How To Teach Preschoolers About Winter
Posted: Friday, December 04, 2009
by Stephany Springer
Winter is fast approaching and one key concept preschoolers need to know is that each year consists of different seasons.
As a teacher, I break my seasons up during the year to teach as to not overwhelm the kids. With winter fast approaching it makes sense to teach winter activities when it is cold outside.
There are several activities that can entertain and teach at the same time. Have fun with this unit and your kids will learn to love winter.
Go online now to stevespanglerscience.com and order snow. It is amazing and such an awesome experience to watch the kids faces when you add water to make the snow. It even feels cold like actual snow. Of course if you live in an area with snow, just bring it inside or go outside and build a class snowmen.
Drama Center
Feel the drama center with mittens, hats, coats, boots, etc and allow the kids to dress up in winter clothes. You can also place babies in this center with baby clothes and let the kids dress the babies for a winter trip.
Circle Time
Books: One of my favorite books is Snow by Manya Stojic in which all the critters in the forest say goodbye to autumn and welcome winter and snow. Also any of Jan Brett's books are amazing and the kids will just listen in wide-eyed wonder. Some other books to include in your book center are The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats and Snowy Flowy Blowy: A Twelve Months Rhyme by Nancy Tafuri.
Songs and chants: Snow Swirling Around is a great active activity.
Snow, snow swirling round (move hands in circular motion)
Falling to the ground (Kneel down)
What a pretty sight you make (cup hands over eyes and look left and right)
Dancing all around (Turn and dance in circles)
Snow, snow swirling round (Move hands in circular motions)
Flying through the air (Wave arms)
What a pretty sight you make (cup hands over eyes and look left and right)
Dancing Everywhere.
The snow is falling down (tune: farmer in the dell)
The snow is falling down, the snow is falling down. Great big white flakes that do not make a sound.
Song: (sung to tune of "Are You Sleeping"
"It is snowing, it is snowing, On my head, on my head. I need a hat, I need a hat, On my head, on my head"
As you sing name the body part, let the children pick out the correct article of clothing to finish the verse. For example, if you say feet...they would pick boots.
Art
Snow Globes: We had children bring in an empty jar -- baby food, jelly, pickle, etc., any small, clear jar with a screw-top lid. (An empty spice bottle works too.) We filled the jars nearly full with a mixture of 1/3 light corn syrup and 2/3 warm water, then gave the kids popsicle sticks to stir until mixed. Then they added "one or two pinches" of glitter (we had several colors to choose from) and a few snowflake-shaped sequins. We (the adults) hot-glue-gunned the lids on the jars, screwing them tightly into place.
Marshmallow Snowmen-Have the children glue three marshmallows together. Then use flat toothpicks for arms and legs. Chocolate chips for eyes and nose and then licorage for a mouth or scarf. The kids can eat the extras.
Paint with ice-Freeze water with food coloring overnight. Then let the kids paint with the frozen ice.
Playing with shaving cream-Kids love playing with shaving cream. Put out little cars and let the kids pretend to drive in the snow.
These are just a few suggestions for the preschool classroom. I am sure you have ideas as well, please leave in the comment section below.
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