You don’t have to live in a snow covered winter wonderland to enjoy exploring winter in your preschool classroom. You also don’t have to spend extra time outside of school planning!
To help you teach your preschoolers about winter and have enough time to enjoy winter yourself, we created a full bundle of winter preschool activities! Come along as we dive into this winter wonderland of PreK learning.
Winter Preschool Circle Time
As a preschool teacher, you know that circle time is one of the most important parts of the PreK curriculum. It is also one of the most fun parts of the day to pair with a seasonal theme.
For this winter preschool circle time kit we created a variety of engaging and educational activities centered around snow. Don’t worry, even if you live in the sunniest of cities, your preschoolers will still love exploring these snow themed activities.
Each snow themed activity is designed to support students in their social and academic growth. For example, each lesson is intended to be taught as a whole class activity that allows students to interact with each other as they review content from the week or learn something new.
In addition to the academic content, this circle time resource also provides fun activities like a snow theme song and pocket chart poem. Again, all intended to support kids in further developing positive relationships while learning about winter.
These lessons are not just about supporting the kids, but the teacher too! So, even if you have been doing circle time in your classroom for years, we have provided detailed lesson plans and a teacher overview to walk you through each step of how to use this winter theme circle time resource.
Here is an overview of all the resources included in this snow themed circle time resource:
- teacher overview
- detailed circle time lesson plans
- print or projectable text
- 2 reread/review the text activities
- 3 responding to text activities
- song lyrics with a familiar tune + 2 corresponding activities
- pocket chart poem + 2 corresponding activities
- 3 game-style whole class activities
- 5 corresponding independent worksheets
- 1 emergent reader
Winter Science Activity for PreK
While circle time is a common learning activity in preschool classrooms, winter science activities, especially STEM, may be newer. However, they are just as important.
In addition to being an important part of a PreK curriculum, STEM is also just as easy to pair with a theme. For example, what better way to have kids explore winter than through building a snowflake!
If you are wondering HOW to guide young learners through this process, don’t worry – we have you covered. Whether you are new to using STEM in your classroom or have been teaching your kids through STEM for years, we have you covered every step of the way!
In this Build a Snowflake STEM exploration activity your preschoolers will explore how the world of nature works as they explore, plan, and create by following our carefully engineered Exploration Process. This begins by presenting students with a problem to solve: You’ve been studying the shape of snowflakes with a magnifying glass, but they melt so fast! You want to create a model of a snowflake that doesn’t melt so you can show your friends.
Once students are presented with the problem, they set out to solve it. The first step is exploring vocabulary and reading about how a snowflake is constructed. The next step is to take what they have learned and apply it by designing a snowflake to build.
Here is a quick look at the complete process students will go through (as shown in the resources provided for this STEM lesson plan).
- Step-by-Step Lesson Plans
- STEM Exploration Process posters
- Snowflake STEM Event and Exploration posters
- Printable Hexagon Template
- Vocabulary Cards
- Explore Science Connections with QR Codes and an Infographic
In addition, this resource includes everything you as the teacher will need to support students through this learning process.
- Materials List (this list focuses on materials you probably already have in your classroom)
- Planning Poster
- Recording Sheets
- Reflection Sheets
Winter Math Activities for Preschoolers
If we can make winter science activities, you better believe that math activities can also be paired with winter! We have shown you how by creating several math activities for preschoolers centered around winter.
- Count and Clip: Counting Snowballs
- Write and Count: Counting Snowflakes
- Graphing Winter Items
- Measurement: Snow
- 2D Shapes: Matching Snowmen
- Pattern Cards: Mitten Clothesline
- Number Recognition: Counting and Subitizing
- Counting and Fine Motor: Roll a Snowman
Each of these winter math activities can be set up as a station in the classroom. This allows you time to work with students in small groups as needed while also fostering independent learning.
Winter Literacy Activities for Preschoolers
A winter theme wouldn’t be complete without winter theme activities for reading and writing. Therefore, along with the winter theme math activities we created several winter theme literacy activities.
- Rhyming: Match the Mittens
- Letter Formation: Snow Writing
- Syllables: Syllable Stack
- Letter Identification: Find and Color
- Writing and Fine Motor: L to R Concepts of Print
- Upper and Lowercase: Flip and Trace
- On My Own Craft: Make a Hat
- Writing Own Name: Hot Cocoa Craft
- Same and Different: Distinguishing Differences
- Free Write
Just like the winter math activities above, these literacy activities can be set up as stations around the classroom. Students can explore several different stations in one day or a different one each day. You choose what best fits the needs of each child and your teaching style.
Prek Stations for Snowman Theme
Along with winter math and literacy activities that can be completed at stations, we also have 9 more winter themed stations for you and your preschoolers to enjoy! These PreK stations are designed to help kids engage with learning through hands on activities. One of the kids’ favorites is the snowman theme station where they color a snowman!
Kids explore more snowman theme lessons at various stations along with more winter fun! Here is a quick peek at all nine stations:
- Explore: Explore and read the pages then make a winter scene.
- Color: Use the code to color the snowman picture.
- Match: Match the winter activity to the photograph.
- Make: Use play dough to make the item on the mat.
- Build: Choose a card then use blocks to build the item on the mat.
- Create: Follow the directions to make a snow craft.
- Move: Pick a card and do the movement.
- Write/Draw: Draw or write what you know about winter.
- Find: Check off each item you find in the sensory bin.
Like all of our lesson plans, you as the teacher get detailed instructions on how to implement these stations in your classroom. Moreover, you will find all of the materials needed to set up the stations.
Here’s what you’ll get:
- 9 printable exploration stations
- Text to read aloud to students
- Tent signs for each station
- Editable work-boards
- Editable checklists for students
- Labels
- Letter banner template
Winter Read Alouds for preschoolers
While several wonderful winter books could be used for a winter read aloud for preschoolers, we selected one of our favorites for this snow theme bundle: Sneezy the Snowman by Maureen Wright.
This Sneezy the Snowman read aloud lesson plan follows our tried and true interactive read aloud format. Designed to be taught over multiple lessons, this format gives kids several opportunities to engage with the text and demonstrate their understanding. Moreover, it covers several key reading standards.
Here is an overview of the winter lesson plans included in this read aloud:
- Detailed lesson plans
- Comprehension questions
- Whole group response to text activities
- Response to text worksheets
- Writing pages
- Vocabulary cards and worksheets
- Quiz
- Retelling puppets
- Craftivity template
As you can see, there are more than enough lesson plans for at least three days of reading activities. In addition, you’ll notice activities that provide students a chance to engage with the reading creatively. Therefore, providing multiple ways for students to enjoy the text and share what they learned.
Whether you choose to begin your winter month with this winter theme read aloud or one of the other preschool winter activities above, this bundle will take you and your kids beyond one snowy day of fun!
