We typically see a lot of snow during the winter season. I am content to cuddle on the couch and watch the snow fall, whereas my kiddos are pulling out their snow gear to get bundled up to play in it.
Cool STEAM Activity for Kids
To bring a little snow inside-- without the cold, we made this fun snowflake craft while sneaking in art, math, and engineering skills! My daughter was not only learning about fractions, but symmetry and design.
My daughter's math curriculum recently introduced fraction concepts-- whole, half, and quarters. Keeping with the gentle introduction I made up this snowflake activity for her to do to reinforce what she knows, and to make a pretty winter craft, too.
Supplies:
- construction paper
- scissors
- pen
- various circles of varying sizes
I first prepped the activity by tracing around several different sized circular objects and cut out all of them. Circular paper hole punches would have really come in handy, here! ha! If you are doing this craft with a large group, it may be wise to invest in several sizes.
I used glittery scrapbook paper, but use what you have on hand or buy some glitter paper, too.
I introduced this project by showing my daughter the different sized circles. This is how our conversation went...
Me: "This is a whole {holding up one of the circles}.
Remember when we talked about "cutting things in half to make to equal parts" like this? I then took a circle and folded it in half to make two parts.
And remember...
My daughter interrupts, "Oh, let me do that!" as she proceeded to take the snowflake in my hand and fold it the other way to make four equal parts.
Me: Yes! Just like that!
With that simple refresher, we were ready to do our craft! I gave her a pair of scissors so that she could cut the circles into halves or fourths.
Then, creativity unleashed as she went about her way cutting, arranging, and designing her fraction pieces to create her snowflake.
This fractions snowflake is easily to adapt to incorporate other shapes and fractions. I kept it simple by using only circles, but you could add triangles, squares, rectangles, etc to make a truly unique snowflake!
I love that this simple afternoon activity incorporated art, math, and engineering skills!
More Winter Fun & Learning:
- 100 Winter Crafts, Activities, and Snacks for Kids
- How to Make Snow Ice Cream – YUMMY!
- Squirt Gun Snow Painting
- DIY Snowflake Window Clings
- Very Last First Time FIAR Literature Unit
- Winter Ten Frames Printable
- S is for Snowman Week (lots of crafts & activities!)
- Winter Coloring Pages
- Snow Dough for Kids
- 10 Indoor Winter Activities for Kids
- 4 Creative Snowman to Make this Winter
- Making historic SNOW CANDY!
- Homemade Puffy Snow Paint
Kristina once thought of going into education, but changed her mind a few years in to her degree. Ironically, she now has her hands full as a homeschooling mother of four. With children of various ages from infant to 7, she shares a variety of educational and play activities for babies through elementary age children on School Time Snippets. Follow along on Facebook and Pinterest.
