In the story, Peter builds a snowman. For your own snowman building experience focusing on sensory motor skills, have the kids make snowmen out of shaving cream using a lipped tray or cookie sheet as a canvas. They may try to build a traditional standing snowmen, or they may draw images in the shaving cream. Both approaches are acceptable. While the students are working, talk about the snowman that Peter built. Ask the students what other activities can be done on a snowy day, and have them share some winter memories with the other students.
Peter experiments with making different kinds of tracks in the snow. He walks with his toes pointed inward, walks with his toes pointed outward and drags a stick as he walks. Have all students stand up and imagine they are making tracks in the snow. Instruct the students to make different movements, like hopping in the snow, scooting in the snow and crawling in the snow. Alternatively, have students demonstrate how different animals, such as rabbits, snakes, bears and ducks, would move in the snow. After mimicking the animals, post pictures on the board of animal prints in a column to the left, and in a column to the right post pictures of the animals that made the tracks. Have students match the tracks to the correct animals.
Provide three circle patterns, a snowman's top, middle and bottom, on white paper for students to cut out. Have students put the circles in order from smallest to biggest and biggest to smallest. Line up the circles and discuss top, middle and bottom. Finally, have the students glue the circles with the biggest on the bottom to the smallest on the top to make a snowman's body. Let them decorate with buttons, glitter, pompoms or any handy craft supply. Hang their snowmen in your classroom gallery for the duration of your winter-themed unit.
Even preschool snack time can be part of the theme. For a special treat, fill a large bowl or tub with crushed ice. Have students scoop ice into a snack cup and add a splash of apple or white grape juice for flavor. As students munch on their snowball treats, talk about what would happen to their treats if they left them sitting on their desks overnight. In the book, Peter tries to save a snowball in his pocket. Where did his snowball go? What other things can students think of that melt? Another snack idea is to freeze halved grapes or berries in ice using ice cube trays (halving the berries is a safety precaution). Give each student an ice cube on a paper plate, and ask the students what must happen before they can eat the snack in the middle. Talk about different things that may make the ice melt -- the sun, rubbing it in their hands (friction), blowing on it or just letting it be for a bit. Of course, the students will need to eat more than a halved frozen grape, but this learning experiment can supplement snack time.