# Fantasy Winter World
> Set out a fake snow sensory bin with a sparkly tree, mini ornaments and favorite figurines, and let kids build and act out their own winter small world. This is child-led imaginary play that also works fine motor skills and vocabulary.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/winter-activities-for-kids-fantasy-winter-world/
- Ages: 3–6 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: medium
- Time: prep 10 min, activity 30 min
- Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class
- Skills: imaginative-play, fine-motor, vocabulary, storytelling, sensory-exploration
- Cautions: ingestion-risk

## Materials (one batch)
- Fake snow sensory base
- 1 piece Clear plastic storage bin (household)
- 1 piece Sparkly snowy ornament tree
- Mini snowy trees (optional)
- Mini ball ornaments
- Jingle bell strands (optional)
- Favorite figurines (ponies, unicorns, princesses) (household)
- Pom poms (optional)
- Sparkly gems and blue gems (optional)
- Beads (optional)
- Christmas tree hats (optional)

## Safety
- Beads, pom poms, gems, jingle bells and mini ornaments are choking hazards. Supervise closely and keep them away from children who still mouth things.
- Hand out tiny pieces when kids ask for them rather than leaving them out all day, as the author does.
- The fake snow is for play, not eating. Check the ingredients of your snow recipe and wash hands after play.
- Glass ball ornaments can break. Use plastic or shatterproof mini ornaments.

## Before you start
- Make the fake snow sensory bin (see the pretend snow sensory play post).
- Sort tiny pieces like beads, pom poms and gems into containers, ready to hand out when kids ask.

## Steps
1. Set out the fake snow sensory bin.
2. Stand the sparkly snowy tree and mini trees in the snow.
3. Invite kids to gather their favorite figurines and set up their scene very carefully.
4. Offer jingle bell strands and mini ball ornaments to decorate the frosted tree.
5. Hand out pom poms, sparkly gems and beads as kids ask for them.
6. Run your fingers through the snow and make it fall like a snowstorm.
7. Act out stories, like princesses making snow angels.
8. Adult: collect all the tiny pieces when play is done.

## Tips
- This one was all child-led. The kids found the fake snow sensory tub sitting out, gathered their favorite toys and started playing.
- Decorating the frosted tree with mini ornaments is a great way to exercise fine motor skills while brushing up vocabulary through imaginary play.
- We don't keep tiny objects like beads and pom poms in a self-serve station all day long (it would be a disaster zone). Materials are made available when the children request them.
- The fake snow was fabulous. They adored running their fingers through it.

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2014)

**Snow activities for kids : Fantasy Winter World** This is going to be an easy post since this was all child-led and all the children did was set up their scene every carefully and started enacting. It has been a while since we wrote about a small world play idea. The kids as usual have been creating their own imaginary play scenes with all kinds of character in sight. However this winter activity is extra special since it came out of no where. The children found our [***fake snow sensory tub***](https://www.funlittles.com/sensory-activities-for-kids-winter-sensory-play-with-pretend-snow/) sitting out, they gathered their favorite toys and started playing.

 As you can see this happened pre-Christmas. We still had our jingle bells out, our [***Christmas morning hats***](https://www.funlittles.com/christmas-crafts-for-kids-christmas-tree-hat-craft/), snowy trees all being cozy in our sparkly winter sensory bin. The sensory bin also had one of those sparkly snowy trees I found at Wal-Mart in the ornaments section.

 Apparently that tree took the center stage during the play session. They found a few jingle bells strands and mini ball ornaments and hthey found this great way to exercise their fine motor skills while brushing their vocabulary through imaginary play. How? by decorating the frosted tree with mini ornaments.  Our main protagonists were the little ponies with the ever so brave Rainbow Dash. The children added pom poms, sparkly gems, tons of figurines, blue gems, beads etc. These materials are made available when requested by the children. We are still not at a point where I can create self-serve station with really tiny objects like beads and pom poms being accessible all -day long ( it will eventually be a disaster zone) Pretty soon they will learn to respect the materials even when mommy is not around. So that day all the craft materials they requested were provided and they went to do more small world play.  The fake snow was fabulous. They adored running their fingers through it and generally playing with it. Multiple snow fall scenes, princesses making snow angels scenes were made!  The entire snow world with giant unicorns and miniature trees.





Thanks for reading

More [**winter crafts for kids**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/season/winter-season/) on our category page

Even more **winter activities for kids** on Pinterest