Simple, Hands-On Ideas to Spark Wonder This Season
December brings magic, excitement, and let’s be honest a little extra energy to the classroom.
But keeping preschoolers engaged during the winter season doesn’t have to mean complicated projects or endless glitter cleanup.
With a few everyday materials you already have on hand, you can turn that holiday energy into meaningful STEM play that builds curiosity, creativity, and confidence.
1. Snowflake Structures
Materials: Toothpicks or craft sticks, mini marshmallows or playdough
Invite children to build their own “snowflakes” or tall “snow towers.” Encourage them to connect materials into shapes or patterns and see how tall or wide they can go before it topples.
STEAM Skills: Engineering • Shape Recognition • Symmetry
Teacher Tip: Ask, “What shape makes your snowflake strong?” or “How could you make it stand taller?”
2. Ice Melt Race
Materials: Ice cubes, salt, spoons, water, and small containers
Challenge students to find out which ice cube melts the fastest. Let them test warm vs. cold water, or sprinkle salt to see how it changes the speed.
STEAM Skills: Science • Observation • Experimentation
Teacher Tip: Record predictions on a chart and compare results.
3. Frozen Patterns
Materials: Buttons, beads, or pom-poms; trays of ice, salt, or shaving cream “snow”
Invite children to create repeating patterns or designs on a cold, textured surface. They can press objects into the snow or sort by color and shape to make icy artwork.
STEAM Skills: Math • Sorting • Pattern Recognition
Teacher Tip: Ask, “Can you make your pattern go all the way across the tray?” or “What happens if you change one bead?”
4. Snowball Launchers
Materials: Paper cups, scissors, balloons, and cotton balls
Cut the bottom off a cup, stretch a balloon over the opening, and secure it with tape. Place a cotton ball (“snowball”) inside, pull back, and launch!
STEAM Skills: Physics • Force & Motion • Problem-Solving
Teacher Tip: Encourage students to test different angles or cup sizes—what makes the snowball fly the farthest?
Play. Observe. Extend.
Each of these simple activities follows the Preschool STEAM Play Method:
1️⃣ Invite Play – Set up simple, open-ended materials to spark curiosity.
2️⃣ Observe Wonder – Watch what excites your students and how they problem-solve.
3️⃣ Extend STEAM – Build on their discoveries with new questions, materials, or challenges.
You don’t need fancy supplies to create extraordinary learning. Sometimes, the most memorable moments come from the simplest setups.
So this winter, grab what’s already in your classroom and let play lead the way!
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