10 Winter Themes for Preschool Classrooms
Winter is a magical time in a preschool classroom with many opportunities for sensory and hands-on activities to show students the wonder of wintry weather, shimmering snowflakes, and playful penguins.
To get your preschool class excited for all the joy winter will bring, here are 10 winter themes for preschoolers that will have them ready to explore this special season.
Hibernation
A hibernation theme can incorporate early science learning and exciting creative play to teach preschoolers about the animals that spend the winter “sleeping” in a way humans cannot. Creating a classroom nook full of stuffed animals, fuzzy blankets, and flashlights can help preschoolers direct their own hibernation dramatic play where they pretend to be hibernating animals.
Read books about hibernation such as, Hiders Seekers Finders Keepers: How Animals Adapt in Winter by Jessica Kulekjian.
An engaging circle-time activity can be as simple as cutting out pictures of animals and the places they sleep all winter, allowing students to discuss which animal would spend the winter months snoozing in which location.
Bring creativity out of hibernation with this Cozy Cave Craft from Preschool With a Purpose! Your preschoolers love crafting a cave from materials you already have in your classroom! Download your free printable activity!
Snow
Learning about snow helps preschoolers dabble in early science learning and observational skills. Preschoolers can make a dress-up felt snowman, participate in a STEM activity to learn about how snowflakes are created, and have circle time centered on what students enjoy doing outside when it snows.
Consider introducing classic books about snow such as, The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. If it snows during class, preschoolers can spend time outside observing how snow looks and feels. This can also be an opportunity to discuss dressing properly for snowy weather.
Hot Chocolate
A hot chocolate theme is a cozy way to facilitate dramatic play, creativity, and introduce a yummy treat. Enhance math skills by setting up a play hot chocolate stand so preschoolers can “order” from a menu of toppings, pretend to serve each other, and ring up purchases. Spend circle time letting students create the perfect hot cocoa recipe with everyone sharing what they like to add to their special winter treat. For sensory exploration, try making hot cocoa slime.
Outdoor Activities
A theme centered on winter outdoor activities will help preschoolers learn ways to be active and make lots of snowy memories when the weather is cold. Make a chart during circle time to tally up how many students have tried winter sports such as ice skating, sledding, snowshoeing, and skiing. Talk about the clothing items needed to stay warm while participating in cold weather activities. Preschoolers can hone math and art skills by creating a speedy bobsled craft. Read books like A Day for Skating by Sarah Sullivan and Learning to Ski with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen.
Movies and Popcorn
Winter means more time spent indoors, making a movies-and-popcorn theme a fun way to enhance basic math skills, foster creativity, and talk about family traditions. Set up a movie theater play area to allow preschoolers to “sell” movie tickets, popcorn, drinks, and candy. Provide simple puppets to encourage dramatic play where preschoolers can reenact scenes from their favorite movies. Serve popcorn as a snack while watching a winter-themed movie. Teacher tip: Do you have access to a kitchen in your preschool setting? Use this recipe to make stovetop popcorn with your preschoolers!
Winter Books
Winter brings all the snuggly reading vibes, making it the perfect time to introduce preschoolers to winter-themed books. The Hat by Jan Brett will delight little ones with the tale of a tiny hedgehog who gets stuck in a winter hat. Let students get silly with a reading of There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow! by Lucille Colandro. Create a chart for preschoolers to see how many winter-themed books they’ve read as a class and decide which are their favorites. Talk about what makes a reading spot comfy, with students bringing in a favorite blanket or stuffed animal from home to show their friends.
Ice
Ice can be a fascinating winter theme for preschoolers by combining early science learning and sensory play to explore how ice forms–and how it changes back to water. If it is cold enough outside, let students blow frozen soap bubbles to observe what happens when the water and soap meet the freezing air. Let preschoolers play with ice cubes and talk about how ice becomes water once it melts. For a colorful craft project, preschoolers can make pom-pom ice pops.
Arctic Animals
Exploring the animals that call an arctic climate home can promote learning about animal adaptations and why certain animals can only be found where it’s very cold. Read a book about penguins, such as If You Were a Penguin by Florence Minor and Wendell Minor. Follow up by helping preschoolers make a penguin cozy cup craft. Create a sensory area using fake snow and small animal figurines to let students create a scene of arctic animals at play. Help students make a polar bear snack with graham crackers, frosting, candy coated chocolate bites, and marshmallows.
Gingerbread
A gingerbread theme can foster math skills, get preschoolers excited about baking, and promote creativity. Building gingerbread houses is an engaging way to get students counting and sorting by each type and color of candy. Children can create felt gingerbread people and decorate them with classroom craft materials. Turn circle time into a giggle fest by reading The Gingerbread Man by Gail Yerrill. Make a simple dough out of cinnamon and applesauce to let students create their own cinnamon-scented gingerbread cutouts.
Mittens
A mitten theme promotes counting skills and engages preschoolers in fun craft projects centered on colorful mittens. Provide a box full of old pairs of mittens for preschoolers to practice sorting and matching. Promote fine-motor skills with a mitten lacing card activity. Read books such as The Mitten by Jan Brett. Students can create crafts out of yarn such as a bookmark or yarn butterfly.
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About the Author:
Valerie Williams is a seasoned writer and editor who has spent her career creating content in the parenting and women's wellness spaces. Her bylines include Scary Mommy, SheKnows, Forbes Health, and others. When she's not helping women and families live their best and healthiest lives, she's spending time with her husband and teen kids, walking her dogs, reading, cooking, or attending HIIT classes at the gym.