Hellobee

I shared previously that I will be attempting to plan activities for LL this year based on a monthly theme. January’s theme is Winter/Cold/Snow! These activities are intended for Little Lion, who will be 10 months old, but they could easily be adapted for an older or younger child. Please consider your child’s current development when planning activities for him/her since you know your baby best.

I am using this developmental checklist to keep track of what skills LL has mastered and what he will need to practice next. These themed activities will provide me with the opportunity to encourage the development of the skills in the 8-12 month section of the list. Remember… the learning is in the process, not the product. Here are the activities I hope we get a chance to try!

Discovery Baskets

Discovery Baskets are simply baskets of items that have a common theme. They provide an opportunity for baby to investigate, and also for conversation about individual items. They also allow babies to start seeing patterns and categories (pre-math skills).

Most of the items in my baskets were found around the house, although I did purchase the snowman and snow globe from the dollar store (I also got the two smaller baskets from the dollar store…score!). Make sure items put in your baskets are safe for your child. Some can be used during independent play, but sometimes you may want to include items even though they require close supervision. Use your best judgment, and always err on the side of caution. For more information about creating your own treasure baskets, you can check out How We Montessori!

1. Snow – snowman figures, snow globe, plastic snowflakes
2. Winter Clothing – Gloves, scarves, hats, warm socks, snow goggles, etc.
3. Metal – Since most metal objects feel cool to the touch and are shiny, this category fits nicely this month. Any safe metal objects will work. To make them feel extra cool you could put the basket outside or in the fridge for a bit before playing.  Pictured here are bolts from Mr. Lion’s tool shed, a wrench, key, metal flashlight, carabiner, spoon, s-shaped hook, and a jar lid. This would not be a basket for baby to play with unattended.

Art/Sensory Activities

1. Build A Snowman – Felt Board Activity – I love felt activities. They can be done over and over again, and they allow babies to experiment with pieces of different colors and sizes. Since I plan to use felt activities throughout the year, I decided to create my own felt board by wrapping a piece of foam board with a sheet of felt. It is light weight, can be leaned against a wall or lay flat on the floor, and can move from room to room. For the snowman activity, I cut out 3 circles for the snowman, plus accessories.
2. Ice Cube Play – Use containers to freeze water into large cubes (small cubes are a choking hazard for babies). Remove cubes from containers and allow baby to explore. This activity can be done outside, in the bathtub, in the high chair, or really anywhere you don’t mind ice melting. You can add color for a little more excitement, but be careful as food coloring can stain clothing (and anything else it comes in contact with). For older children you could freeze items inside the cubes and encourage your child to figure out how to get them out. You may also have or be able to find reusable ice cubes like these. I found a similar bag at the dollar store!
3. Finger Paint Snow Scenes – You will need white paint and dark colored (black or blue) paper. I love this recipe for snow paint that Mrs. Bee shared, but at 10 months old I don’t trust LL not to eat it, and it would not be safe for consumption. I plan to use this recipe for non-toxic finger paint instead. Secure the paper to your work surface with masking tape, put a dab of paint on the paper, and allow your child to move the paint around the page to create a snowy scene. If you are feeling brave you can allow your child to sprinkle glitter on the wet paint to add a little extra sparkle. If I can find a somewhat controlled glitter shaker, we may give this a try… although we may be glittering up the driveway or deck rather than the kitchen. LL loves to shake! I would suggest using some sort of empty spice container and only putting a very small amount of glitter into the container so that you can allow your child to freely sprinkle until either the container is empty or they decide they have had enough. If you are doing the shaking the activity loses its meaning for your child…it is their art, not yours!
4. Make a snowman with cotton balls – Be careful with this one… make sure baby does not put cotton balls in his mouth! Use a glue stick to make 3 circles on a sheet of construction paper (secure paper to surface with masking tape). Allow your child to stick cotton balls onto the glue. (I am not super confident that LL will be ready for this activity. We will be saving this one for the end of the month, and I may skip it based on his readiness. It would be fun for older kiddos though!)

Book Suggestions 

• So far I have not had any luck checking out books from our local library that relate to this theme (searching through the board books is a tough process with a 9 month old in tow). I did, however, make a book about polar animals for LL by cutting out these animal cards and putting them in a $1 photo album that I found at Walmart (and can be reused over and over)! Super cute!  I will be hunting for good books as the month goes on, but if you have any suggestions please share them in the comments!

Outdoor Activities

1. Play in the snow! – This is, of course, if we are lucky enough to have snow! Don’t be afraid to take your baby or toddler outside. Follow their lead, and bring them inside when they become too wet or cold or are no longer having fun.
2. Blow Bubbles – If it is cold enough outside, bubbles will freeze!

This Month’s Adventure – Winter Nature Walk

• I found this checklist, which would be super fun with an older toddler! Take a slow walk through the woods and see how many of these things you can find. If your baby is young and not walking yet, you can put them in a carrier or stroller for your walk and point out interesting things you see from the list rather than making it into a scavenger hunt. You may even want to venture to a local park for a change of scenery.

Feel free to share more suggestions or modifications in the comments!