Miniature Snowmen

Materials

1. Fresh snow
2. Large tubs
3. Large towel
4. Mittens
5. Small twigs
6. 1" x 6" scraps of material
7. Muffin liners
8. Beads or pebbles
9. Baby carrots

Instructions

1. Gather fresh snow in large tubs and bring it into the classroom. Spread large towels on the table and put the materials in separate bowls.
2. Ask the children to put on mittens before working with the snow. Help them mold snowballs to make a snowman's body.
3. Encourage them to decorate their snowmen using small twigs for arms, material scraps for scarves, muffin cups for hats, beads or pebbles for eyes and mouth (watch for choking hazard), and baby carrots for noses.
4. Follow up with observations of the melting snow.
5. If snow is unavailable, use white modeling dough (see recipe below). Children can use Mr. Potato Head accessories to decorate the snowman.

Modeling Dough Recipe
1 cup flour
 1/2  cup salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon oil
 1/4  cup white powdered tempera paint
Combine all the ingredients and cook over medium heat, stirring until it forms a ball. Remove from heat, let it cool, and knead.

Instructions

1. Make copies of the illustrations (see the next pages), trace onto cardboard or
oak tag, and cut out to make patterns for a hippo face, hat, pants, teeth,
shoes, and tail.
2. Help the children trace the patterns onto construction paper as follows: tan
paper for the head, arms, jaw, and legs; red paper for the tongue; black paper
for the hat and shoes; and white paper for teeth.
3. Give each child a paper lunch bag. The children glue two teeth under the
hippo's tongue and two under the head. Then they glue the tongue to the
jaw and slide it under the flap of the paper bag and glue to the bag.
4. Next, children glue wiggle eyes to the head. Encourage them to draw the
5. Ask them to glue the head and tail to the bag. They can add the hat,
wallpaper pants, wallpaper hatband, and shoes. Or, add a red paper bow to
one ear, wallpaper skirt, and pink paper shoes.
6. Finish by gluing arms and legs to the bag.
hippo's facial features.