Skiing

NEW ! Interactive planning-Skiing

(Open interactive planning-Skiing) Type the activities you have planned for your group directly in the document, save it, and print it. Use it as a tool to prepare and present educational activities throughout the theme.

CIRCLE TIME

NEW ! A treasure hunt to discover the theme

(Open educa-decorate-Skiing) Print and laminate. Hide the items throughout your daycare. Ask children to search for them. Once they have all been found, observe the items and encourage your group to guess which theme you will be exploring.

SKI WEEK

NEW ! Provide children with the opportunity to discover a wide range of winter sports throughout the week by encouraging them to manipulate and observe different accessories and types of equipment during daily circle time. Use illustrations, pictures, etc. to support and foster discussions. Ask parents if they have sports equipment that they can share with your group during the theme. (Open poster-Winter sports) Print and laminate the poster. Ask children if they have ever tried skiing.

NEW ! Animated discussion-Skiing

(Open word flashcards-Skiing) Print and laminate the word flashcards. Use them to spark a conversation with your group, to ask children questions and verify what they know about different winter sports.

I can talk about skiing…using a puppet

Use a puppet to encourage children to talk about different subjects related to skiing. The puppet may help certain children overcome their shyness. It may also help children who require language support. One thing is certain, it will encourage children to speak!

AREA SETUP

NEW ! Thematic poster-Skiing

(Open thematic poster-Skiing) Print, laminate, and display on a wall to announce the theme.

NEW ! Educa-theme-Skiing

(Open educa-theme-Skiing)  Print and laminate the elements representing the theme. Use them to present the theme to your group while decorating your daycare.

NEW ! Educa-decorate-Skiing
(Open educa-decorate-Skiing) Print, cut out, and laminate. Use the illustrations to decorate the walls of your daycare and set the mood for the theme.

NEW ! Pennants-Skiing

(Open pennants-Skiing)  Print and invite children to decorate the pennants. Cut them out and hang them within your daycare or in your daycare entrance to create a garland.

NEW ! My floor-Ski area

(Open floor illustrations-Ski area) Print the illustrations and have children color them. Cut them out and glue them on the floor using adhesive paper. Use the illustrations to delimit certain areas within your daycare, to create a path connecting areas frequently visited throughout the day, or simply to decorate your daycare for the duration of the theme.

PICTURE GAME

NEW ! The pictures may be used as a memory game or to spark a conversation with the group. Use them to decorate the daycare or a specific thematic corner. (Open picture game-Skiing) Print, laminate, and store in a "Ziploc" bag or in your thematic bins.

NEW ! Memory game-Winter sports

(Open picture game-Winter sports) Print the pictures twice and use them to play a memory game. 

ACTIVITY SHEETS AND WRITING ACTIVITIES

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

NEW ! Writing activity-S like Skiing

(Open writing activities-S like Skiing) Print for each child or laminate for use with a dry-erase marker.

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

NEW ! Word flashcards-Skiing

The flashcards may be used during circle time to spark a conversation or in your reading and writing area. They may also be used to identify your thematic bins. (Open word flashcards-Skiing) (Open giant word flashcards-Skiing) Print. Cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, water skiing, ski goggles, ski poles, boots, ski trail, ski lift, gondola, ski lodge, slalom, helmet

NEW ! Educa-chatterbox-Skiing

(Open educa-chatterbox-Skiing) Print, laminate, and cut out the cards. Decorate a shoebox and set the cards as well as a variety of small items related to the theme inside it. During circle time or, for example, when children are waiting for lunch to be served, have them pick one card or item out of your chatterbox at a time and encourage them to name the item and tell you what they know about it.

NEW ! Through my ski goggles…

(Open ski goggles and scene) On heavy paper, print a model for each child. Have them cut it out and help them cut 2 holes for their eyes. Attach one end of a piece of fabric elastic on either side of their goggles so they can easily wear them. Laminate the scene and display it on a wall. Give each child a dry-erase marker. Describe an element that can be found in the scene. Children observe the scene closely. The first child who spots the item you described draws an “X” on it. Older children can take turns describing elements found in the scene.   

NEW ! Word race
(Open word flashcards-Skiing) (Open giant word flashcards-Skiing) Print several word flashcards and hide them throughout your daycare or yard. Divide your group into two teams. When you give them the signal, children must search for the flashcards for a pre-determined period, for example three minutes. When the time is up, children must be able to "read" their flashcards to earn a point for their team. If they are unable to find the correct word, the other team can earn the point if they succeed. 

ROUTINES AND TRANSITIONS

Pompom slalom

In a hallway, roll out a large piece of white paper to represent a ski trail. Next, stack several series of 5 to 10 building blocks and arrange them in pairs on your paper to create a slalom course. During waiting periods, give each child a flexible drinking straw or pipe cleaner along with a large pompom. Invite them to push their pompom in and out of the “poles” to complete the slalom course.

NEW ! Game-This is my spot-Winter sports
(Open transition games-Winter sports) Print each illustration twice. Use adhesive paper to secure one copy of each illustration on the table. Deposit the second copy of each illustration in an opaque bag and invite children to pick a card that will determine their spot at the table (corresponding illustration). The illustrations can also be used to determine children's naptime spots or their place in the task train. 

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MOTOR SKILLS

NEW ! Modeling dough activity placemats-Skiing

(Open modeling dough activity placemats-Skiing) Print and laminate. Let children pick a placemat and provide modeling dough. Encourage them to use the dough to fill or reproduce the shapes that are on their placemat.

NEW ! Fine motor skills-Winter sports 
(Open shapes-Winter sports) Print for each child. Have children tear and crumple tissue paper. Next, they must fill the shape they prefer with white glue and press the crumpled pieces of paper in the glue. Use children’s artwork to decorate your daycare.

NEW ! Ski jumps

Hang soft items such as stuffed animals from your daycare ceiling using string. Children must jump up to try to catch them.

NEW ! Gondolas

Set hula hoops on the floor to represent gondolas. Invite children to hop from one hula hoop to the next, without touching the floor outside of the “gondolas”.

Snowy snowboard course

Here, you will need a metal baking sheet for each child. When you go outside with your group, invite children to fill their baking sheet with snow, completely covering it. Have them press down on the snow to flatten it. Have them wear their mittens. Once all the children have come back inside your daycare, collect their snow-filled baking sheets for them. Encourage them to draw a path from one end of their baking sheet to the other. They can use their thumb or, if you prefer, you can provide tiny shovels or a variety of plastic kitchen utensils. The paths that children draw may include zigzags, bends, corners, etc. Next, set a marble (supervision required) at one end of a child’s snowy path and encourage him to raise and lower the baking sheet in every direction so that the marble travels along the path, from start to finish.

Ski trails

Set a large piece of white cardboard or heavy paper on the floor. Connect either side of the paper by drawing several successions of bends, corners, zigzags, and lines to represent ski trails. Deposit beads of hot glue here and there, on either side of each trail and press toothpicks vertically in each one before the glue hardens. Glue a tiny Fun Foam triangle on the tip of each toothpick to represent flags. Using double-sided tape, attach 2 wooden Popsicle sticks (skis) under several figurines. Encourage children to slide the skiers along the ski trails to strengthen their wrists.  

Ski slopes

Cut a swimming pool noodle that has a hole in its center in half lengthwise. Set both halves side by side, with the opening facing upwards to represent ski slopes. Here, you must set the upper portion of each half on an elevated surface. Set the two opposite ends on a small bin. Just for fun, you may write “FINISH” on a small piece of cardboard and glue it on wooden sticks inserted on opposite sides of the noodles, at the bottom of the ski slopes. Challenge children to drop 2 marbles simultaneously at the top of the ski slopes. Will they cross the finish line and fall into the bin at the same time? Have fun suggesting a variety of challenges that children can tackle. For example, you could have them wear mittens to release the marbles or have them use kitchen tongs.  

NEW ! Association game-Winter sports
(Open association game-Winter sports) Print and laminate the game. Using Velcro, children must associate the cards to the correct sport.

Cross-country skiing techniques

Ask children to bring a pair of wool (or microfiber) socks to daycare. Have them slide their socks on their feet and invite them to practice various cross-country skiing techniques (classic, skate skiing, the snowplough, etc.). Variation : If your daycare is big enough, you can organize races by marking 2 trails on the floor using colorful adhesive tape. 

Team-based ski race
Divide your group into 2 teams. The goal is to be the first team to cross the finish line. The first child in line for each team walks on his hands, with his feet on the shoulders of the child who is behind him. The latter also walks on his hands with his feet on the shoulders of the child who is behind him and so on, down to the last child in line who crawls on all fours.  

2-person ski race

Make good use of a small snowy hill in your yard. If you don’t have a snowy hill in your yard, visit a local schoolyard or playground. Invite 2 children to sit in 2 toboggans and push them down the hill simultaneously.

The skiers
Arrange several bottles in a line on the floor, leaving a certain distance between them. Children pretend they are skiers and walk or run in and out of the bottles. Just for fun, you can insert flags in the bottles to make this activity even more realistic. 

My pair of skis

In heavy cardboard (an appliance box) or Coroplast, cut out two ski shapes for each child. Let children paint and decorate their skis before attaching a piece of rope on either side of each ski, in the center, to represent ski bindings. Show children how they can slide their feet under the ropes to wear their skis.

Rustic cross-country skiing

Cut ski shapes out of Coroplast. Punch holes on either side of each ski and insert pieces of string that you can use to tie the skis on children’s boots. Children can take turns skiing around the yard. Variation: Instead of using Coroplast, use pieces of wood (wall moulding) or, if you prefer, ask parents who have cross-country skis to share them with your group so that children can experiment…even if the skis are way too big for them.   

Ski jumps
Perform long jumps in the snow and measure how far each child is able to jump to determine a winner. Variation: Set up a trampoline ask children to jump off the trampoline and into the snow.

Celebrity ski jumps

Tape Popsicle sticks under the feet of several figurines with movable body parts. Use your Barbie dolls, Spider Man figurines, and other characters to represent ski jumps in the comfort of your daycare. You can integrate various items (your toy car garage, construction sets, etc.) to represent a variety of jumps and ramps.  

Downhill snowboarding

Explore a snowy hill in your hard or at a nearby playground. Encourage children to stand and crouch down in a small toboggan in an attempt to go down the hill, much like snowboarders do. Hold their hands for safety.

Freestyle skiing

Set up a miniature trampoline in your yard. Invite children to take turns jumping off the trampoline, performing various moves that can be executed by freestyle skiers. They can, for example, jump with their knees bent, their legs spread apart, from side to side, etc.

Acrobatic jumps

Invite children to perform somersaults in the snow followed by an original pose. This activity can be done in your daycare using exercise mats. Variation: Open the windows and have children wear their snowsuits.  

NEW ! Indoor slalom course

Create an indoor slalom course using plastic cones and soft items. Invite children to “ski” in and out of the items to develop their balance and coordination.

NEW ! Miniature cross-country skiing

Create tiny cross-country skis using Popsicle sticks. Let children decorate them and use them to glide across smooth surfaces.

NEW ! Paper downhill skis

Use heavy paper to create downhill skis and attach them to children’s shoes using adhesive tape so that they can pretend they are downhill skiing indoors.

NEW ! Cushion skiing

Set cushions on your daycare floor to represent snow and encourage children to slide or hop from one cushion to the next as if they were skiing.  

NEW ! Water skiing

Fill a kiddie pool or a tub with water and add tiny boats. Encourage children to tie plastic or laminated skiers behind the boats to represent water skiers.

NEW ! Felt ski fun

Cut skiers and skis out of colorful felt. Use Velcro strips to attach the skis to the skiers. Children can glide their skiers across different surfaces.

NEW ! Magic carpet ski lift

Use adhesive tape to draw a ski trail on your daycare floor. Set a rolled-up towel under children’s feet to simulate a magic carpet ski lift.

NEW ! Fun Foam skiers

Cut skiers and skis out of colorful sheets of Fun Foam. Use magnets to press them on a metallic surface, such as a magnetic chalkboard. Encourage children to glide the skiers over the board as if they were skiing.

COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES

NEW ! Snow bin
(Open miniature skis) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. Hide laminated skis along with Fun Foam or magnetic numbers in a bin filled with cotton balls or artificial snow. Children will have fun searching for the skis, counting, and associating the numbers with the different colors of skis.

NEW ! Build your own ski hill

(Open build your own ski hill) Print and laminate. Children assemble the different segments to build a ski hill for their miniature skier.

NEW ! Word game-Skiing

(Open word game-Skiing) Print, laminate, and cut out several letters. Give each child a small shovel. You will also need several word flashcards. Using adhesive putty, press a word on each child’s shovel. Invite children to find and collect the letters that are required to write their word and arrange them in the correct order. Once they have succeeded, read their word.

NEW ! Counting cards-Skiing

(Open counting cards-Skiing) Print and laminate. Prepare a series of clothespins on which you can paint or write numbers 1 to 9 using a marker. Children must count the items on each card and press the clothespin with the corresponding number on the correct answer.

NEW ! Educ-pairs-Skiing
(Open educ-pairs-Skiing) Print. Children must draw a line between items that go together or color them using the same colors. 

NEW ! Puzzles-Skiing
(Open puzzles-Skiing) Print, laminate, and cut out the puzzle pieces. Children assemble them to complete the puzzles.

NEW ! Ski picture association game
Find pictures or illustrations representing various types of skiing along with at least one accessory pertaining to each one. Set all the accessories in a large bin or on a table. Show children a picture or illustration and ask them to identify the corresponding item as quickly as possible.   

NEW ! Color by number-Skiing

(Open color by number-Skiing) Print for each child. Children must color the picture per the legend. 

NEW ! Duos-Skiing

(Open duos-Skiing) Print for each child. Children cut out the pictures and use them to form duos. They glue the items that form a duo side by side on a piece of construction paper.

NEW ! Pick, search, and color the letters-Skiing

(Open pick search and color the letters-Skiing) Print and laminate the letters. Children pick a card and search for and color the corresponding element.

NEW ! Count and associate-Skiing

(Open count and associate-Skiing) Print for each child. Have them cut out, count, and add the correct number of objects in each box.

NEW ! Alphabetic skiing

(Open alphabetic skiing) Print and laminate the charts along with the skis. Cut out the skis and attach either end of a piece of yarn at the top of each pair. Set the corresponding Fun Foam letters on the first chart (without skis). Children take turns picking a pair of skis, finding the corresponding letter on the first chart, placing it on their skis, and transporting it to the second chart (with skis) where they place the skis in storage in the appropriate section of the ski garage.

NEW ! Sorting skiers

(Open sorting skiers) Print for each child. Invite them to color the skiers per the legend before cutting them out. Next, have them glue each skier in the correct silhouette, per their size.

MORAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

NEW ! Puppet theater-Skiers
(Open characters-skiers) Print, laminate, and glue the characters on Popsicle sticks. After reading a story about skiing to your group, encourage children to use the puppets to reproduce the storyline as they see fit. 

NEW ! Photo booth-Ski zone
(Open photo booth-Ski zone) Print the various accessories, cut them out, and glue a drinking straw behind each one. Purchase hats, scarves, glasses, etc. at your local dollar store. Create a wintery décor using a large piece of cardboard or curtain. Invite children to pick the accessories they prefer and pose for you. You can take individual, group, or family photos. Print the pictures and display them on a wall for everyone to see.

NEW ! Ski instructor

For this activity, one child plays the role of the ski instructor. The other children must copy his every action and move. They are ski school students. 

NEW ! Slippery surface

For this activity, children must work as a team to move about the daycare without lifting their feet off the floor. Provide 3 objects they can set on the floor to move around. For example, you may give them plastic shapes, frisbees, small mats, etc. Encourage each child to stand on a different object. They must attempt to move across the room by sliding their feet on the floor.  

ARTS & CRAFTS

NEW ! Models-Skiing

(Open models-Skiing) Print the various models and use them for your activities and projects throughout the theme.

NEW ! Gondolas for skiers

(Open game-Build your own gondolas) Print, cut out, and assemble several gondolas. Have children hang them on an indoor clothesline.  

NEW ! Finger puppets-Skiers

(Open finger puppets-Skiers) Print the different puppet models on heavy paper. Have children cut them out and show them how they can insert their fingers in the holes to bring their puppets to life.    

NEW ! Mobile-Skiing

(Open mobile-Skiing) Print for each child. Have children color the different elements and assemble them to create a mobile. You can, for example, use a hanger or a plastic container as a base for your mobile.

NEW ! My ski-themed headband

(Open educa-decorate-Skiing) Print and laminate. Children glue the items on a paper headband. They will be proud to wear their ski-themed headband throughout the theme.

My pair of skis

Cut 2 ski shapes out of heavy cardboard (an appliance box) or Coroplast for each child. Let children paint and decorate their skis before attaching a piece of rope on either side of each ski, in the center, to represent ski bindings. Show children how they can slide their feet under the ropes to wear their skis.

COLORING PAGES

NEW ! Coloring pages theme-Skiing

(Open coloring pages theme-Skiing) Print for each child.

Have fun!

The educatall team