By Shelley Harris, Children’s Librarian
What kind of things do you hear during the winter? When there’s a lot of snow on the ground, it can actually be very quiet! Until a snowplow comes by. Or the wind starts blowing and whistling. Or kids start playing in the snow.
There are many benefits to paying attention to the sounds around us. When kids imitate the sounds they hear (“whoosh” for wind, “zhhhhhhh” for a snowplow), they are practicing sounds they might find in words and books.
They also are practicing observation skills, which are important for learning science as they grow older! They can use these skills to answer questions and make guesses and predictions about the world around them. This will also help them make predictions about what is happening in books they will read later.
Below find videos about different sounds and science activities that you can try together!
Watch these videos
Use books and sounds to explore the world around you in this video:
What sounds do you think these animal friends are making? How would you describe them?
Try these activities
Have more fun with sounds and science!
- Does your child love trucks? TwentyTrucks has fun songs about different kinds, like snowplows.
- Try these winter science activities: Be a nest watcher, study snowflakes, learn about stars, and more!
- Explore sound and snow: What sounds can you hear when it’s snowing? After the snow has fallen? Use your sense of hearing to find out!
- Read about the importance of exploring through play »
About Shelley
Shelley is a children’s librarian with a passion for early literacy, serving and celebrating the disability community, and exploring technology. She can often be found practicing storytime songs with her black lab, Bingo.
