The Mitten Activities

Matching books with activities is a wonderful way to teach. It’s not just fun to use a theme; it’s a useful tool for using prior knowledge children have ( yes, even reading a book is prior knowledge) and building on it. Here are some great ideas for preschool activities after reading The Mitten by Jan Brett. The Mitten activities I have here are not just for preschool; elementary-aged children will enjoy The Mitten activities I’m sharing too!

This post contains affiliate links.

The Book

The Mitten by Jan Brett is a modern classic picture book about a mitten that magically keeps stretching as more and more forest animals crawl inside. That is, until the bear sneezes! The illustrations are busy in a captivating way that will have your students discovering new things every time you read this book. The amazing thing about this story is how it appeals to various ages. My classroom of 2 and 3-year-olds read this book the same week my son told me he read it in his 2nd-grade class! It’s a lovely book and one of my very favorite winter books for preschool to read.

 

The Mitten Activities

Here are some wonderful activities that match The Mitten by Jan Brett. I’ve used these ideas over and over again, teaching preschool and with my own children at home.

Mitten Rhyming Game
This free printable activity is a must-do. Children love matching up the mittens and rhymes. In the post, I explain how to make it so even children new to rhyming can be successful with this activity.

Pom Pom Mitten Craft 
Work on fine motor skills, one-to-one correspondence, and more with this fun mitten craft.

 

Mitten Matching ( free printable) 
This was a hit with my 2-3 year old class but you could write letters, numbers, or even sight words on the mittens to make it more challenging for older children.

Habitat Sorting 
The animals in The Mitten are all forest animals. After reading, talk about habitats and then allow your students to explore them with this habitat sorting activity.

Footprints in the Snow – Further your winter animal habitat learning with this great playdough play.

Mouse Craft 
The mouse is an important part of the story, and you can easily create a mouse with this little craft!

Owl Puppet 
Retell the story of The Mitten with this owl puppet. How would the owl tell the story if they were the narrator?

Hedgehog Craft 
The hedgehog was also important. I made this craft to go with another Jan Brett story, but it would be a wonderful match for this book too!

Make and Match Mittens 
Matching colors is an important part of visual discrimination. This hands-on activity is a fun way to work on that skill.

Shape Snowflake 
Snow plays a vital role in this story. Create this beautiful snowflake with your students after learning more about what makes it snow!

 

Need more winter-themed activities to go with the Mitten by Jan Brett or other great winter picture books?

Check out our wonderful guide to winter books and matching activities for preschool –> get all these winter activities here!