoji. So for example, there is a card with a snowflake emoji showing what happy looks like. Above that it says "I feel happy when..."

The idea of these cards is to encourage kids to think about when they feel a certain way and to open up about it. So they're like conversation starters or prompts designed to get kids opening up about their feelings.

You can use them however you'd like, but the general idea is to draw a card, read what it says, and then talk about a time you might have felt that way. You might talk about the situation, the way your body felt, whether or not it's something that occurs frequently, and so on.

I highly recommend laminating these I feel when cards for durability. Here's the laminator I use and love.

Download the Free Printable I Feel When Cards

This one page printable includes eight I feel when cards. Each card has an adorable snowflake emoji paired the phrase "I feel ___ when..." and a specific emotion.

To get a copy of this printable, click the link below:

>> Click here to download this free printable

 

Want More Ideas for Teaching Emotions? Try this Snowflake Themed Printable Pack!

This printable is a free sample from the Snowflake Themed Emotions Pack. If you love this activity and this theme, then grab a copy of the full emotions pack below.

Get your copy of the Snowflake Themed Emotions Pack

Free Winter Word Scramble Printable for Kids

This free printable winter word scramble game is perfect for kids of all ages.

---

In my mind, it's officially winter here since we had a blast of snow this week. Although it was nothing compared to the dump of snow we got last year at this time. That storm shut down the province for a couple of days while plows tried to catch up...

Anyway, since it looks like winter around here, I figured I'm officially allowed to share some winter activities and games here. 

And since many hyperlexic kids love word games, I thought this winter word scramble would be a great place to start.

Why Word Scramble Games are Good for Kids

Word scramble games are a great way for kids to work on vocabulary, spelling, language skills, working memory, problem-solving skills, writing, and so much more! There's a wide range of skills you could target here. Just get creative.

You can use free printable word scramble games like this one at home, in the classroom, or even on the road. Or you could use them in Zoom meetings for online learning (tips on how to do so here). They'd even make a great rainy day or snow day activity too!

Also, if you've been looking for other ideas on how to use your hyperlexic child's interests in letters, then word scramble games are a great fit. They definitely build off of a hyperlexic child's interest in letters. I mean the game is literally just a bunch of letters. Besides, using your hyperlexic child's interests to teach new skills is definitely something you should be doing - and something you'll hear me say a lot around here!

So anyway, if you're looking for a quick winter activity, give this winter word scramble for kids a try. 

Download the Free Winter Word Scramble Printable

This printable is three pages total. Two versions of the word scramble game are included (one with a word bank and one without the word list). Each game contains 13 winter themed words. An answer key is also included.

To get your copy of the winter word scramble, click the link below:

>> Click here to download the free printable

 

Heart Snow Painting Activity

Your kids are going to love this heart snow painting activity. It's such a fun activity for winter and Valentine's Day!

---

Painting snow on a winter day is such a fun thing to do. We've even painted a whole snowman before.

However, we were recently hit with frigid temperatures here for awhile. Like frostbite-within-minutes-why-do-I-even-live-here-stupid-cold frigid (and yes, that's the technical term...haha). So our outdoor play was put on hold for a bit, while we hibernated through the -40 C or colder temperatures.

When it was finally a normal winter temperature (aka still cold, but not COLD cold), we headed outside for some outdoor play.

And since we were in the mood for Valentine's Day activities, I thought it might be fun to paint hearts in the snow. So, we brought out some supplies to do a little heart snow painting activity.

Ready to try making your own spray painted hearts in the snow? Well, let's dig in!

What You'll Need for this Valentine's Day Themed Snow Painting Activity

Obviously, you're going to need some snow (and lots of it!) to do this activity. With that assumption in mind, here's what else you'll need to make your own spray painted hearts in the snow:

• Heart shaped stencil of some kind (picture of it below) - We used the big dollar store hearts from this loose parts activity. You could use heart shaped cookie cutters, premade stencils like these, or even try making your own stencil out of craft foam or something.

• Spray bottles filled with water - I used two spray bottles that way each of my boys could have their own to play with. (And so they wouldn't fight.)

• Red liquid watercolor or red food coloring - How much you'll need will depend on how big your spray bottle is, how deep you want the red color to be, and whether you are using liquid watercolors or food coloring. I added about 10-12 drops of red food coloring to our spray bottles.

Prepare your paint in the spray bottles by adding some water and liquid watercolors or food coloring. Then shake them up so the color is well distributed.

After you're all bundled up in your winter gear, grab your heart stencils (see ours below) and your spray bottles and head outside for some fun in the snow and cold. For this activity, we used two heart stencils in different sizes.

Decorate for Valentine's Day with These Painted Snow Hearts!

My youngest K was really into this snow painting activity. Mind you, he likes anything that involves using a spray bottle so I can't say I'm entirely surprised that he would enjoy this activity.

My oldest, J, on the other hand, was excited that we could finally head outside after our deep freeze and just play in the snow.

So, while K painted hearts, J demolished a huge mound of snow and turned it into a slide. After placing a stencil, you simply spray away until the snow is well saturated.

PS: How AWESOME is K's winter hat?!  Have you seen a cuter moose? I mean, does it get any more Canadian than wearing a moose hat in the snow? Probably not.

Anyway, cute hat aside...let's get back to making colorful hearts in the snow. When the heart stencil is removed, you'll be left with a beautiful painted snow heart.

Then simply repeat the process to make as many colorful hearts in the snow as you want. As for K, he made four hearts in total before deciding to join his big brother for some snow pile demolition.

But hey, at least my snowbanks looked colorful and festive for awhile. And the boys got to finally enjoy some outside play for a bit.

This heart snow painting activity is part of the Show Me the Love series. Be sure to check out some more Valentine's Day activities from my series co-hosts:

Valentine's Mailing Invitation to Play from House of Burke

Creating with Hearts on the Light Table from Still Playing School

Snowman Deep Breathing Exercise {Free Printable Poster Included!}

Looking for some deep breathing exercises to teach the kids? Try this snowman themed technique and grab a copy of the free printable poster too!

---

Building a snowman is a great example of a winter heavy work activity that is calming for kids.

But maybe you live somewhere where there is no snow.

Or it's simply too cold to go outside to build a snowman to reap the calming benefits of such a heavy work activity.

Or your child is already minutes away from a meltdown and the last thing you want to do is wrestle your child into their snowsuit to send them outside to build a snowman.

Well, try this snowman deep breathing exercise instead. It's a quick and simple mindfulness and coping strategy that you can do to help them reset (and hopefully avoid a full on meltdown).

A Simple Breathing Exercise for Kids with a Winter Twist

Counting is a great calm down strategy for kids. So is deep breathing. This snowman deep breathing exercise combines the two strategies into one.

You point to the buttons of the snowman, count, and breathe. You could even do the same thing to the snowman's mouth if you really wanted.

About the Free Printable Snowman Deep Breathing Exercise Poster

This one page printable offers a simple deep breathing technique using a snowman theme (as you've obviously figured out).

As for how to do the actual deep breathing technique, simply count and breathe by following the instructions on the printable. And repeat as needed.

Download the Free Snowman Deep Breathing Poster

This one page printable outlines how to use this deep breathing technique. It includes written instructions and visual guides/cues to help you or your child use the technique.

I highly recommend laminating the poster for durability. Then feel free to include it in a calm down kit or calm down corner.

To get a copy of this printable, click the link below:

>> Click here to download this free printable

 

DIY Snowman Stress Balls

Looking for DIY stress balls for kids? Then try making these homemade snowman stress balls this winter!

---

Stress balls are a great tool for kids.

Sure, they can be used as a fidget at home or in the classroom, but they can also be great for self regulation, building hand strength, providing proprioceptive sensory input, and more.

While there are lots of different options of stress balls available on the market, they're actually really easy to make yourself. And the great part about making your own is that you get to customize them to fit your needs or tailor them to a specific theme. For instance, you can fill them with different textures and/or make them any color you want!

Since it's winter and all, though, I thought it would be fun to make some snowman stress balls for my boys to squish and squeeze. And they turned out really cute!

A version of this post originally appeared on the CBC Parents website.

DIY Snowman Stress Balls: What You'll Need

It's so easy to make your own stress balls at home. Here's what you'll need:

• White balloons - We're making snowman stress balls here so we need white balloons to represent snow.

• Permanent markers, in black and orange - To draw the little snowman details onto the balloons.

• Funnel - To make it easier to get the materials into the balloons. You'll need to make sure that whatever materials you are using to fill the balloons will fit through the hole in your funnel.

• Materials to fill the balloons - You can use rice, epsom salt, play dough, aloe vera gel, beans, water beads, lotion, corn starch, flour, or anything similar. Since I made three stress balls, I used three different fillers: rice, epsom salt, and aloe vera gel.

Once you have everything gathered, it's time to make the stress balls.

How to Make a Stress Ball that Looks Like a Snowman

First, we need to fill the balloons. To do so, simply slide the end of the balloon onto the funnel and start adding your fillings into the balloons via the funnel.

However, if you are using a liquid such as aloe vera gel and the bottle has a pump, you can skip the funnel. Instead, simply slide the end of the balloon onto the end of the pump. Then you can pump the liquid directly into the balloon!

Once you've filled the balloons with the fillers of your choice, tie the end of the balloon. Make sure it's securely knotted.

Next, draw a snowman's face on the stress ball using permanent markers. Be sure to let the marker dry fully before squeezing. Otherwise, the color may rub off onto your hands.

I ended up making three snowman themed stress balls for my kids. In one, I used rice. In another, I used epsom salt. And, in the third, I used aloe vera gel. Here's how the turned out:

Then that's it. They're now ready for squishing and squeezing.

Homemade Snowman Stress Balls for Kids

When it comes to deciding what to put inside, you might want to experiment with a variety of textures to see which ones you and your kids prefer.

Personally, I enjoyed the feel of the epsom salt one the best.

My kids, on the other hand, really liked the aloe vera gel one. It was definitely their favorite! Although, if you have younger kids, you might want to avoid using aloe vera because if they squeeze it too hard, it may explode and get everything.

My boys thought it was hilarious to squish and squeeze the snowmen's faces! They got a really good chuckle out of it.

Homemade stress balls likes these are great for strengthening hands and providing proprioceptive sensory input. They make a great fidget for kids and are useful to include in a calm down kit.

Do you think your kids would enjoy making their own snowman stress balls like these? Or would these DIY Pokemon stress balls be more their style?

Winter Hat Deep Breathing Exercise {Free Printable Poster Included!}

Looking for some deep breathing exercises to teach the kids? Try this winter hat themed technique and grab a copy of the free printable poster too!

---

Considering it's -46 C as I type this, I think it's a perfectly good time to share this winter deep breathing exercise for kids.

After all, nothing beats a good warm toque (aka winter hat) on a cold winter day. Except for maybe hibernating. But let's be honest, that's not really an option. These temperatures are a regular occurrence during the winter months on the Canadian prairies.

So when your kids complain about yet another indoor recess and are easily frustrated because they haven't been getting the body breaks outdoors they need, then you'll want to pull out this free mindfulness poster to help your kids cope and self-regulate.

A Simple Breathing Exercise for Kids with a Winter Twist

Have you heard of the triangle breathing technique before?

Well, that was the inspiration for this winter hat themed breathing exercise.

About the Free Printable Winter Deep Breathing Exercise Poster

This one page printable offers a simple deep breathing technique using a winter hat (or toque here in Canada, eh?) theme.

As for how to do the actual deep breathing technique, simply trace the arrows along the outside of the hat and follow the instructions. Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out. Repeat.

Download the Free Winter Hat Deep Breathing Poster

This one page printable outlines how to use this deep breathing technique. It includes written instructions and visual guides/cues to help you or your child use the technique.

I highly recommend laminating the poster for durability. Then feel free to include it in a calm down kit or calm down corner.

To get a copy of this printable, click the link below:

>> Click here to download this free printable

 

15+ Winter Sensory Bottles That are Calming for Kids

How to make winter themed sensory bottles that are a perfect addition to your child's calm down kit.

---

When you live in the Canadian prairies like I do, you get to enjoy snow and winter for almost half of the year. Snow will fall starting anywhere from late September to early October and stick around until April. And sometimes it snows in May.

So basically we have two seasons here. Winter and construction season.

But if you live somewhere that doesn't experience snow - and extreme cold weather - like we do, then these winter and snow sensory bottles are the perfect way to introduce babies, toddlers, and preschoolers to what you're missing out on.

Or they're a great way to enjoy the season without having to put on thousands of layers before you head outside.

Snow & Winter Themed Sensory Bottles for Toddlers & Preschoolers

When it comes to winter, there's lots of imagery and colors that come to mind. Blues, grays, and whites. Snowflakes, snowmen, and icicles. Sparkly, glistening snow. Needless to say, you'll find lots of these colors and imagery contained within these winter calm down bottles for kids.

So whether you're wanting to make a snowman sensory bottle or a snowflake themed one, this list of calming bottles has you covered!

1. Snowman Sensory Bottle from Little Bins for Little Hands

2. Blizzard in a Bottle from No Time for Flash Cards

3. Frozen Inspired Winter Sensory Bottle from Childhood 101 (pictured)

4. Snowmen in a Snowstorm Sensory Bottle from Modern Preschool (pictured)

5. Snowball Sensory Bottle from Ryan & Marsha

6. Winter Sensory Bottle from Penny Pinchin' Mom

7. Easy Winter Discovery Bottles from Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds

8. Snow Globe Sensory Bottle from The Best Ideas for Kids

9. Frozen Inspired Snowstorm Sensory Bottle from Rhythms of Play

10. Snowy Day Sensory Bottle from Views from a Step Stool (pictured)

11. Dream Snow Sensory Bottle from Inspiration Laboratories

12. Melted Snowman Sensory Bottle from The Chaos & The Clutter

13. Winter Glitter Calming Jar from Squirrels of a Feather

14. Winter Snowflake Sensory Bottle from Mommy Evolution

15. Snowman Sensory Bottle from Pre-K Pages

16. Arctic Sensory Bottle from The Chaos & The Clutter

Other Winter Activities You'll Love

Easy Winter Sensory Bin

Outdoor Winter Bucket List

Scented Snowflake Sensory Bin

Fine Motor Snowflake Sensory Bin for Kids

Need winter sensory bin ideas? Well, this snowflake sensory bin is a perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. Your kids will love this peppermint scented winter sensory bin!

---

We have fallen in love with simple water sensory play or "sensory soups." They are so easy to put together and they encourage lots of fine motor practice.

Now I know playing with water might seem more like a summer sensory bin activity, but my kids love playing with water, regardless of the temperatures outside.

This winter sensory bin is a perfect way to work on fine motor skills while providing tactile and olfactory sensory input too!

Snowflake Sensory Bin for Kids: What You'll Need

As with most of the sensory bins I have made for my kids, I like to keep it simple with a dump and play kind of approach. Simply dump all the materials into a large plastic container and then it's ready for play time!

For this peppermint scented snowflake sensory bin, I used:

• Water

• Peppermint essential oil - Use peppermint extract instead for really little kids.

• Metallic pearl white liquid watercolor - I use a brand from Michaels.

• Foam snowflakes

• Silver snowflakes - I cut up a cheap snowflake garland for these.

• Kitchen utensils - We like to use a whisk, a ladle, a large spoon, and a plastic bowl. The boys eventually added some measuring cups and an ice cream container to extend the play.

I used a generous amount of metallic pearl white liquid watercolor to achieve this shiny white water. It hid the silver snowflakes perfectly as these snowflakes don't float. They just sit on the bottom of the sensory bin. The foam snowflakes, in blues and white, float perfectly on top of the water.

I also put in two drops of the peppermint essential oil for two reasons. First, we were all recovering from being sick with colds so we were all still a bit stuffed up. Second, I just associate peppermint with winter and Christmas time. Please note that peppermint extract may be used instead and is actually preferred for really small kids. Peppermint essential oil is not recommended for use with small children, but we have used small doses of it with my children with no ill effects.

Winter Sensory Bin: Time to Play!

The boys loved to scoop and pour the shiny snow-colored water and the different snowflakes.

Fun fact: K thinks snowflakes look like the maple leaf he sees on the Canadian flag so he kept saying, "Oh! A Canada flag!" every time he picked up a snowflake. I have tried correcting him, but he still insists that they're little Canada flags. Ha!

Other Sensory Bin Ideas You'll Love

Easy Winter Sensory Bin

35+ Winter Sensory Bins

Free Snowflake I Spy Game Printable

Don't forget to check out these other Christmas and winter themed fine motor activities from my Fine Motor Fridays co-hosts!

Candy Cane Pipe Cleaner Garland from Craftulate

Cute Mini Christmas Trees from Powerful Mothering

Invitation to Create: Christmas Ornaments from P is for Preschooler

Color Matching Reindeer Clothespin Activity from School Time Snippets

Pouch Cap Wreath Craft from House of Burke

Christmas Scissor Skills and Craft from Little Bins for Little Hands

Christmas Lights on the Light Table from Still Playing School

3 Fine Motor Christmas Activities Using Coffee Sleeves from Lalymom

DIY Fine Motor Kit from Stir the Wonder