No matter where you live, January is associated with Cold Weather and SNOW!  So, naturally, keeping our themes- we will go with the flow (or in this case, the flakes).

Snowman Container     

Materials Needed:


Empty, clean jar with lid
Styrofoam ball or white silk ornament (bargain shopped after the holidays) or pom-poms
Googly eyes
Felt scraps
Tacky glue
Scissors
Magic markers
pipe cleaners

Directions:

1.  Glue Styrofoam ball to top of jar lid (you can push it flat to get a better glue seal).  Let dry.
2.  Glue on eyes for snowman and use a spiraled pipe cleaner for a nose, or use markers to draw on nose and mouth( or cut felt features out and glue on).
3.  Cut out a felt scarf and "branch" limbs and glue onto snowman (limbs on jar, scarf at base of lid.
4. Jar is now ready for filling--you can fill with melted snowman soup (see recipes), or pretzels (Outstanding Teachers and Therapist realize the energizing benefits of having "crunchy" snacks to wake kids up for the "next" activity). Depending on the size of the jar, it can hold crayons, tissues, small knick-knacks like erasers, pencil sharpeners, etc.
* Want to add a hat- cut one out of felt!  A circle makes the base, and a rectangle, bent around forms the stove top part.  Tacky Glue it to the top of the head ball! The sample photo used a disposable baby bottle and an empty marshmallow fluff jar to create these Snowmen. The smaller bottle is filled with Candy Kisses! If you are thinking a month ahead, buy the leftover Kisses now while they are on sale,  then add a felt heart to where the snowman's heart would be--and you have a great Valentine take home gift!

  This craft can be made a  tactile activity by varying the textures you use.  A silk ball is smoother than a Styrofoam ball.  Sandpaper can be substituted for cutting out limbs.  Different textured materials can be substituted for the felt.  This craft is great for improving bilateral hand activities, and for pinch grasp (to place on the goggly eyes and felt features).  It also allows the child to develop gauge of cutting, by cutting the different materials.

Snowman Catch-All


                                                                                    
Materials:                                                          

Empty container ( flower pots, dessert topping containers, coffee cans etc.)
Paint brush
Paints (acrylics or tempera)
Markers
Felt scraps, pom-poms
Tacky glue

Directions:

1. Wash and dry container.
2. Paint lower area white to look like snowman's head.  Rim should be left black, or painted black to look like snowman's hat.
3.  Draw on facial features, or cut out felt ones and glue on. A large pom-pom makes a great nose.
4.  Place Snowman where he can "catch" take home papers or treats!


Painting is a great repetitive activity that allows wrist motion.  If you want to use the painting as a tactile goal, have the child use his fingers to "finger paint" the container.  Putting the facial features on the container involves position in space skills and reinforces facial order and recognition.  Squeezing all that tacky glue improves hand grasp strength.

Scissor Skill Snowmmen

Go back to October's Craft of the Month and rethink Pumpkins as Snowmen!