I wanted the children in my class to make snow globes – and we did make some but not exactly like I originally planned (I will share them tomorrow)….
While looking for snow globe materials, I came across this fake snow in a bag and thought – “boy, wouldn’t that be fun for some sensory play!”…
So, I decided that we should just have a little snow globe sensory play. I hot glued little figurines inside the lids of different sized jars -I used some baby food jars, some small plastic jars, and a pickle jar. If you have any concern about the jars breaking then stick with using plastic jars for sure….
And yes, I got the figurines at the dollar store. A package of 4 or 5 for $1. I am a regular customer there during the holidays! I added the jars and lids (with figurines attached) to the fake snow and let the children play…
After playing with just their hands for a little while, the children asked if we could also add some spoons for “digging” up the snow. I had not even thought of adding shovels. So my assistant followed their lead and gathered up some spoons for the children to add to their play. She told all the children to close their eyes and she would hide the spoons in the snow for them to find – the children enjoyed the suspense and I saw just a few children peeking…
I am sure you could use any kind of material for the snow besides fake snow but this stuff was really nice – soft, fluffy, and it had great texture too. I got the fake snow from our local drug store called CVS.
The children enjoyed playing in the snow globe sensory tub and were engaged for a very long time. They buried the figurines in the snow and spent time exploring cause and effect as they enjoyed scooping, pouring, opening up the jars, closing the jars, filling the jars, dumping the jars, shaking the jars, and just playing and talking with each other…
The figurines stimulated some fun dramatic play and ignited conversation among the children as well…
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So we will continue to play with our snow globes and perhaps in the end, I will help the children fill them with water and other items to take home. In the mean time, here are a few links to snow globes that I had planned to make (and still may) with my students…
Links to Grow on…
We Made Our Own Snow Globe by Rockabye Butterfly
Christmas Snow Dome by Childhood 101
Snow Globes Made from Baby Food Jars by Crafts-N-Things
Homemade Snow Globes for Preschoolers by The Honorable Mention Blog
Glitter Jars by Irresistible Ideas for Play Based Learning
Winter White Sensory Tub from Make do & friend
Thanks for linking our Sensory Tub!
I love this post, very inspired to make snowglobes with the kids this week – I have some cute jamjars with gingham lids that would be perfect!
Those would be perfect!!
This is a great ideas as usual! Kids love to play with the materials of the project at hand and this definitely does that! Sometimes I get so focused on the finished product (the snow globe) and this is great reminder to let your children play and experiment with their own ideas!
My students have loved this. I was thinking of just the snow globes too at first! But that fluffy snow totally got me thinking sensory play!!!!
It looks beautiful and so much fun.
It is beautiful and the children love it!!
Awesome Sensory Tub idea!! That is fabulous!!! I would love to play in that! Where do you get fake snow? just a craft store?
And thanks for linking me up! 🙂
I have seen it at Walmart and the local drug store. Often available where you find those little holiday figurines for coffee tables.
Love this idea! I bought some Instant snow last year after christmas. I adore the idea of gluing figurines to the lids. I think I will be using baby food jars (the plastic ones)- we have a lot of them around right now!
Love your site!
I am about to start collecting the plastic baby food jars too:) My grandson is just getting the right age for baby food!! I am so excited – (about my grandson and the baby food jars) LOL!
What a fabulous idea for sensory play! I wanted to do snow globes too. I picked up some glycerine, but didn’t accumulate enough small clear jars. We can do that after Christmas I guess as a “winter craft”. In the meantime, I’m thinking a snow bin would be tons of fun!
I had the toughest time finding jars I liked so that is partly why I didn’t make snow globes right away. But I will for a winter craft too because I love them:)
My buddies loved this stuff, too. We didn’t try making snow globes, though, but they are pretty young and are so much more into just playing than crafting. It is neat stuff!
It is neat stuff!!
i’ve got to get some of this fake snow! i bet my son would love it!
It’s pretty fun stuff Andiejaye:)
So fun! This would be perfect for a snowy day this winter. (If it would ever snow!) I love your tub. Is it something you had on hand or did you buy it for this? Where did you get it?
This is just a clear plastic tub I got from Walmart. I use it for a variety of things so that is why the inside is painted:)
I love this! What a gorgeous presentation to the children! I just love activities where it’s self explanatory to the kids! Great post!
Thank you Barbra:)
Love this Deborah!
Just curious, how “staticky” does this get? I can picture it sticking to clothes/hands and ending up everywhere (we can deal with that- it’s just good to know ahead of time).
You know, it didn’t get all that staticky. I thought it would be really bad but it wasn’t a problem for us really at all. A little messy, yes, but not all that staticky:)
I love fake snow- just wish it wouldn’t get literally everywhere…lol! Have to wait for my princess to get older before letting my son play with it again. Thanks for linking to our snow globes! My daughter broke one that my mom bought her so I plan to place the insides in a baby food jar. Check out our snow sensory sled idea too for more messy fun 🙂
http://craftsandartforchildren.blogspot.com/2011/01/snow-sensory-sled-2.html
I will stop by and check it out!! You always have such fun ideas!
Love this!! This is a must-do for us! Hey, does the fake snow come out of carpet easy with a vacuum… or is it like sand or mud? Is it watery?
It is dry and fluffy – more like cut up feathers 🙂 It doesn’t ground into the carpet but it can be staticky at times.
Lovely Deborah!! I am featuring this as a favourite on It’s Playtime tomorrow as part of a winter play special! thank you 🙂
Thank you Anna! I will be sure to stop by!!
Hi,
i love playing with my 24 month old that’s why i love your blog. i came across with it because i was looking for playing activities since i had to spend more time with my baby by moving from El Salvador in central america to Dominican Republic for the family to be together. I am delighted with your blog since in spanish they aren’t much blogs like that. Im creating myself some playing activities and sharing them with other hispanic speakers, your blog has been a confirmation of my playing learning passion.