Winter Activities Preschool Classes Will Love

I know, I know – school may not even be out yet, but I don’t want you to spend your whole break prepping lessons for after winter break. So here you go. I’ve done the work of planning for preschool for you. These winter activities preschool classes will love are fun and engaging, and when you match them with winter-themed picture books, you’ll be all set. I don’t just match books with activities to make planning easier; I do it because learning is deeper when children build on prior knowledge and experience. Reading books or doing hands-on activities absolutely counts as prior experience. 

Great Winter Books and Matching Activities For Preschool

To check out the full reviews of the books listed, check out my suggested winter books for preschool. 

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Read  The Mitten  by Jan Brett and then do  this rhyming activity  to match this classic book.

Read  Poles Apart by  Jeanne Willis and then compare penguins and polar bears in a  whole different way using unifix cubes!  

Read  Jack Frost  by Kazuno Kohara and then make  this arctic ice sensory bin.  This has been a winter staple in my house and classroom for years. It doesn’t just focus on hands-on play but is also a great STEM activity exploring habitats and oral language with storytelling that happens naturally.

Read the classic  The Snowy Day  by Ezra Jack Keats and explore  footprints in the snow with play dough.  

Read The Hat by Jan Brett and then do this lesson plan with group circle time activity and craft.

This circle time lesson to go with Ten On A Sled by Kim Norman is a favorite every year. See the full how-to here 

Read Polar Bear Island by Lindsay Bonilla and create this shape snowflake craft as a group or during free choice.

Read Snowmen At Work by Caralyn Buehner and Mark Buehner, and then do this circle time activity. 

Read Time To Sleep by Denise Fleming and then explore animal habitats with this STEM activity. You can winterize it with some cotton balls!

Read Snow Bear by Piers Harper and then explore painting with snow! If you don’t have snow in your area you can use ice instead.

 

Read Winter Is Here by Kevin Henkes and follow it up with this Melted Snowman Craft – I don’t have a post for this popular winter craft for preschoolers. It’s so easy. Just make the shaving cream puffy paint from this post and add foam snowman parts. Toddlers LOVE this craft.

Read Snow Sounds: An Onomatopoeic Story by David A. Johnson and then explore sounds with Painting With Sound. 

Read Snow Party by Harriet Ziefert and make my absolute favorite snowman craft ever – the marshmallow snowman. You can use cotton balls or buttons if you don’t want to use food.

Read  Snowmen at Night by Caralyn and Mark Buehner and then sort photographs of nighttime vs. daytime. This is a great toddler activity and a bonus if you use photos of your students in the lesson!

Read  Snow Snow Snow! by Lee Harper, and then create these simple snowman crafts!