Cur why children love snow: neurobiology, developmental psychology, and evolutionary adaptation The child's love for snow is a seemingly simple and obvious phenomenon, but it is accompanied by a complex interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors. It is not just joy from an unusual experience, but a deep, multi-level reaction of a developing organism and individual to a specific environment. 1. Sensory hyperstimulation and 'novelty' The child's nervous system is in a state of active formation of neural connections. Snow is an ideal multisensory stimulus, affecting several channels of perception simultaneously: Visual channel: The sharp transformation of the familiar landscape. High albedo (reflective ability) creates an unusually bright, 'lit up' picture, even on a cloudy day. The white color, psychologically, is associated with purity, a new beginning. Tactile channel: A unique combination of sensations — from the initial cold to the subsequent feeling of moisture, a variety of textures (fluffy, sticky, prickly snow). Cryophania — the crackling of snow under the feet — provides a powerful kinesthetic and auditory feedback confirming the power of one's own impact on the world. ... Read more