This is part of my 15 Minute Focus series of STEM learning activities that can be done with a small group of four-year-olds gathered around a table.

Supplies:

• prep one paper for each child and one for you that each have 3 lines drawn on to make a 6 pointed shape
• crayons or markers
• snowflake shape (you can use a felt snowflake, snowflake Christmas ornament – whatever you have, or make a paper snowflake)
• 2 mirrors or a folded mirror
• book (Snow is Falling by Branley, It’s Snowing by Gibbons; or some other book – you just want to read a short segment that has pictures of snowflakes and shows / talks about how they all have six points, but otherwise, they’re all different.)

Read a bit of the book, show them a mirror and talk about how their face is reflected in the mirror, and we call that a mirror image. Then set the mirror in the middle of your snowflake shape. See how you can see half a snowflake in the real object and the other half in the reflection? Then set up two mirrors at a 120 degree angle and place them so you can see one third of the snowflake between the mirrors and show how  you can still see a whole snowflake captured in the mirrors.

Give them each a paper. Help them notice and count the six points. Then tell them they’re going to copy exactly what you do. Make a small circle at the end of each point. They copy. Then draw a line on each point, halfway between the circle and the center… and so on. Have them notice that all six points are still the same. This idea is radial symmetry. I don’t expect them to really learn that term or grasp the concept, but I can mention it.

Note 1: I didn’t know for sure if the four year olds would be able to do this, but they did great! Even my kids who don’t have great drawing skills yet.

This was my original:

And here are four kid snowflakes:

Note 2: In this same session, I tried having them all cut paper snowflakes, and I discovered that 4 year olds’ scissor skills and hand strength aren’t strong enough to make the snowflake themselves. But, with older kids, I would include this activity.

Song: Little Snowflake Swirling Round (tune: London Bridges)
Little snowflake twirling round
Twirling round, twirling round
Little snowflake twirling round
Lands on my head!
[Pretend to hold a snowflake with your thumb and finger, and have it land on your head. Repeat with different body parts.]