Keeping kids entertained indoors can be a difficult task, especially during the winter months. In this post, I'll be sharing a simple winter craft made with minimal materials - perfect for those long days inside! Threading beads is a wonderful pre-writing activity for your little one, and for those who need a bit more of a challenge, we've even added some counting and pattern practice ideas!

Gather These Items:

• Two pipecleaners

• Scissors

• Pony beads

Make the Snowflake:

1. Cut: Start by folding both pipecleaners in half and cutting along the halfway point. You should now have four smaller pipecleaners. Pipecleaners can be tricky to cut, so for little ones who are new to scissors, it's best for the adult to complete this step.

2. Cross: Place one pipecleaner piece over another, crossing at the middle points. Then, twist the top pipecleaner around the bottom one to attach them at the center points. You should have a cross shape. Your child can help with this step, or you can prep the snowflake shape for them ahead of time.

3. Hexagonal Shape: Place a third pipecleaner piece over the cross you have made and again twist around the center, creating a six-pointed hexagon or snowflake shape.

Did you know that all snowflakes have six sides? Water molecules create a hexagonal shape as they crystallize! This can be a fun point to bring up as you create the snowflakes with your little one.

Are you looking for more winter themed preschool activities? Our W is for Winter letter study includes a variety of printable activities to engage your child in learning all about the letter W and winter! Check it out below!

4. Bead: Once you have your snowflake structure, have your child thread the pony beads onto the snowflake arms. You'll want to ensure there is some space left at the end of the pipecleaner to fold over in order to stop the beads from falling off. Fold over each end as your child completes it.

5. Hang (Optional): Use the last pipecleaner piece to loop around the middle of the snowflake as a hanger for hanging on the wall or Christmas tree!

After completing your snowflakes, you might choose to hang them around the house or on the Christmas tree. These snowflakes do not make good toys - if your child is playing with it, the beads will likely not stay on very long. We suggest hanging them up as a decoration or de-threading them after the activity to re-use another time!

Incorporate Numeracy Skills:

Looking to make this activity more educational? Here are some tips for incorporating numeracy skills!

Counting: Work together with your child to find out how many beads fit nicely on one snowflake arm, leaving space to fold the end over. For the rest of the snowflake arms, have your child count out the beads to ensure they have the right amount - practicing their counting skills while they are at it! If your child is still new to counting, you can count the beads on each arm out loud with them, pointing at each bead as you count to demonstrate.

Patterns: If your child loves creative freedom, you may want to let them choose their beads. But if you'd like to incorporate mathematics, you can introduce patterns with the beads! Start with a simple ABAB pattern like "blue, white, blue, white". See if your child can replicate the pattern. If they figure it out quickly, try a more complicated pattern for the next snowflake!

Let us know if you enjoyed this activity, or tag us in your photos on instagram @littlenorthernlearners!