Snow Much Fun in Kindergarten

Sometimes in Kindergarten you just have to have too much fun and make a HUMONGOUS mess.  Our school-wide spirit day theme was "Hat Day" and all my kids have been sporting super cute little hats.  Why not take it a little further and turn it into a "Snow Day"  We had been reading winter books talking about the snow.  So many of my kids have never been even though we are only 4 hours away.  I found this recipe on Pinterest. All you need is baking soda, shaving cream, and a large container.

Ours didn't look quite so powdery.  I'm thinking I may have needed a little more baking soda and not so much shaving cream.  It didn't matter to the kids they had a blast.   I only had one student who would not touch the snow until I said they could write or draw in it.  She then proceeded to write her sight words using just one finger.  Not knowing how much each box and can combined would make, I only used 4 containers to mix in and one box of baking soda for each container.  I added the shaving cream until I thought there was enough.  I had 5 kids at each table sharing a tub.  

It turned into a sensory writing activity. They were writing their names, letters and sight words.  At this point, our principal walked through and all I could think of was PLEASE! Don't touch her.    Some of these kids had it up to their elbows.  One kid shook his hands and everyone at his table had snow in their hair.  At one point I even had it on my fanny, not sure how it got there, thankfully it brushed right off.

Clean-up was easy.  I gave everyone a paper towel to start wiping off their arms. Luckily I am next to a small empty work room with a sink that has warm water.  My assistant took the kids in to help wash off their arms and hands.  When they were clean, I gave them each a baby wipe to get off anything we might have missed.  I went around and wiped it out of their hair and off their faces.  We rolled up the blue paper I had used to cover the tables with and swept up the floor.  As the mixture dried it turned powdery and was easy to sweep up. Our custodian ran a dust mop through after school and all was good.  

Next time I will

1. Do it outside

2. Use 8 tubs instead of 4

3. Give better directions on how to play with it.

What I learned from this experience is that my kids NEED more of this type of play.  They need more sensory activities.  I think they went wild because they have never had the opportunity to do anything like this.