“The Snowy Day” and Stick Puppets

“The Snowy Day” by Ezra Keats is a classic must-read winter children’s book about a boy named Peter who explores playing in the snow.

After reading “The Snowy Day” with the children in your care, have them make a snowy scene for their own Peter puppets.

In “The Snowy Day” Peter wakes up to the season’s first snowfall. In his bright red snowsuit, he goes outside and makes footprints and trails through the snow. Next, Peter is too young to join a snowball fight with older kids, so he makes a snowman and snow angels and slides down a hill. He then returns home with a snowball stashed in his pocket. Before he goes to bed, Peter is sad to discover the snowball has melted. The book ends when the next day, he wakes up to tons more falling

Through “The Snowy Day,” Keats aimed for his young readers to capture the wonder of a child’s first snowfall. While he was not trying to make a statement about race, “The Snowy Day” is one of the first books to feature a non-caricatured African American protagonist.

Keats also received the 1963 Caldecott Medal for his collage artwork.

You can buy the book and supplies for this project by tapping the links in this review.

You Will Need:

Peter Template by Stephanie Trapp
Blue Card Stock
Chalk
Markers
Scissors
Craft Sticks
White Glue

What to Do:

1. Read “The Snowy Day” by Ezra Keats to the children.

2. Have the kids draw a snowy scene with chalk on heavyweight blue paper.

3. Print out Peter template by clicking here.

4. Cut out the Peter and have the children color in the print outs.

5. Paste each Peter to a craft stick and allow to fry.

Have the kids play with Peter on their snow scene as you read the book to them. We used a paper towel to wipe up some chalk to make a snow angel on the snow scene.

You can purchase the book and supplies needed to make this project by tapping on the links above or by visiting my storefront by clicking here.