Why separate literature lessons and math when you can use the two to complement each other. Take a tip from the educators at Scholastic Teachers and try a math graph activity based on the mittens in "Snowballs." Gather together all the mittens you have in the house, using your own gloves, your child's mismatched mittens and dad's winter weather finger covers. Explore the similarities and differences between the gloves, asking your preschooler to sort and categorize them. Create categories such as color, design, shape, material or who will wear them. Make a poster board chart that features a picture or word for each type of glove. Have your child count the gloves in each category, and then mark them on the chart.
Use "Snowballs" as a starting point for a winter weather science activity. As you page through the book with your child, ask her to note what parts of the pictures make this book about winter. She can list environmental items such as the snow, or you can discuss the warm winter clothing -- such as the mittens -- and why these are a must for chilly days. Add in a states of matter activity and extend this lesson by bringing a real snowball inside and watching it melt.
Turn the creative collage style that Lois Ehlert employs in "Snowballs" into a fun-filled art activity for your pint-sized Picasso. Use dinner-sized white paper plates to make the snowman's sections, encouraging your preschooler to glue natural items such as seeds or dried fruit on as eyes, a nose and a mouth. Another, less perishable option is to give your child pre-cut paper or craft foam shapes to glue onto paper circles. He can add a fabric hat with scrap materials such as a reused cut-up sweater.
If reading "Snowballs" makes your preschooler want to go out into nature and build her own snow person, help her to create an indoor version. If the weather cooperates you can take your little one outdoors, but if it's too frigid to build in the backyard, make a mock snowman in your home. Make a modeling clay sculpture by rolling palm-sized balls of white clay into spheres and stacking them upwards. Another option is to glue together white craft foam balls into a snowman shape. Add clay eyes, a nose and a mouth to the sculpture. Complete the craft with a scrap fabric hat on top.