Study Snow with Kids

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Families can study snowflakes almost like Snowflake Bentley (1865-1931) did throughout his life in Vermont. On a snowy day put a mirror on a piece of cardboard. Place a can of hairspray, a cooking pan lid, the mirror and cardboard outside until cold. The equipment must be as cold as the air. When cold enough, spray the mirror with hairspray.
  Catch a few snowflakes on the mirror. Quickly cover it with the pan cover. Leave the covered mirror outside for about an hour. Take the all inside and show children snowflake imprints on the mirror. Study them with a magnifying glass. Try taking pictures of the snowflakes or drawing the snowflakes on paper.
   How many points do they have?  If they were not damaged by the wind, most should have six points. At the next library visit check out “Snowflake Bentley” by Jacqueline Briggs Martin or Wilson Bentley’s book “Snow Crystals” filled with hundreds of his snowflake photographs.
Never Eat Snow
  Children find clean snow so tempting to taste. Unfortunately even fresh snow is full of dirt. How can you convince them to stop eating snow?
  A snowflake begins to form when an extremely cold water droplet freezes onto a pollen or dust particle in the sky. This creates an ice crystal. As the ice crystal falls to the ground, water vapor freezes onto the primary crystal, building new crystals, which are the six arms of the snowflake.

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  Show children how dirty snow is with a pan full of snow and a white or glass plate. Bring in a pan of snow and allow it to melt on a plate. Then take out a magnifying glass and look at the dirt specks. You will find even more dirt when snow is a few days old.
  Since children also like to lick icicles off the roof, melt a few of those also and look at the dirt specks.  When her grandchildren were unimpressed, one grandmother informed them these specks could come from anywhere, anything, and be very old.  Grandma asked her grandchildren to think of the grossest kind of dirt and they made a long list. She asked the kids to think of that when they are even tempted to eat snow and ice. They no longer eat the stuff. Instead, Grandma gives them fruit slushes or popsicle treats even on cold days while she reads a book to them.
Measuring Snow
  Young children can compare their snow measurement with the weather forecaster’s. Place a tall cold container outside in an area protected from wind. Insert a ruler. When the snow stops, mark the ruler and compare with the snow reported.
Photos: Fran Darling: fdarlingfotos
More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest