Top 10 early years winter activities
Winter weather is always a big talking point for children in the early years as they begin to notice many changes in the environment such as the frost, ice and fog. Snow is also a favourite because it is rare and holds many joys for children when they finally get to experience some snow. Winter should be embraced as a focus point for activities whenever children show an interest in it. Winter crafts and activities allow children to make sense of what is happening in the world around them through the season and also allows them to broaden their knowledge and skills meeting many EYFS milestones and goals.
Winter activities for the early years –
1. Shivery snow paint (puffy paint) – This can be made using white PVA glue, shaving foam, peppermint extract and fine glitter. This makes a lovely snow like texture and can be used to make snowmen pictures, winter collages and to decorate snowflakes.
2. Fake snow – This can be made using various recipes, a particularly easy one uses just baking soda and shaving foam. This makes a great sensory activity for all children and various objects can be added such as artic animals, glittery or even building blocks to try and make your very own miniature igloo. Fake snow can also be purchased from some shops and online
3. Sugar painting – This is made using powdered sugar, water and glitter. If used on black cards beautiful sparkly winter pictures can be created.
4. Snowflakes – Snowflakes can be made with children of all ages and can be modified to meet the stages of the children. With babies handprint snowflakes can be made, remember to allow the children to explore the paint fully before, during or after to ensure there are some benefits to the activity, Lollipop sticks can be stuck together in a snowflake shape and decorated by toddlers and paper snowflakes can be cut and decorated by pre-schoolers to develop scissor skills.
5. Build a snowman – Place white circles and various different materials in the middle of the table and allow the children to stick, decorate and build their own snowman pictures
6. Winter sensory tray – This can be made using any white media or frozen substances such as ice cubes, crushed ice, shaving foam, shredded paper, glitter, oats, white tinsel etc. Add winter animals, pots and tweezers for sorting and counting, winter number cards etc.
7. Go outside – Take trips outside at different times of the day and in all weathers, talk about the changes such as the frost of spider webs or the crunchy crisp leaves. Encourage children to move around as if there was snow everywhere or pretend to be putting on big winter clothes.
8. Melted snowman biscuits – Make your own biscuits or by some, decorate the bottom with runny white icing sugar, add a marshmallow snowman head decorated with eyes, nose and mouth and add little smarties to the bottom icing sugar to make it look like the snowman’s body has melted away.
9. Penguin waddle – A fun and silly games involving children holding a balloon or ball between their legs and walking around trying to keep it in place. This makes the children waddle like a penguin and always brings lots of giggles. Encourage the children to think about other winter animals and how they might move
10. Winter stories – There are many books all about winter, share books with the children that are fictional and non-fictional. Encourage the children to think about sequencing, characters or the information as you share the books. You may choose to extend the learning from one of the books if the children are particularly fond.
All of these great activities for winter plus many more can be found on our winter Pinterest board here.