Winter presents a unique opportunity to teach young children about the changing seasons and the wonders of the winter season.
By incorporating winter-themed activities into their lesson plans, teachers can promote cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development while keeping their students engaged and excited.
Let’s explore these fun Winter Activities for Preschool that are age-appropriate, engaging, and promote learning in various areas of development.
Fun Winter Activities for Preschool
Snowflake Art
Snowflakes are a beautiful and unique part of winter, and making snowflake art is a great way to teach preschoolers about patterns and symmetry. Provide your students with paper, scissors, and white paint or glitter to create their own one-of-a-kind snowflakes.
Snowman Building
Building a snowman is a classic winter activity, and it’s a great way to get preschoolers moving and active outside. Encourage your students to work together in teams to build their own snowmen, and talk about the importance of teamwork and collaboration.
Hot Cocoa Party
On a cold winter day, there’s nothing better than a warm cup of hot cocoa. Host a hot cocoa party for your preschoolers and talk about the different senses that are involved in drinking hot cocoa – taste, smell, and touch.
Winter Animal Study
Winter is a great time to study animals that live in cold climates, such as penguins and polar bears. Read books about these animals and show pictures or videos of them to help your students learn more about their habitats, diets, and behaviors.
Indoor Snowball Fight
If you live in an area without snow, you can still have a snowball fight – indoors! Create “snowballs” out of soft materials like cotton balls or pom poms, and let your students have a fun and safe indoor snowball fight.
Winter Scavenger Hunt
Take your preschoolers on a winter scavenger hunt to search for things like pine cones, icicles, and animal tracks. This activity will help promote cognitive and physical development while also encouraging outdoor exploration.
Related: 20 Fun Preschool Activities on Hibernation
Ice Science Experiment
Fill a container with water and let it freeze overnight. The next day, show your preschoolers how ice melts by adding salt or warm water to the container. This experiment will help your students learn about the properties of water and the science of freezing and melting.
Winter Dress-Up
Encourage your preschoolers to dress up in warm winter clothes like hats, scarves, and mittens. This activity promotes physical development by helping children practice dressing themselves, as well as emotional development by promoting independence and self-esteem.
Winter Cooking
Cooking activities are a great way to promote cognitive and social development in preschoolers. Make winter-themed treats like snowman cookies or hot cocoa mix, and encourage your students to work together in teams to measure and mix ingredients.
Winter Book Club
Reading books is a great way to promote cognitive and emotional development in preschoolers. Host a winter book club and choose books with winter themes like The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats or The Mitten by Jan Brett. After reading each book, encourage your students to talk about the story and share their thoughts and feelings.
Winter Color Sorting
Provide your students with a variety of winter-themed items such as mittens, snowflakes, and pine cones in different colors. Encourage them to sort the items by color, promoting cognitive development and color recognition.
Snowball Toss
Use a large cardboard box or a hula hoop to create a target, and let your students take turns tossing “snowballs” made of crumpled paper into the target. This activity promotes physical development and hand-eye coordination.
Ice Skating
If you live in an area with access to an ice rink, take your students ice skating. This activity promotes physical development and balance while also providing an opportunity to experience a classic winter activity.
Winter Sensory Bin
Create a sensory bin filled with snow, fake ice cubes, and winter-themed items such as toy animals or trees. Encourage your students to explore the different textures and objects, promoting sensory and cognitive development.
Winter Writing
Have your students practice their writing skills by writing winter-themed stories or poems. Encourage them to use descriptive language and imagination, promoting language and literacy development.
Winter Music and Movement
Play winter-themed music and encourage your students to move and dance to the beat. This activity promotes physical development and creativity.
Winter Measurement
Provide your students with rulers, measuring tapes, and scales to measure winter-themed items such as snowflakes or icicles. This activity promotes cognitive development and math skills.
Winter Puzzles
Provide your students with winter-themed puzzles, promoting cognitive development and problem-solving skills.
Winter Dramatic Play
Set up a winter-themed dramatic play area, such as a pretend ice skating rink or a hot cocoa stand. Encourage your students to use their imaginations and engage in creative play, promoting emotional and social development.
Winter Science
Create a winter science experiment, such as making ice cream in a bag or observing the changes in ice over time. This activity promotes scientific thinking and curiosity.
Related: 20 Weekly Themes for Preschool
Conclusion
From sensory bins and science experiments to winter writing and dramatic play, these 20 winter preschool activities are designed to promote cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development in young learners.
By using a combination of fun and educational activities, teachers can create a classroom environment that encourages curiosity, creativity, and a love for learning.
As the winter season approaches, let us embrace the beauty of the season and engage our preschool students with these exciting and age-appropriate winter activities.
