Step into a world of wonder as we explore preschool winter activities. The chilly season provides young minds with many opportunities to discover, learn, and play. From sensory adventures to creative math exercises, art, and scientific explorations! Our guide will immerse you in the delightful world of preschool winter activities that promise both fun and educational enrichment.
Tips For Easy Preschool Winter Activities
Engaging preschoolers in Winter-themed learning activities can be both fun and educational. Here are seven tips to make these activities enjoyable and effective:
Tip 1: Incorporate Sensory Play
This is a must for us! Winter provides a unique sensory experience for preschoolers. Set up a winter-themed sensory bin filled with fake snow, pinecones, and winter animal figurines to engage their senses.
Please encourage them to touch, feel, and explore the textures, fostering sensory development and creativity. Additionally, a snow sensory bag is a simple DIY project that combines the magic of winter with tactile stimulation. Explore more winter sensory ideas below.
Tip 2: Integrate Math and Counting
Turn math into a winter adventure! Embrace the winter season as an opportunity to infuse math into everyday play. Explore the snowy landscape by incorporating counting, sorting, and pattern recognition into various activities.
Tip 3: Promote Fine Motor Skills
Winter-themed fine motor activities are both fun and beneficial. Set up a snowflake cutting station where children can practice cutting out paper snowflakes, enhancing their scissors skills.
Another idea is to create a winter-themed playdough station with snowman-shaped cookie cutters, helping strengthen their hand muscles while promoting creativity.
Tip 4: Encourage Literacy and Storytelling
Immerse preschoolers in the magic of winter through captivating stories. Create a cozy reading nook with plush blankets and pillows, and introduce them to winter-themed picture books.
Incorporate storytelling activities by encouraging them to act out scenes from the books or create their own winter tales. This not only enhances literacy skills but also sparks imagination. See our book list below!
Tip 5: Explore Winter Science Activities
Winter provides ample opportunities for exploring simple science concepts. Conduct a simple winter-themed science experiment by placing a bowl of snow indoors and discussing the changes as it melts.
Explore the idea of freezing and melting by using ice cubes and observing how they change with temperature. These hands-on activities make learning science both fun and educational. See more winter science activities below.
Tip 6: Learn About Winter Traditions
Embrace winter traditions that foster community and joy. Whether crafting snowflake ornaments, singing winter songs, or organizing a winter-themed show-and-tell, these traditions create lasting memories for preschoolers.
Tip 7: Create Winter Art
To add a splash of creativity to your winter activities, encourage little artists to create winter-themed masterpieces using unconventional materials. Instead of traditional paintbrushes, please provide them with sponges, cotton balls, or pinecones to dip into paint and stamp onto paper. Explore more art projects below.
Free Printable Winter Alphabet Bingo
This fantastic free winter alphabet bingo pack is filled with possibilities. Make a bulletin board, practice writing, or play a game. Want to get creative, you the cards and calling pieces as a matching activity. Laminate and add letters to a winter sensory bin!
Winter Books for Preschoolers
Pick a fun winter theme book to share with your toddler or preschooler. Tell a winter story and share a fun activity from the lists below. I am an Amazon Affiliate.
“The Snowy Day” by Ezra Jack Keats: Follow Peter’s adventures on a snowy day, exploring the magical transformations that winter brings.
“Snowmen at Night” by Caralyn Buehner: Uncover the whimsical world of snowmen when they come to life at night in this delightful tale.
“The Mitten” by Jan Brett: Join a little boy as he loses his white mitten, and witness the surprising turn of events when woodland animals find it.
“Winter is Here” by Kevin Henkes: Celebrate the beauty of winter through enchanting illustrations and lyrical prose.
“Bear Snores On” by Karma Wilson: Follow Bear and his friends as they gather in his cozy cave during a snowstorm, highlighting the importance of friendship.
“Owl Moon” by Jane Yolen: Experience the magic of a winter night as a young girl goes owling with her father, capturing the quiet beauty of the season.
“The Hat” by Jan Brett: Witness the comical adventures of animals discovering a lost hat and trying it on in this charming story.
“Snow” by Uri Shulevitz: Explore the anticipation and excitement as a young boy eagerly awaits the first snowfall.
“The Biggest Snowman Ever” by Steven Kroll: Join the friendly competition in a small town as neighbors work together to build the biggest snowman ever.
“Over and Under the Snow” by Kate Messner: Delve into the secret world beneath the snow as a father and daughter ski, discovering the hidden wonders of winter.
Helpful Resources For Preschool Winter Theme
Below, you will find fantastic resources for your preschooler(s). Here are a few additional resources to get started.
- Winter Homeschool Guide (use with various ages)
- Printable Winter Theme Preschool Pack.
- Free winter coloring pages booklet.
- All About the Seasons
- Hibernating Animals Activities
Winter Activities for Preschoolers
Winter Sensory Activities
Our winter sensory play activities are always a hit from playdough to sensory bins, bottles, and bags. Our extensive list includes a fantastic, free winter sensory play guide.
Enjoy winter playdough mats.
Make a snowman in a bag.
Create a snowman sensory bottle.
Set up a winter wonderland sensory bin.
Mix up a melting snowman oobleck.
Play with evergreen oobleck.
Whip up shivery winter snow puffy paint.
Make DIY fake snow!
Winter Math Activities
Winter is a fantastic time to explore math concepts such as counting, one to one correspondence, patterns, and shapes! You can find more preschool math activities here.
Set up this winter counting snowflakes activity.
Make playdough icicles with these winter math mats.
Use LEGO bricks with these winter LEGO mats.
These winter mitten mats can be used for counting, colors, and science!
Have fun with a roll-a-snowman game.
Winter Art Activities
This season is a fantastic time to engage in various winter arts and crafts activities including famous artists, process art, and traditional crafts!
Printable snowflake coloring pages
Winter Science Activities
Whether you have tons of snow or none at all, you can still enjoy a variety of winter science activities with your kids or students.
Snowflake salt paint STEAM activity
Evergreen Observation Activity
Baking soda and vinegar snowflake tray
Bonus Winter Snow Activities
Got snow? If you have tons of snow, make sure to check out our complete list of Snow STEAM activities to enjoy outside!
Snow volcanos are perfect for taking science outside.
Make Snow candy for an easy winter treat.
Art outside? You bet with homemade Snow paint
Snow ice cream is a frosty treat with a fresh snowfall.
More Fun Winter Activities for Kids
Printable Preschool Winter Theme Pack
Our Winter Theme Pack is perfect for 3-to 6-year-olds in a preschool classroom, learning center, or home. Easy to set up and use with one kiddo or a classroom. This themed pack includes a book and supply list to help you easily set up the activities.
⭐️ Tip: Grab the Preschool Themes Growing Bundle and save money! ⭐️
Activities Include:
- Flip Books
- Dot Mittens
- Sensory Bin
- Sequencing
- Geoboard Templates
- Writing Center
- Tracing Cards
- Board Game
- Cover Up Game
- Matching Game
- Puzzles
- Playdough Mats
There are so many fun ways to explore the winter season.
