January Snowflake Snowmen

I love the crafts of January. In my classroom there is not enough January time to cover all the cute crafts I have in my filing cabinets. My favorites are Snowmen, of course. They have been done a gazillion different ways over the years. Last year we did this same craft only using white painted circles on light blue butcher paper. This year we tried something new, and I think they turned out really cute!

First we started with 3 different kinds of circles. I found this cute snowman head. It is a 5 inch circle.
The middle white construction paper circle is 6 inches and the bottom circle is 7 inches. Cut out circles for the students (little kids can't do a circle real good). Then I showed  them how to fold them 3 times. First, in half, then fold in quarters, then fold into 8ths. Then I showed them how to  cut out triangles on each side of their "cone" to make snowflakes. I told them they can cut out half circles too but NOT to cut anything out of the rounded edge on top. You want to keep the circle shape  of your snowman.

Get a large piece of dark or light blue construction paper and glue all 3 circles down in a row. (Be sure to leave room at the top for the hat.  Add a black or colorful square for a hat (3 1/2 inch square) and top that with a brim at the bottom of the square 1 inch x 5 inches in the same color. Some kids added a pattern to their hat using 1/2 inch squares.

Add a scarf to your snowman using a pattern of 1/2 inch squares. And also add arms. Some years I've used popsicle sticks on either side. They are cute and add dimension and texture. I think I'd do that again next year. This year I tried using brown construction paper 1/2 inch by 3 inch arms, then added 1 x 1/2 inch "fingers" on either side of the arm. Cute!

Buttons down the front are from leftover 1/2 inch squares. Kids went crazy here. I encouraged a 3 pattern design for hat, scarf and buttons, but not everyone complied...hey it's art...DO YOUR OWN THING!

Lastly, we used some paint stamps or foam stampers I got from Oriental Trading. If you want to check it out, go HERE They used white, washable poster paint in paper plates to stamp with and I just layed a little sheet of wet paper towel in each to kind of soak up the paint. Then they chose 3 different snowflakes to "paint" onto their picture. The ones we used I got on clearance last year and I don't see them now, but I would use foam peel and stick stickers shaped like snowflakes too. That would add dimension.

Sing this cute song to Itsy Bitsy Spider!

They turned out great. I'd have added some fine, white glitter to the painted snowflakes when they were wet if I had some at school. Next year I'll remember to add that to the snowflakes! After we were done, we sang a few songs and read some poems. This one above  is to the tune of Itsy Bitsy Spider

Then of course we had to do Snowman stories! To get a great link for a story frame from Lakeshore Learning  for my teacher friends Go HERE. Then click on Snowman Writing Frame.  It's got a cute lesson plan too. We named our snowmen, talked about where they lived and what they liked to do for fun. We wrote "sloppy copies", edited them, then rewrote them on nice, snowman paper.

I like to give kids more help than just the word wall when we write so I have a monthly word bank. Here's the one for January. And guess what? It's a snowman! Go figure. It's 18 degrees outside most days! EEK!

 Adorable! Here is my cute bulletin board.  Makes you want to pour a cup of hot cocoa, pull up an recliner chair, and "read the papers" NOW DOESN'T IT JUST?