Let your preschoolers use imagination to create a winter scene from multitextured items. Pass each child a 9-inch by 12-inch sheet of turquoise blue construction paper and a glue stick. Gather cotton balls, white felt and fabric scraps or bits of yarn. Set out sheets of white and light blue craft foam, construction paper and scissors. Provide white and silver crayons. Ask youngsters to envision a winter scene, then create it from the supplies provided.
Make hats and mittens from common classroom items. Let your class members trace both hands, thumbs outstretched and fingers together, onto colored construction paper. Ask them to cut out the resulting mitten shapes. Color the paper mittens and apply winter-themed stickers. Cut a paper plate in half for each child. Measure the cut half from end to end. Cut a 3-inch wide rim for the hat from white construction paper to glue across the bottom of the hat. Let preschoolers color and add stickers to the paper hat to match the mittens. Glue a jumbo-size pom-pom, available where craft supplies are sold, to the top of the hat. Display the matching hats and mittens on the classroom door or bulletin board.
Mix one cup all-purpose flour, one cup salt and one cup of water in a bowl. The mixture will be thick, so add water one tablespoon. at a time until the mixture's consistency is like paint. Give preschool children a small bowl of the snow paint and a paint brush. Encourage the children to dip the brushes into the paint and create swirling designs on pieces of blue card stock. When dry, the paint will appear white and pictures will sparkle.
Give each child a 5-inch by 7-inch piece of blue or white card stock as the base for a marshmallow igloo. Help the children draw a curved line on the card stock as a guide for the first row of marshmallows. Remind them not to draw a complete circle, but to leave an opening. Place a handful of mini-marshmallows in front of each child. Set paper plates beside the marshmallows. Squirt liquid glue on each plate. Ask youngsters to dip the marshmallows into the glue and place them on the line that was drawn on the card stock. Glue marshmallows on top of each other, slightly off-center toward the middle so the rows eventually meet at the top. Tell your igloo builders not to eat the marshmallows while making the igloos. Give them a marshmallow treat later, while the igloos dry.