Winter provides a wonderful setting for themed activities in your program. Whether you focus on ice, penguins, snowmen, or the Arctic, you can provide many fun and educational experiences for the children.
In the sensory table: Of course you can simply fill your table with fresh clean snow on one of those days when the weather has you cooped up inside. If real snow isn’t available, use Insta-snow (available from Steve Spangler Science), or simply fill your sensory table with ice cubes. You can also freeze plastic animals inside buckets of water. Then provide the children with safe tools to “rescue” the ice-bound creatures.
In the block area: Cover cardboard boxes with white paper, or allow children to paint boxes white. Then use these giant “ice cubes” to make igloos in the classroom.
Allow older children to build “ice sculptures” using large and small marshmallows and toothpicks.
Dramatic play: Replace your usual dress up clothes with cold weather staples like boots, scarves, hats, mittens, snow pants, and coats.
In the art center: Provide blue or black construction paper and a variety of white or silver writing utensils such as crayons, colored pencils, and chalk. Also put out other white or silver items like cotton balls, scraps of ribbon or fabric, cut paper, or foam pieces. Encourage children to create snowy scenes. Older children will love cutting out snowflakes. Show them how to fold the paper, then let them be creative with their designs.
Science: Did you know you can create big fluffy clouds of snow using an ordinary bar of Ivory soap? Place one bar of Ivory bath soap (Only Ivory works!) in a large bowl, and microwave it for 2 minutes. Watch as the soap erupts into big snowy mounds. Allow the soap to cool for one minute before touching it. The water and air in the soap expand, creating this fun effect.
You can also focus on cold weather animals like penguins, walruses, polar bears, seals, caribou, and whales. Children will love learning more about how these creatures live in arctic temperatures. Check out books on these animals from your local library. Cut pictures from magazines, or print them from the internet. Ask children what they’d like to know about the animals, then use your resources to find the answers with them.
Show children how a whale’s blubber keeps him warm by putting some shortening inside a large ziplock bag. Place a smaller bag inside that one and mold the shortening around the small bag. Have children take turns placing their hand inside the small bag, then placing the whole thing in a bowl of ice water. Note how their hand stays warm!
Make bird feeders. One simple method uses pine cones. Tie yarn to one end for a hanger. Let children cover the pine cone in peanut butter or softened lard, then roll in birdseed. Hang the feeders outside near a window where children can observe the birds. Provide binoculars near the window, along with paper and writing utensils for children to record what they observe.
Literacy: Share favorite children’s stories with a winter theme. Try:
The Mitten by Jan Brett
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Frederick by Leo Lionni
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
It’s Snowing! It’s Snowing! by Jack Prelutsky
A Drop of Water by Walter Wick
Winter Days in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Group Time: Have children classify winter items like thick socks or mittens and gloves. They can group them by color or size, or in matching pairs.
Enjoy the winter season with the children in your care. It can be a warm, cozy, and educational experience for everyone!
Written by Janet Robison, Training Coordinator
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