Activities for children about winter?

Question

I'm a nursery nurse and trying to think of some activities that I could do to teach my 3-4 year old children about winter. Thanks

Answer 1

If you are lucky enough to catch a day with snow, take pieces of black construction paper and magnifying glasses outside. Let the kids catch snowflakes on their papers and examine them. You could follow up by taking the black paper inside and doing some chalk drawings of the snowflakes they saw.

Answer 2

go for a winter walk and collect things, ie leaves 'small' branches + twigs, c how many animals u can see like squirels, birds etc.  wen u get back make collages out of the things u have collected and look in books for trees u have seen or name the tree the leaves have fallen from or a bird book to c which birds u saw.

find a story book relaiting to wot u have seen or done.

they can also draw, paint or colour pictures of the animals/ birds.   'if ' it snows take them out in it, let them feel it as it falls or feel its texture after its fallen - this a quick one tho cuz they will get cold.

cottonwool is great for activities!!

changing of the seasons ie split a piece of paper into 4 and each piece is a season...

should keep them goin for a bit.

have fun.

Answer 3

Below is a verse about Jack frost

Look out! look out!

Jack frost is about!

He's after our fingers and toes;

And, all through the night,

The g*y little sprite

Is working where nobody knows.

He'll climb each tree,

so nimble is he,

His silvery powder he'll shake;

To windows he'll creep,

And while we're asleep,

Such wonderful pictures he'll make.

Across the grass

He'll merrily pass,

And change all its greenness to white;

Then home he will go,

And laugh, HO! ho! ho!

What fun I have had in the night

by Cecily Pike

Sparkly snowflake mobile ages 4 and up (see below link)

http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft

sparkly_snowflake_mobile.html

Glamorous snow girl/boy ages 4 and up younger if helped with cutting and gluing.

http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/snowgirl...

Answer 4

http://www.dltk-holidays.com/winter/inde...

http://www.everythingpreschool.com/theme...

http://www.first-school.ws/theme/seasons...

Try these sites.  Lots of activities all winter related.  Not to mention they have links to other sites if they don't have enough.

I hope this helps.

Answer 5

What better way to teach than hands-on and experience? Go outside and have them experience winter.

Answer 6

make snowflakes out of coffee doilies. you could have them make (draw) santa as you read them 'the night before x-mas'

Answer 7

Have them experiment in the snow. Bring snow indoors and watch what happens, or make ice and put ice cubes in hot water. Do art projects in the snow - put watercolor paints in spray bottles and have the kids spray the snow.

Make a record of the weather. Talk about the temperature - whether it's getting warmer or colder, how it feels on their skin, what kind of clothing they have to wear to stay warm, how it feels on sunny days as opposed to cloudy days.

If it hasn't snowed yet, take a walk around the neighborhood. Have the everyone take notes, draw pictures, and take photographs. Then, after the snow, do it again and compare and contrast - again with artwork, written observations, and photographs. If it has already snowed, do the second step and compare what you see to photographs of the school/neighborhood in the summer.

Talk about winter/cold weather animals - penguins, polar bears, etc.

Tell stories about winter and have the kids share some as well - either their creations or memories of winters passed. Record, write down, illustrate, act out the stories that are shared.

Ask the kids about their favorite things about winter. Make a list, and try to incorporate as many of their ideas as possible.

Be sure to carry it out through the spring - compare winter to spring as the seasons change again.

Above all else, have fun! Take LOTS of pictures to share with parents and the kids, and enjoy the season!

Answer 8

Aiming more at 4 or 5 years old, a good activity is to use dark blue construction paper, white paint, and salt.  You paint in the outline of a few hills, and then show the children how to paint in some trees or bushes or houses or whatever they want.  When you're done, let the children sprinkle salt on the white paint. (It makes it sparkle).

Answer 9

Freeze some ice cubes and hand them out... what do they feel like... why are they melting?... why is is dripping?... Put the ice cube in their mouths... Where has it gone?.. What do your hand feel like now? ask them some describing words.... cold, slippery, wet, dripping, hard, icey, shiny.

Answer 10

word searches, crossword puzzles, books, pictures to draw, songs...

Answer 11

Talk about winter sports...skiing, ice skating, bob sledding. Have the kids draw tennis rackets on thick construction paper and cut them out. Tie a string and have the kids walk around as if they are snow shoeing.

Answer 12

collage ie large card on wall add snow (cotton wool) winter clothing fruits&veg  show how animals fur keeps them warm in winter etc. etc.

Answer 13

this is great...as we seem not to have winters as we used to have...jack frost has all but gone so make up a story about jack frost....how about marking the wall with where the sun rises each week...make a snowball out of the snow in a freezer...have some ice cubes and melt them..then freeze them again..look at the trees...ie no leaves.

Answer 14

Children love stories and they usually learn from stories most of the time. I know I did and I still do till now.

Anyway, you can try telling them a story about winter - like a little fairy tale or legend you read about or even made up that will explain in a simple way how winter comes about every year.

I'm sure they'll also love it if you tell them how snowflakes form or even how Santa Claus loves to drink hot chocolate (prepared by a special elf) during winter.

This would be great if you bring them together with you outside and tell them these stories while watching the snow or while enjoying the view of winter.

If it isn't snowing or isn't winter anymore, you can show them nice pictures and get them picture books and stuff - and let them taste the hot chocolate Santa drinks every winter time, and let them drink it only during winter time. Just make it special.

They're going to learn a lot, enjoy it and be excited waiting for next winter to come. :)

Have fun and I hope you'll do great!

Answer 15

Fill a bottle with water and attach a wire to hang it outside. Prick a very small hole in the bottom so that you get a slow drip from the bottle. If temps drop below freezing, you will have made your own icicles! My kids loved this one!

Make snowman soup. (hot cocoa with marshmellows).

Use white paint on black paper. Add some glitter or salt.

Gather snow outside and make snow cream.

Do an experiment. Gather some snow in a jar and keep it in your classroom. Label it "snow." See what happens. Keep the jar in your room as a reminder about what snow is made of!

Shave ice and make your own snow.

Go on a nature walk and shout goodnight to the animals that will be hibernating.

Have a bring your teddy bear to school day. Paint boxes with brown paint and put teddy bears inside to hibernate.

Play a Frosty the Snowman game. Pretend to put a hat on and dance around the room. Pretend that it falls off and melt, just like your snow!