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Getting back into the swing of things after winter break can be a challenge! It’s helpful to get back into a regular learning routine as early as possible. Our young learners thrive on consistent routines! Learning centers are an excellent way to bring consistency and predictable routine to your classroom during the winter months. In this post, I’m going to share some fun ideas that you can use for kindergarten winter centers in your classroom.
When it comes to planning centers, it’s helpful to have a variety of activities in your teacher toolbox. Here are some fun ideas for activities that are perfect for students to complete independently during math or literacy centers.
Let’s dive right in with a student favorite. Mystery pictures are so fun for young kindergarteners! These printables come with a blank grid that students will fill in according to the code on the page.
First, students will complete the task on the side of the page in order to practice the target math or literacy skill. That task corresponds with the code for coloring the picture. For example, this snowman mystery picture has six sight words that students will write on the blank lines. Each of those words matches a color. Students will then color in all of the squares in the grid with the corresponding word. They are always so excited to see the mystery picture appear as they fill in the squares!
During the winter months, it’s helpful to review phonemic awareness in order to keep those foundational literacy skills sharp! You can use this fun snowman center to give students the chance to practice beginning sounds. Each snowman is missing their popsicle stick arms, which students will find and match based on the beginning sound of the picture on each snowman.
If you’d like to use this center in your classroom, you can grab it for free! Just fill out the form below and I’ll send it straight to your inbox.
Centers can also be a great time to give students the chance to review letter and number formation. Each of these dot-to-dot activities starts with a grid at the top of a page that students will use to trace either numbers or letters. Then, students will practice alphabetical and numerical order as they connect the dots in each winter-themed picture. If students still have time before it’s time to switch centers, they can color the picture.
If you would like to cut down on paper usage, you could laminate these pages or put them in sheet protectors. Then, students can complete tracing and dot-to-dot activities with dry erase markers. This makes a low-prep reusable center for literacy and math rotations!
You can find this set of winter dot-to-dot activities in the A Spoonful of Learning shop or in my TPT store.
These print-and-go mystery puzzles are a great way to help students review literacy and math skills after winter break. Each winter-themed puzzle focuses on one specific skill.
Students will start by cutting out the puzzle pieces on the side of the page. Each puzzle piece contains an answer that corresponds to a box on the mystery picture. Students can also write the answers on the correct lines below the puzzle. They’re always so excited to see what the picture will look like when it’s finished!
I have put together a set of six free winter mystery puzzles that you can use for your literacy and math stations this winter. Just add your information to the form below and I’ll send them to your inbox.
One of the best parts of a centers routine is that you can target specific skills that your students need to review after the long winter break.
For example, if your students need more practice with identifying sounds in words, your students can use these winter-themed activities to practice beginning or ending sounds.
If your students are ready to practice building and reading CVC words, engaging literacy centers can give them the repetition they need.
You could also incorporate sight word practice into your literacy centers with fun winter activities.
Just like literacy centers, you can also practice a variety of math skills with engaging center activities. This hands-on math practice will help you target the skills that your students need more practice with.
Could your students use more number sense practice? This snowman building activity gives students the chance to represent numbers in many different ways. From tally marks to number words, students will become more familiar with number identification using this winter center.
You can also put a winter spin on counting practice! This snowflake counting activity gives students to practice one-to-one correspondence.
If your class is ready to practice addition, your winter math centers can give them a chance to build a strong foundation. For example, both of these winter-themed activities invite students to match addition equations to the correct sums.
The math and literacy January centers that I shared above are included in a large bundle of printable kindergarten centers. These winter-themed activities are easy to prep and use for math and literacy practice in your classroom. This bundle includes a total of 32 center activities, so you’ll be able to find the best options for centers in your classroom.
Each center activity includes an illustrated direction card and recording sheet to promote independence and increase accountability. If you’d like to take a closer look at everything included in this bundle of January centers, you can find it in the A Spoonful of Learning shop or in my TPT store.
Be sure to save this post so you can come back to it later! Just add the pin below to your favorite kindergarten board on Pinterest. You’ll be able to quickly find these ideas when you’re looking for simple but fun activities for your centers this winter.
These alphabet books will have students dive deep into learning about each letter of the alphabet while eager to see what activity they get to complete next!
