Winter Activities with Mini Marshmallows

Hi there! This is Shelley Gray from Teaching in the Early Years. Are you looking for a fun way to integrate math, literacy and art in your classroom? If you have a few bags of mini marshmallows, there are countless activities that you can do in your classroom. And of course, don't forget the hot chocolate and marshmallows to finish up your activity time!

Here are just a few ideas for how to use mini marshmallows in your classroom:

Math Activities:

• estimation: If you are working on estimating with your students, put some mini marshmallows in different sized containers and set up an estimation station. Have students use strategies to estimate how many are in each container and explain how they came up with the number.
  
  
• length: Make a row of marshmallows and measure the length. Alternatively, practice non-standard measurement with marshmallows. For example, how many marshmallows long is a piece of string or a tens block?
• making equal groups: Whether you teach multiplication or not, you can have your students make equal groups of marshmallows. For example, give them 12 marshmallows and have students divide them into 4 equal groups, then 3 equal groups, then 2 equal groups. Have students create arrays with the groups and write addition or multiplication equations to accompany them.
  
  
• addition equations: Give students a sum of marshmallows and have them create as many addition and subtraction equations as they can. For example, 10 marshmallows could be used to create the following equations: 9+1=10, 8+2=10, 5+5=10, etc.
  
  
• subtraction equations: Give students a handful of marshmallows and have them create as many subtraction equations as they can. For example, with 10 marshmallows students could create the following equations: 10-7=3, 10-4=6, 10-2=8, etc.
• patterns and sorts: Use colored mini marshmallows for students to sort and create patterns. Glue the marshmallows onto construction paper and use them as a bulletin board pattern display!
• fractions: Use colored mini marshmallows to practice fractions. For example, with two green marshmallows and 3 pink marshmallows, students could create the fractions two-fifths and three-fifths.
• greater than/less than: Give students a handful of marshmallows and have them create greater than and less than sentences. For example, 15 marshmallows could be used to create the following sentences: 8>7, 12>3, 6<9, etc.
• 2-D and 3-D shapes: Have students use toothpicks and mini marshmallows to create two and three dimensional shapes. For more information on this activity, you can take a look at my blog post here.
  
  

Literacy Activities:

• describing words: Have students describe what the marshmallows look like, feel like and sound like. You could also integrate similes into this activity.
• lists: Make a list of all the foods that include marshmallows, or the different ways that they can be used.
• recipes: Practice different styles of writing, such as recipe writing. Alternatively, make rice krispie cake as a class and have students write a how-to piece using transition words and step-by-step instructions.

Art Activities:

• I saw this activity on Pinterest awhile ago, and just HAD to make one with my own kids at home! We used large marshmallows as sponges (dipped in white paint) to paint the snow, and mini marshmallows as sponges to make the snowflakes. Then, we used mini marshmallows and glue to make the actual snowman, with construction paper for the hat and nose, Sharpie marker for the eyes and buttons, and toothpicks for the arms. I didn't have any glitter at home, but it would make a nice addition to the snow!
  
  
• Marshmallow snowflakes: Use toothpicks and mini marshmallows to create snowflakes. You can use them to decorate a bulletin board or to hang from the ceiling!

And, don't forget the best part of your "marshmallow" day.....the hot chocolate!