Feed Me Books Friday: Getting Creative in the Snow

Just Enough to Enjoy

Snow is a rarity in these parts – we usually see just a dusting or two each winter on our lawn. So, when it arrives we make the most of it. During our recent snow-play we made a snow family in the yard. It included snow-mom, snow-dad, snow-b, snow-t, snow-grandma, and snow-papa. We even added a snow-dog (not ours, grandma’s). By the time we completed all the snow-bodies, there was a lot of grass peeking through in the yard. Thanks to the scarcity of snow, there was still an abundance of natural plant material with which to create faces and features for our family. Eyes were made from leaves, rocks, and seed pods. Noses were apple slices. Smiles were various shaped sticks. We even found a couple larger leaves for the dog’s ears.

Inspiration and Cool Collages
We were inspired by – but didn’t come close to the coolness of – Snowballs, by Lois Ehlert. We’ve had this book out from the library since December and we’ve enjoyed it in a variety of ways. The illustrations are the beautiful part of the book, collage style layering of flat and three-dimensional materials. The simple story is the creation and subsequent melting of a snow family, but the enjoyment and cognitive challenges come from closely examining each snow-person. The accessories are a combination of natural objects, household items, and multicultural tidbits. A photo spread at the end identifies each of them and also allows for seek-and-find style reading. Ehlert also includes a few facts about snow in final pages, as well as some photos of real snowmen. Enjoy the attractive illustrations, challenges little ones to find certain objects or identify where they might come from, or let Ehlert be your muse and make a snowman in your backyard or as a collage. The inspiration is endless!


Appropriate for toddlers, preschoolers, primary grades.


What’s your favorite creative item for decorating snowmen (real or on paper)?

 
My apologies to those who were looking to link up last night – this house is still pretty germy and routines are disrupted. It can’t linger too much longer, can it?