Get three to four ice cube trays. Fill trays with liquid watercolors in various colors such as blue, purple, pink, turquoise, peach, and green. Cover ice cube trays with tin foil. Cut craft sticks in half. Poke a craft stick through the foil into each ice cube square to create a handle. Freeze watercolor ice cubes overnight. Remove the foil and loosen watercolor ice cubes from the trays. Give preschoolers a piece of white construction paper. Have preschoolers use the ice cubes to paint watercolor pictures.
Cut large circles out of white and blue copy paper. Show preschoolers how to fold the paper in half once, then again. Invite students to cut small shapes from the sides of the folded paper. Have preschoolers open their snowflakes. Allow students to decorate snowflakes with glue and glitter to make them sparkle. For students with enough scissor cutting strength, fold the paper three times to make snowflakes with more sides.
Get a container of instant snow. Follow directions on the container and make a batch of snow for the sand or water table. Place plastic shovels, pails, bowls, spoons and other scoops in the sand table. Let preschoolers squeeze their fingers through the snow, scoop it up and have fun with the snow indoors.
Have preschoolers help measure out and mix a batch of salt dough. Place 2 cups flour, 2 cups salt and 1 cup water in a bowl. Mix with hands until smooth and dough forms a ball. Give preschoolers a handful of salt dough to make snowmen, polar bears, igloos, penguins or other winter art pieces. Dry salt dough art overnight. Allow preschoolers to use tempera paints to decorate their winter art pieces.
Invite preschoolers to make a cup of hot chocolate with you. Bring in a container of hot chocolate mix, cups, plastic spoons and mini marshmallows. Allow preschoolers to scoop 2 tbsp. of hot chocolate mix into their cups. Pour in 1 cup of warm water or milk. Have each preschooler mix his cocoa, then top it off with five mini marshmallows. Have preschoolers sit down to enjoy wintertime stories such as "The Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats, "The Mitten" by Jan Brett or "Biscuit's Snowy Day" by Alyssa Capucilli.
Freeze two paper cups with water. Peel away the paper cups and place ice blocks in a bowl. Set bowls out on a science table. Sprinkle salt on one of the ice blocks. Provide magnifying glasses for preschoolers to observe the ice as it melts. Which one melts faster? After watching the ice blocks melt, ask preschoolers why people might sprinkle salt on sidewalks after a snow or ice storm.