With the hustle and bustle of the holidays being over, many of us are now looking at a long winter stretching out before us. Days of warm cuddles, wooly sweaters, and Winter Cozy await. The days and weeks after the holidays can be a struggle, for some, transitioning to a slower pace. But this is also a time of great opportunity to reconnect with your little ones.

Reading and crafting are our favorite ways to reconnect – the rhythm of books and poetry, the process of creation, allow for many moments of reflection and sharing. And so, before we began creating our watercolor snowscapes (or starscapes!), we read the poem Wynken, Blynken and Nod to set a calm and connected mood.

You can download your own printable version of Wynken, Blynken and Nod here.

You Will Need

Watercolors (liquid or watercolor cakes)
Paintbrush
White paper
Salt (kosher or regular)
Sugar (optional)

What To Do

Painting: Start by letting your little one create whatever picture they like with the watercolors. Younger children may be learning the basics of painting, older children can work on creating images inspired by Wynken, Blynken and Nod.

Sprinkling: Once your paper is covered or your picture complete (but not too wet), start sprinkling salt over your painting. Notice what happens to your painting!

Finishing: Once you have a good amount of salt sprinkled about, let your painting dry overnight on a flat surface. The next day, wipe off the dried salt to reveal your Winter Watercolor Snowscape – how beautiful!! We put ours to use as a skating pond for our peg people (find the DIY Dollhouse kit here).

Explore More

Notice what the salt did to the water when you sprinkled it on your paper!
What do you think will happen if you sprinkle sugar on your watercolor?
What else would you like to sprinkle on your watercolor?

We used our watercolor snowscapes with our DIY dollhouse – what will you do with your paintings?

Make Connections

What do you see in your picture? Does it remind you of any images from Wynken, Blynken and Nod?

It may have been very busy in your home lately.
Share with your grown-up what special quiet things you would like to do this winter?

Connect with Us

What did you choose to do with your winterscapes? Please share your ideas, inspirations, stories or pictures in the comments section below, on our Facebook page, or email us and we will feature you on our site – we look forward to connecting with you there.

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