So Long, Snowman. Make a Snow Horse Instead!

For the second post in our winter play series, I wanted to share with you something special from my childhood. (The first was how to make snow ice cream, which will hopefully be a special part of childhood for my girls!)

When I was little, my dad didn’t help me build a snowman. He built snow horses.

Naturally, when a snow started falling in December, I asked my dad (now better known as “Papaw”) if he could pretty please make a snow horse for my girls.

So long, snowman! Make a snow horse instead!

Of course Papaw was happy to make a horse for his little grandbabies.

Here’s what you (or the Papaw’s in your life) need to know to build your own magical, snowy horse:

My dad built this horse on his blacktop driveway and only needed two or three inches of accumulation.

If you build it in your grass or yard, you’ll probably need four or five inches.

Wet, easy-to-pack snow works best.

To start with, pack snow as if you’re going to build a two-tier snowman. But instead of putting him upright, build him on his side.

Dad used a big shovel to pack the snow together rather than rolling it into balls.

How to make a snow horse!

Once you have horse base, add more snow to form the neck, head, and ears.

My dad used an old kitchen knife to shape the legs and head. You could also use something like a chisel or putty knife. (Yep, those are amazon affiliate links! Thanks for buying through our link.)

How to make a snow horse! Soooo cool!

Just like when you’re making a snowman, you need facial features. Coal could work for the eyes. My dad used extra-large hardware nuts. Washers would have worked too.

We added a rope for the reins.

How to make a snow horse! sooo cool!

And a blanket to make it warmer for the girls.

It’s pretty sturdy! Yep, that’s me sitting on the horse! It fully supported my weight. Not that I’m telling you how much that is. Let’s just say your kiddos should be just fine on a solidly packed snow horse.  🙂

Build your own snow horse.

Wanna know a secret? Our winter play day series involves three posts, but I’m not sure  what I’m going to do on Thursday. I got so excited about the snow horse idea that I forgot I needed to keep brainstorming! Check back Thursday to see what (if anything!) I came up with to share. The best way to make sure you don’t miss a post is to subscribe to email updates. I have a lot of fun on pinterest too, if you prefer to pin with me there!

In the meantime, check out today’s fun posts from my dear blogging friends:

Snowy Pinecones Kids Craft from My Nearest and Dearest

Pretend Snow Sensory Play with Trains from Play Trains!

Sparkly Snowflake Winter Play Dough from Fantastic Fun and Learning

Create a Symmetrical Snowflake from Buggy and Buddy

Winter Fine Motor Play with “Snowballs” from Fun A Day

 

So long, snowman! Build a snow horse instead!

4 thoughts on “So Long, Snowman. Make a Snow Horse Instead!”

  1. Pingback: Winter Crafts for Kids: Create a Symmetrical Snowflake - Buggy and Buddy
  2. Pingback: Winter Fine Motor Play with Styrofoam "Snowballs" - Fun-A-Day!

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