This week I made these two super easy Seasonal Snow Shakers and had to share because they’ve been such a hit with the young children I work with.
I’ve made these seasonal shakers to add to my welcome treasure basket to give the pre-schoolers and their carers something seasonal to look at and chat about. They’ll enjoy relating what they can see in the bottle to what’s been going on in the snowy cold world outside in the last few days. You can of course adapt these to any season or theme.
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Snow Shaker - Snow Shaker
In one of my shakers I’ve added foam winter shapes, glitter and metal snowflake sequins. In the other bottle I’ve put two little figures; a snowman and a polar bear glitter and sequins. The polar bear is china and the snowman plastic. I always try to put in a mixture of things that will sink and float so that children can observe and think about the difference.
Just pop your chosen items into a clean plastic bottle and fill with water. If you have any, add a tablespoon or two of glycerine to help thicken the water so the glitter stays suspended for longer but this isn’t essential. A ring of super glue around the inside of the lid before you screw it in to place and a layer of tape around the outside makes sure there are no leaks.
It’s fun to experiment with different fillings. a drop or two of food colouring can look pretty and oil is always a fascinating addition as children can see it separate after they’ve shaken it up. All sorts of things work well in the shakers; flowers from the garden, sand and shells from the beach, conkers and leaves in Autumn, treasured stones, sticks and feathers from a woodland walk. The possibilities are endless! Have fun and take your children’s lead. I bet they’ve got loads of ideas of things to pop inside and it will certainly give them lots to chatter about.
This activity supports Understanding The World , Expressive Arts and Design and Communication and Language: in the EYFS Early Learning Goals.
More Fun Winter Crafts To Enjoy:
