Materials
Tub of pristine freshly fallen snow
4 or 5 simple items for your baby to grab
Bath towel for your baby to sit on
Directions
We recently had the first snowfall of the season, and the novelty of it inspired me to introduce snow indoors to Baby C., who is 9 months old. I spread out a bath towel on the floor for Baby C. to sit on and to absorb any melting snow. I also put a few colorful plastic geometric shapes, halfway hidden in the snow to pique Baby C.’s interest. She reached out to touch the snow, then patted it, as if she wasn’t too familiar with the stuff. Then she picked up a small amount and it went right to her mouth, which was not surprising. Babies are very sensory creatures and make connections with their world through touching, smelling, examining closely, hearing and of course, mouthing/tasting. After Baby C. had tasted some of the snow, she went for the half-hidden shapes, and proceeded to pull them out of the tub and put them into her mouth, licking the snow almost like she would from a spoon. I’ll be interested to try this experience again when it snows, and she’s a little older, to see what she does!