Changes to Environment
Winter Stuffed Animals Paper Snowflakes Snow Boots Winter Hat and Mittens White Playdough, Paper, Felt, Paint, Crayons, large pom poms, etc Snowflake Cookie Cutters Snowflake Stamps Books about winter weather Empty Box of Hot Chocolate, Apple Cider, etc Plastic Coffee Mug Magazine clippings of Winter things Pictures of children playing in the snow, riding sleighs, etc Ice Winter puppets Child shovel Boxes wrapped with white paper Snowman cookie cutter, stickers, stamps, etc Snowflake Sensory Bottle Water Table: blue water, laminated snowflakes, ice trays, etc Sensory Table: large white pom poms, ice trays, plastic tongs, small bowls, etc.
Teaching Concepts for Indoor Experiences
1. Look at pictures of the animals that travel south for winter and talk about how and why animals travel south for the winter. Expose the children to words such as hibernation and migration. How do animals adapt? 2. Look at pictures of snow, talk about how it feels, etc. Let children play with insta snow. Weather words: Cold, ice, snow, melt, icicles, snowman.
3. Talk about why it gets so cold, look at the types of clothing you should wear during winter to stay warm, play dress up. Clothing words: Boots, coat, scarf, hat, mittens. 4. What are winter activities? (anything from sledding to cuddled up under a blanket with hot cocoa) Look at pictures of things to do in the winter 5. Paint a winter scene 6. Make a collage with pictures of winter things 7. Play dress up with winter clothes 8. Draw a picture of a snowman 9. Roll white playdough into balls and make a snowman 10. Build an “Igloo” with boxes (covered with white paper) 11. Melting snowman (paint a blue sheet of paper white, glue parts of the snowman (eyes, nose, hat, arms, buttons, etc) all over paper
12. Sight Word Snowman Building (Write letters of words in the circles to build a snowman)
13. Freezing and Thawing Objects
14. Measuring with Mittens
15. Snowball Number Line
16. Create a Winter Fake Snow Sensory bin
This winter-themed sensory activity recreates the fun of playing with snow by using cotton balls, foam snowflakes and snowmen, and tools for scooping. It's also an excellent way to strengthen motor muscles.
17. Make 3D Art
This creative idea repurposes scraps of leftover paper strips into beautiful 3D winter art. It can be combined with a favorite winter story to enhance student learning.
18. Sensory Snow Play
This sensory snow activity is sure to create lots of traffic jam fun. Kids will love creating their own snowy transportation world with their choice of toy vehicles.
Winter activities: Skiing, sledding, tobaggon, skating, shoveling.
Teaching Concepts for Outdoor Experiences
1. Paper snow ball throw
2. Walking in the Snow
Let’s go walking in the snow, (Walk.)
Walking, walking on tiptoe. (Tiptoe.)
Lift your one foot way up high (Hop on one foot.)
Then the other to keep it dry. (Hop on other foot.)
All around the yard we skip.(Skip.)
Watch your step, or you might slip. (Pretend to fall.)
3. Snowflake Hop (place paper snowflakes on ground and children hop from snowflake to snowflake)
4. Slide down the slide, but pretend you are sliding down a hill of snow
5. Search for animal tracks
6. Blow bubbles, chase, and try to pop them. See if the bubbles freeze from the cold weather.
7. Throw paper snowflakes in the air and try to catch them
8. Float like snowflakes
9. Freeze tag
Teaching Concepts for Music Movement Wellness IMIL
1. Jingle Bells
2. Dance Like Snowflakes (tune: Are you sleeping)
Dance like snowflakes,
dance like snowflakes
In the air, in the air
Whirling, twirling snowflakes
Whirling, twirling snowflakes
Here and there, here and there
3. Hibernation Song (tune: Are you sleeping)
Bear is sleeping, bear is sleeping
In the cave, in the cave.
I wonder when he’ll come out,
I wonder when he’ll come out
In the spring, In the spring.
Birds are flying, birds are flying
In the sky, in the sky.
I wonder when they’ll come back,
I wonder when they’ll come back,
In the spring, in the spring
4. Winter is Coming (tune: Frere Jacques)
Winter is coming, winter is coming,
How do I know, how do I know?
The snow is on the ground,
The snow is on the ground.
That’s how I know, that’s how I know.
The seasons are changing,
the seasons are changing,
How do I know, how do I know?
I can look around me,
I can look around me.
That’s how I know, that’s how I know.
5. We Like Snow (tune: 3 Blind Mice)
We like snow!
We like snow!
Out we go.
It covers the houses and fills the trees.
It’s fun for sleds and it’s fun for skiis.
We’ll stay outdoors till our noses freeze
“Cause we like snow!
6. What Warms Me Up?
What warms me up on a cold, cold day?
Cocoa warms me up in a chocolatey way.
What warms me up on a cold, cold day?
A fire warms me up in a toasty way.
What warms me up on a cold, cold day?
A quilt warms me up in a snugly way.
What warms me up on a cold, cold day?
A hug warms me up in a loving way!
Teaching Concepts for Fingerplays
1. Icicle I’m a frozen icicle hanging in the sun. (pretend to hang over while standing) First I start to melt, then I start to run. (drop body lower like melting) Drip, drip, drip, drip. (go lower and lower) Melting can be fun!! (sink or fall to the floor) 2. Bunnies (use fingers on your hands for each “bunny”) One, two little bunnies Sitting on the ground. Three, four little bunnies Looking all around. Five, six little bunnies Standing in a row Seven, eight little bunnies Waiting for the snow. Nine, ten little bunnies All ready to go. 3. Winter Winter is cold (hug yourself and shiver) There is snow in the sky (flutter fingers above your head) The squirrel gathers nuts (pretend to gather nuts) And the wild geese fly (flap arms) The fluffy red fox (cup hands over head to form ears) Has his fur to keep warm (stroke arms as if stroking fur) The bear’s in her cave (form a cave shape with your arms) Sleeping all through the storm (fold hands under cheek and pretend to sleep) 4. Frost (tune: Farmer in the Dell) The frost is on the roof (point hands over head) The frost is on the ground (point to the floor) The frost is on the window (make a window with your hands) The frost is all around (make large circles with hands) 5. Snowy Surprise Sometimes the snow falls when I’m sleeping, (Rest cheek on folded hands.) I’m so surprised when I awake. (Stretch and yawn.) I look out at the world around me, (Look around.) It looks like a frosted birthday cake! (Rub tummy and lick lips.) 6. Merry Snowflakes Merry little snowflakes falling to the ground, (fingers flutter like falling snow) They’re landing on the treetops, covering our town. (fingers flutter) They softly fall on noses (touch nose) And make our hair look white. (touch hair) They seem to call, ‘Come out and play!’ (‘come here’ motion) As they fall throughout the night. (fingers flutter like falling snow) 7. 10 Little Snowmen (tune: 10 Little Indians) 1 little, 2 little, 3 little snowmen 4 little, 5 little, 6 little snowmen 7 little, 8 little, 9 little snowmen 10 little snowmen in a row. Take a carrot to make the nose, Take a carrot to make the nose, Take a carrot to make the nose, 10 little snowmen in a row. Use some buttons for eyes and a mouth, Use some buttons for eyes and a mouth, Use some buttons for eyes and a mouth, 10 little snowmen in a row. Take 2 sticks to make the arms, Take 2 sticks to make the arms, Take 2 sticks to make the arms, 10 little snowmen in a row. Wrap a scarf around the neck, Wrap a scarf around the neck, Wrap a scarf around the neck, 10 little snowmen in a row. Put the black hat right on top, Put the black hat right on top, Put the black hat right on top, 10 little snowmen in a row. 1 little, 2 little, 3 little snowmen 4 little, 5 little, 6 little snowmen 7 little, 8 little, 9 little snowmen 10 little snowmen in a row 8. I’m A Friendly Snowman I’m a friendly snowman big and fat, (Stretch arms out at sides.) Here is my tummy and here is my hat. (Point to tummy, then top of head.) I’m a happy fellow, here’s my nose, (Smile, then point to nose.) I’m all snow from my head to my toes. (Point to head, then to toes.) I have two bright eyes so I can see (Point to eyes.) All the snow falling down on me. (Flutter fingers downward.) When the weather’s cold I’m strong and tall, (Stand up tall.) But when it’s warm I get very small. 9. My Igloo My igloo is round with a tiny door. (Make circle w/hands then hold hand low to ground.) It’s made of cold ice & snow. (Pretend to shiver.) The inside is covered with blankets & fur. (Spread hands over wide area.) So it’s warm when the winter winds blow. (Hug self to keep warm.)
Teaching Concepts for Distance Learning
1. Indoor Blizzard
Materials: 10 or more homemade crunched paper balls; laundry baskets, boxes or pillows.
Put all of the balls in the middle of the playing area, place basket, boxes or pillows around the room creating a circle of targets. Place them far enough away to make tossing to them a challenge, but close enough to hit.
Ask your child if he/she knows what a blizzard is...what does it look like, what does it feel like? Tell them they are going to make a blizzard by tossing the balls to all of the targets. Ask your child to toss the balls at the targets. After to tossing at one target, pick up another ball and toss at a new target; continue tossing at different targets until all balls have been tossed. Repeat. Challenge your child to do the task as quick as possible and then slow down and focus on hitting the target.
2. Make an ABC/123 Sensory Bin
Take letter shapes, scrabble tiles, letter puzzle pieces, etc. and bury them in a sensory bin. You can use any fillers such as rice or sand. Set up a letter wash with warm, soapy water and foam or plastic letters. Alternatively, you can use numbers too.
3. Dance and Freeze
Play music and encourage children to get up and dance, then children must freeze when the music stops.