Pinterest-ing Fun: Let's Build a Snowman

I love using Pinterest for my storytime planning ~ Ah, heck! Who am I kidding? ~ I love hoarding storytime ideas on Pinterest! But who doesn't, right?!??!

In order to continue to feel like I am not just wasting time on there, I have decided to create or use at least two ideas a month and share the results on my blog. So I now introduce you to my newest blog feature:

~ Pinterest-ing Fun ~

For the first Pinterest creation, I decided to make something that I can use with a rhyme or two during storytimes but also set out for exploration at our Stay and Play time following our Read, Sing, Play Toddlertimes and after our Read, Learn, Imagine Family Storytimes. 

I found the idea here:

While the orignal post had directions for making a 4 foot felt snowman, I realized that I already had the perfect pattern for my snowman. I decided to make my cool dude using my magnetic board snowman that I made a few years ago. He is just the right size for my magnetic/flannel board that makes an appearance at every one of my storytimes. Plus I use him for lots of snowy fun that you can check out here.

He is a magnetic kind of guy! ;o)

I used my magnet pieces as patterns for my felt snowman and all his features. I did change it up a bit though. I made my new felt guy a green bowtie and purple mittens. I also added a 4th star button and a red band to his hat. I'm sure you are curious about how my newest snow friend turned out so... without further ado, here he is!

My storytime friends have had a BLAST with our Florida Snowman!

Someone even added a few of our felt snowflakes to him before leaving the library last night.

Too cute! 

Besides playing with our cool guy and re-building him over and over, we also did a song with him. This is a song that has been around for awhile so I really don't have a source to name. It is a piggyback song ~ which I always love! Plus I have tweaked it a little for my own purposes ~ as usual! It is sung to the familiar tune of "The Farmer in the Dell".

We Build a Fun Snowman

(Add a snowflake to the flannel board as you sing each line.)

The snow is falling down, 

The snow is falling down,

It's covering the cold, cold, ground

The snow is falling down.

(Add a snowball to make a snowman ~ starting with the smallest.)

We roll snow in a ball,

We roll snow in a ball,

We make a great big circle

When we roll snow in a ball.

(Add the items to make the snowman's face in the next three verses.)

We make a happy face,

We make a happy face,

We add blueberries to make two eyes

To make a happy face.

We make a happy face,

We make a happy face,

We add one orange carrot nose

To make a happy face.

We make a happy face,

We make a happy face,

We add five cherries for a mouth

To make a happy face.

When we put it all together, what did we make?

We made a fun snowman,

We made a fun snowman,

We worked together having fun

And made a fun snowman.

For my youngest storytime friends, these verses are enough and we just add some more items ~ like two brown sticks for arms, 4  yellow stars for buttons, a tall black hat, etc. ~ as we talk about the items. For my older storytime friends, I add a few more verses to the song as we continue to decorate our snow friend.

For an added learning opportunity, you could pass out the felt pieces and have the children bring each piece up at the appropriate time. This is a very good way to practice focusing, using appropriate listening skills, and also following directions.

I have lots more plans for my new snow friend! I will be adding many more items so that he can be a fashionable snowman. I also plan to make cards with differently dressed snowmen illustrated on them. Then I can ask my storytime friends to re-create each one. Great activity to focus learning on the differences and similarities!

I am sharing my first Pinterest-ing Fun creation on the Flannel Friday Round-Up which is being hosted by Anna this week and on the 2nd Storytimes and More Saturday Share, a new link-up for anything related to early literacy and early learning. Be sure to check out all the other awesome ideas on both link-ups ~ you'll be so glad you did!