Themes & Activities

Winter
(Open thematic poster - Winter)

We suggest a theme related to winter, winter Olympics, and a winter carnival day.

CIRCLE TIME

To spark a conversation with the group, use our black and white illustration of the Olympic rings (Open Olympic rings). Have children colour them. Create your own rallying song. Use it during circle time throughout the theme. Children participate in a variety of activities. At the end of the theme hold a medal ceremony and hand out medals made by the participants. A special winter Olympics theme!

AREA SETUP

Winter thematic bin: white sheets, Styrofoam balls, winter illustrations, thematic books, boots, mittens, scarves, shovels, winter figurines, polar animals, fishing rod, white tissue paper, artificial snow, cotton balls, white paint, white modeling dough, sugar, flour, salt, rice, popcorn, etc.

VARIOUS WORKSHOPS

Have fun with these wonderful workshop ideas provided by Caroline Allard:

Construction/building blocks:

Use only white, blue, and grey blocks if you have enough on hand
Create your own carpet of snow using cotton padding rolls... or make snowy constructions
Sort through animal figurines and keep only the ones which live in cold climates
Bin filled with salt (or sugar). Let children play in it with small cars
Figurines which can be transformed to look like skiers or snowboarders
Decorate the area with posters of snowmobiles, skiers, igloos, etc.

Arts & crafts:

A large quantity of sparkles and sparkly glue.
Winter coloring pages.
Construction paper, tissue paper, all kinds of papers in wintery colors (blue, white, grey).
Salt which can be glued onto dark paper.
Chalk for drawing on dark construction paper.
Cotton balls can be glued to a drawing or used to make original collages.
Models for paper snowflakes.
Make snowflakes with waxed paper and white glue by drawing the snowflake on the paper with the glue. Allow to dry and remove gently...the result is spectacular!
Paint with coloured ice cubes.

Role play:

Winter clothing of all kinds...lone mittens, wool socks, etc.
A pot along with bowls for making soup
Dishes and cups for hot chocolate
Decorate the area with winter scenes. You may even create a false window with its own winter scenery
Make your own fireplace out of cardboard and add a few logs

Manipulation:

Memory game with Educatall pictures
White, blue, or grey modeling dough...add sparkles
Association game for winter sports (a skate can be associated to a child who is skating)
Puzzles related to the theme
Sugar cubes for building igloos
Mini marshmallows for building snow banks
Stimulation bottles filled with winter objects

Reading/relaxation:

Books about winter with several beautiful illustrations
Old calendars which can be admired
Photo albums displaying pictures of children playing in the snow
Blue or white lights to create a magical atmosphere
Puppets and stuffed animals (polar animals, snowmen, etc.)

Sensory bins:

Water table: add blue food colouring
Sugar or salt container: hide white objects in the sugar or salt, add pinecones, evergreen branches, etc...
Real snow with mittens or gloves
Bin filled with ice: when it is cold enough, simply leave your bin outdoors overnight. Children can make figurines skate on the ice
Container filled with whipped cream, this may become a taste test
Small container of powdered potatoes

ACTIVITY SHEETS

Activity sheets are suggested for each theme. Print and follow instructions. (Open activity sheets - Winter)

PICTURE GAME

The picture game may be used as a memory game or to spark a conversation with the group. The pictures may also be used simply to decorate the daycare or a specific thematic corner. (Open picture game - Winter) Print and laminate. Store the game in a "Ziploc" bag or in your thematic bin.

WORD FLASHCARDS

The flashcards may be used during circle time to spark a conversation with the group or in your reading and writing area. They may also be used to identify your thematic bins. (Open word flashcards - Winter) winter, snow, sled, skis, tuque, mitten, scarf, cold, icicles, snowflake, skate, snowman

COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES

Winter
(Open poster - Seasons) Print and laminate the game. Using Velcro, children associate the pictograms to the correct seasons.

Winter bingo
(Open bingo - Winter) Print, laminate, and store in a small box. Play bingo with the group.

Igloo
Cover a table with white sheets. Deposit a bin filled with snow and winter figurines inside your "igloo". Add books about polar animals. Children will love playing in their igloo.

Snow
Fill a container with clean snow. Invite children to build a snow castle. Children will realize that snow melts quickly. It is transformed into water. Next, pour water obtained from the melted snow into an aluminum pie plate. Leave it outside and show children how water becomes ice.

Winter felt scene
Glue four pieces of black felt onto a large piece of cardboard. Hang on the wall. Have children help you trace and cut out various shapes out of coloured felt. The shapes will adhere to the black background. Children will enjoy creating many winter scenes. Change the felt shapes as your seasons and themes change. We have prepared models of winter shapes for you. (Open shapes - Winter)

Purchase your set of 50 pieces in assorted colors for only $15.95 on our online store.

Falling snow
Provide children with a blanket. Have them tear tons of tiny pieces of white paper and deposit them on the blanket. Each child holds one corner and makes up and down movements to make the snow dance on the blanket. When all the paper pieces have fallen off the blanket, children pick them up and start all over!

Winter white
Prepare a sugar, salt, flour, or rice bin. Let children play in it with figurines, small cars, etc. They will discover new textures.

Snowstorm
In the centre of the daycare, empty several cotton ball bags on the floor. Children have fun throwing cotton balls in the air, rolling around in them, lying down on top of them, etc. They may build snowy streets, etc.

(Open story and memory game - Winter) Print, cut out, and laminate the pictures. Place the cards face down on the floor. Children pick three cards and invent a story in relation to the illustrations.

Variation: Print the pictures twice and use as a memory game.

Winter is hiding something
Choose an object with the group. Next, designate a child to hide the object in the snow and have the other children search for it. The child who finds the object gets to hide it next.

Ice fishing
(Open models - fish) Print and have children colour the fish. Next, cut them out. Attach string to the end of an old broomstick. Hang a clothespin at the end. Hide behind furniture and attach fish to the clothespin. Children fish one at a time. You may replace fish with toys or small surprises.

Variation: Write points on the fish (for example a small fish could be worth 2 points and a large fish could be worth 5 points). Set up fishing teams. At the end of the game, calculate each team's score to find the winning team. This game may be played outdoors. Simply laminate the fish and hide behind a snow bank.

Treasure hunt in the snow
Prepare ice cubes of every colour with your group. Hide the ice cubes in the snow and have children search for them. If the group is old enough, you may ask children to find ice cubes of a particular colour. For example you may ask one child to search for blue ice cubes while another child may search for red ones. You may also ask the entire group to find only a specific colour of ice cubes.

The skier
Set bottles in a row, leaving a certain distance between each one. Children pretend to be skiers and slalom between the bottles without tipping them over.

Speed skating
Create an obstacle course. Provide each child with two empty Kleenex boxes. Have them wear them on their feet and pretend to skate around the obstacles.

Figure skating
Play music and invite children to pretend to skate throughout the daycare. When the music stops, everyone falls down. When the music starts again, they resume skating. The duration of the game is one song.

Eye of the tiger
Find white objects hidden in the snow (ping pong balls, golf balls, sheets of paper, toilet paper rolls, etc.)

Dog sled race
Divide the group into two teams. The object of the game is to cross the finish line before the other team. The first child in line walks on his hands with his feet resting on the second child's shoulders. The second child also walks on his hands, and so on. The last child in line crawls.

Goalie
Deposit one hoola hoop per child on the floor. If you do not have hoola hoops on hand, you may draw circles. The circles must be large enough to allow children to move inside them. Give children instructions. For example, place your hands in your goal, place one foot inside your goal and one outside your goal, sit inside your goal, sit outside your goal, etc. After a while, say, "Goalies change goals." Children change circles and the game continues.

Hurray for snow
Lay empty baskets on their side. Have children roll balls of paper as close to the baskets as possible. The object of the game is to have the most balls in your basket.

Snowball fight
Create a pyramid using empty Kleenex boxes. The object of the game is to make the pyramid fall down by throwing snowballs on it.

Snowballs
Divide the group into two teams. Set up two baskets. The object of the game is to throw as many snowballs into your team's basket before the time is up.

Long jump
Practice long jump in the snow.

Somersault contest
Children perform somersaults in the snow and end with original positions.

CULINARY ACTIVITIES

Jell-O on snow
Prepare Jell-O per package instructions. Chill but not until set. Have children pour the preparation on the snow and observe the transformation.

Hot cocoa
A wonderful outdoor treat! This is great to warm up while playing outside!

ARTS & CRAFTS

Snowflake with holes
(Open lacing - snowflake with holes) Cut the snowflake out of cardboard. Punch holes around the contour using a hole-punch. Have children thread ribbon or string through the holes.

Snowman
(Open craft - snowman) Print a snowman for each child. Have them colour, cut out, and glue the various snowman parts onto a piece of construction paper.

Popcorn snowman
(Open model - snowman silhouette) Print for each child. Prepare popcorn. Dip popcorn in corn syrup and stick it to the snowman silhouette. Let dry. Use fishing wire to hang.

Winter wind
Provide each child with a straw, blue poster paint, and glossy paper. Deposit a large drop of paint in the centre of the paper. Children may add sparkles of their choice. Next, with their straw, they gently blow the paint just like a winter wind. The paint will spread on the paper. Let dry. Children love this painting technique.

Medal
(Open Black and white medals) Children color their medal. Laminate. Attach string and hang around their necks.

My flag

(Open craft - Olympic flag) Print. Ask children to draw or colour something which represents their favourite winter Olympics sport.

COLORING PAGES

(Open coloring pages theme - Winter)

SEQUENTIAL STORY

(Open sequential story - Snowman) Print the story. Laminate and cut out the illustrations. Have children place them in the correct order.

SONGS AND RHYMES

Suzy Snowflake

Here comes Suzy Snowflake
Dressed in a snow white gown
Tap tap tapping at your window pane
To tell you she's in town

Here comes Suzy Snowflake
Soon you will hear her say
Come out everyone and play with me
I haven't long to stay

If you wanna make a snowman
I'll help you make one 1, 2, 3
If you wanna take a sleigh ride
Then the ride's on me

Here comes Suzy Snowflake
Look at her tumbling down
Bringing joy to every boy and girl
Suzy's come to town!

Winter

By: Patricia Morrison
Sung to: I'm a little teacup

It's finally winter
Cold and white
Bundle up warm to
Come play with me
Snow angels and snowmen
Oh! What fun!
Skiing, skating, sledding, ‘til it's done

SUGGESTION OF THE WEEK

Organize a Winter Carnival Day! (Open perpetual calendar - Winter Carnival Day)

CIRCLE TIME

Children become dukes and duchesses. Each child is given a turn to be crowned king or queen for a day. Select a royal privilege for each child (for example, the child may skip naptime, not have to clean up, etc.) There is a great model for a crown craft in the Educatall club.

ACTVITIES

Ice castle
Prepare colourful ice cubes by adding drops of food colouring. Leave them in the freezer all day. Fill a large bin with snow or make this an outdoor activity. Have children build an ice castle on the snow with the ice cubes.

Relay race
One child fills a pail with snow. The child and his teammate stand at opposite ends of a rope. The child who filled the pail must slip the rope into the pail's handle. Children work together, moving the cord for the pail to slide to the other end.

Hooray for the carnival!
Pour powdered potatoes into a bin to represent snow. Let children play with small cars and winter figurines.

Sled race
Flatten a cardboard box and have one child sit on it. Have the child hold a rope and have another child pull the rope to slide him across the floor.

Have children lay on their backs in the snow. Invite them to relax. Have them observe the clouds and find shapes. Have them draw these shapes on paper afterwards.

Pull, pull
Divide the group into two teams. Have them line up at opposite ends of a rope. Have each team pull, trying to make the other team fall down in the snow.

Colorful castle
We have prepared a color association game. (Open - Colorful castle) Print for each child. Children color the castle associating the symbols to the correct color.

Carnival parade
As a group, decorate a large cardboard box to look like a float. Paint children's faces. Provide each child with a musical instrument and parade around your neighbourhood.

I have a grand castle
Divide the group into two teams. Each team faces the other, standing at one end of the daycare. One group at a time, they move forward and backwards reciting the following song:

(The first group moves forward and backwards saying)
I have a grand castle, la la la, la la la la la. I have a grand castle, la la la, la la la la la
(The second group moves forward and backwards saying)
Our castle is much grander, la la la la la la la la. Our castle is much grander la la la la la la la la
(The first group moves forward and backwards again saying)
It will tumble down la la la, la la la la la. It will tumble down la la la, la la la la la
(The second group moves forward and backwards again saying)
How could that happen? La la la, la la la la la. How could that happen? La la la, la la la la la
(The first group moves forward and backwards again saying)
We will remove a stone la la la, la la la la la. We will remove a stone la la la, la la la la la
(The second group moves forward and backwards again saying)
Which stone will you remove? La la la, la la la la la. Which stone will you remove? La la la, la la la la la.
(The first group moves forward and backwards again saying)
We will take (Example: Julie's) stone la la la, la la la la la. We will take Julie's stone la la la, la la la la la.
In this example, Julie would change groups and the game would begin all over again. The group which was second previously begins the second round.

CULINARY ACTIVITIES

Taffy on snow

Bring a can of maple syrup to a boil, stirring constantly. Use a candy thermometer. The taffy is ready when the temperature reaches 240⁰F. Pour on clean snow and enjoy! Hot outdoor drink. Warm 4 cups of apple juice. Add a pinch of cinnamon and serve immediately.

ARTS & CRAFTS

(Open king's and queen's crown) Print the model. Trace it on cardboard wrapped in aluminum paper. Cut out and decorate with sparkly material. Measure each child's head, adjust, and staple.

COLORING PAGES
(Open coloring pages - Winter carnival) Print.

SONG

Kings and queens
By: Patricia Morrison
Sung to: Mary had a little lamb

Kings and queens went out one day
Out one day, out one day
Kings and queens went out one day
They had a carnival

Castles, dancing, and a parade
And a parade, and a parade
Castles, dancing, and a parade
All for their carnival

It was such fun hip hip hooray
Hip hooray, hip hooray
It was such fun hip hip hooray
We loved our carnival

Have nice day!

Educatall team

Our job is to make yours easier. Do not hesitate to suggest themes you would like to see us develop. Let us know of any printable documents or tools which could be useful. Send us your comments and suggestions!

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