"I Made a Little Snowman"

Song and Flannel Board Activity

Last year as we were putting together our winter music class curriculum, we realized we needed a snowman song. After searching around a while, and not finding anything that we loved, we decided to come up with our own. It’s been a big hit in our classes and homes, and we’re excited to share it with you today!

Using the tune of an old (rather obscure) nursery rhyme “The Little Nut Tree”, and an original chorus, we made up a darling song about building a snowman.  To bring it to life, we use a flannel board and actually build the snowman (made of felt) as we sing the song. Little ones love helping to build the snowman too. It’s a great activity for vocabulary building and listening (“Place the buttons on when you hear me sing ‘buttons’!”), and fine motor skill development, just to name a few.

Hope you enjoy our video! 

Here are a few instructions, if you’d like to recreate this activity at home.

You don’t have to be an artist to create this snowman. You just need a few colors of felt, and a pair of scissors. The shapes are all really simple, except maybe the bird (which is optional) The elements included in the song are:

Snowman (3 white circles)

3 buttons

Carrot nose

2 stick arms

2 eyes of coal

Hat

Bird (optional)

Sun (optional)

Building your own flannel board can be super simple, too. 

• Elizabeth bought a plain canvas and stapled some dark blue felt onto it. You could even glue felt or flannel onto a piece of cardboard.
• Less simple, but also fun: I made this “travel flannel board” (it has pockets! And a handle!) using this tutorial a few years ago when I was on a sewing kick.

Here are the lyrics:

Verse 1:

I made a little snowman, as cute as cute can be

I wanted him to be my friend to have some fun with me.

I gave him 3 buttons and a carrot for his nose.

He looked so sad and lonely, in his frozen pose.

Chorus:

Let’s build a snowman, let’s build a snowman,

Roll and roll and pat pat pat

He’s growing up so tall

Let’s build a snowman, let’s build a snowman,

Roll and roll and pat pat pat

Oh please don’t let him fall

Verse 2:

His arms were 2 straight sticks you see, he held them out like this.

And when I turned around, a little bird gave him a kiss.

I gave him 2 eyes of coal, so he could see the sun

And when I put his hat on, then we’ll go and have some fun.