Materials
Large box, such as a refrigerator box
Utility knife (adult only)
Duct tape
Tempera paint
1" to 2" paintbrushes
Shallow dishes or plates
Liquid soap
Play items, such as a drum, fire pit, and so on
Instructions
1. This is a great activity for a cold winter day. Explain to the children that they
will be having a picnic! Of course, it will have to be indoors.
2. Find a place other than your classroom to have the picnic, if possible. Spread
blankets on the floor.
3. Encourage the children to help prepare food for the picnic. Put chips into a
bowl, set out cups, and so on. An adult will boil hot dogs (or ask a parent to
volunteer to grill outdoors). Let the children fix their hot dogs and get the
food they want. Drink hot chocolate.
4. Sit on the blankets while you eat.
5. After eating, sing a few "campfire" songs and recite some fingerplays.
6. Make s'mores for dessert! (Put chocolate squares and marshmallows between
two graham crackers and melt.) While eating dessert, read The Snowy Day by
Ezra Jack Keats.
7. Let the children make pretend snow angels like Peter does in the story.
Pretend to make footprints in the snow.
8. Have a "snowball fight" using wadded newspaper.
More to do
Art: Encourage the children to draw a winter scene. Or make a class mural of a
winter scene. Use paint, torn construction paper, and so on.
More Art: Make paper snowflakes.
