DO YOU WANT TO BUILD A SNOWMAN?

I write this on January 6^th with the realization that working with elementary school students has pretty much ruined me for snow. 

I cannot think about white precipitation without considering what it means in terms of school delays and the potential for wreaking havoc on our meticulously prearranged school calendar. Middle School teacher Mr. Wikerd hails from Canada and he just shakes his head at the way we run to the store for bread and milk at the first flurry.  Apparently a foot of snow is just a "light dusting."

But calendar issues aren’t the reason snow is a cringe-worthy word for me.  The actual problem is related to a current and persistent obsession which seems to have taken hold of our little people. The children WON’T STOP SINGING!  I have heard what must at this point be thousands of sincerely rendered yet caterwauling versions of “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” and “Let It Go” from the movie Frozen.  I am the first to admit, the movie was entertaining.  But the movie is LONG OVER and the children keep singing…. Not that I don’t love to hear the sound of their little voices.  But that song….it is stuck in their heads and it is stuck in my ears!  Some students belt it out like opera stars while others hum along or concoct ridiculous lyrics just so they can get to the refrain and scream LET IT GO at the top of their lungs.  And I cannot turn around without coming face to face with one of the characters from the movie.  They are everywhere!

DISCLAIMER: (Okay, in a moment of weakness I may have purchased an Olaf the Snowman shirt for my daughter-in-law… but that was months and months ago before I grew weary of his charismatic buck-teeth and his distinctive strands of twiggy hair.)

The flurries were actually quite beautiful dancing across the surface of the road as the snow fell from the sky this morning.  In an even lovelier break from addictive songs born on screen, the concept of snow was made immensely more enjoyable for me today when I visited Mrs. Zaskoda’s three-year-old Early Childhood class.  They were working at a tactile and creative project; creating snowmen from a wonderful combination of shaving cream and glue. 

“Do you like things that are gooey?”  The students nodded in conspiratorial agreement.  

There were instructions including, “This is NOT FOOD…” and points of consolation, “Everybody is going to get to touch it!”

Protective newspaper was positioned and prudent donning of plastic art smocks followed.  Our small friends looked less like artists and more like the fishermen of Gorton’s of Gloucester, but that is beside the point.

Ellie shows us her “snow" below:

Mrs. Zaskoda’s patience and classroom management skills are amazing to behold.  I can only imagine the chaos which would ensue if I were ever to attempt a craft including shaving cream, glue and a group of curious three-year-olds.  

There was a small incident after which Alyse proudly showed me her sticky elbow and requested a trip to the sink.  

Rylee was already determinedly washing
the snowy concoction from her fingers!

Amber shows me her snowman
prior to the inclusion of buttons and eyes.

Kate no doubt has some genetic ability in the area of craftiness since her mother is our elementary art teacher.Willing or not, sweet Kate has probably been making masterpieces out of shaving cream since conquering the pincer grasp at age 7 months....

After I left the room, a little reading was to follow. 

In retrospect, I missed my chance.  I should have asked for a sheet of blue construction paper and a few dabs of “snow” to call my own. Good work Mrs. Zaskoda and your awesome three-year-old class! You've convinced me that perhaps I want to build a snowman, after all. 

THE FINISHED PRODUCT