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Winter Centers for Kindergarten

It’s common for our young kindergarten students to get a little bit stir-crazy during the winter months. Between the excitement of the holidays, unpredictable weather, and a lot of indoor recess, it can be challenging to keep students engaged in literacy and math practice! In this post, I’m going to share some winter centers for kindergarten that will help to keep your students motivated and on task.

Winter Centers for Kindergarten

Winter Literacy Centers

There are many different literacy skills that your students can practice with hands-on winter center activities.

Alphabet

Students can practice matching uppercase and lowercase letters by matching the marshmallow to the correct mug of hot cocoa! 

Matching uppercase and lowercase letters

Phonemic Awareness

Help your students listen for rhyme as they create pairs of ice skates. They will use the pictures to match rhyming words. Students could also flip over these cards to create a memory game where they try to find matching pairs.

Matching two skates with rhyming pictures
Sorting pictures based on syllables

Students can also practice listening for syllables as they identify the words on different winter-themed flashcards. They will sort the pictures based on how many syllables they hear.

Phonics

Bring some winter fun to your phonics practice as students practice listening for beginning, middle, and ending sounds. Be sure to grab this free snowman center to practice beginning sounds!



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Putting together snow globes based on beginning sounds

Students can also identify the beginning sound of a word by matching the picture in a snow globe to the base with the correct letter.

Matching hats to snowmen based on ending sounds

To practice ending sounds, students will match each snowman’s picture to the hat containing the correct letter.

Matching a snowman to a pile of snow based on the vowel sound

Snowmen can also help your students practice identifying vowel sounds. They will put each snowman on a pile of snow to match the correct medial vowel sound.

Matching digraphs to pictures with mitten task cards

Your students can also create matching mitten pairs by identifying the digraph that goes with each picture.

CVC Words

If your students are ready to put their phonics knowledge to work, you can use these winter-themed activities to practice CVC words!

Spelling a word with snowballs

First, students will build CVC words to match the card held by each penguin. They will arrange the snowballs to spell each short vowel CVC word.

A winter theme mystery picture for CVC word practice

Your students can also complete a fun winter puzzle as they match CVC words to the correct picture.

Sight Words

These winter sight word centers are a great way to give students the repetition they need to practice high frequency words.

Spelling sight words with a winter theme activity

First, they can join a snowball fight as they use snowball splatters to build sight words.

A polar bear sight word match game

Your students will also enjoy this sight word match game. They will take turns choosing two polar bear cards at a time as they try to find the matching sight words.

Writing

Your students can also practice writing with a winter twist.

Putting mitten cards in order to create a sentence

They can unscramble words to create winter-themed sentences. They can use the capitalization and punctuation on the cards to help them put the words in order.

Winter Math Centers

The winter fun doesn’t have to stop with your literacy centers! These hands-on math activities will help you bring some seasonal engagement to your centers routine, as well.

Number Sense

First, your students will be able to improve their number sense by building a snowman!

Matching different representations of a number with a snowman activity

They will find different representations of the number on the snowman’s hat in order to build each one.

Matching ten frames to numbers

They can also practice using ten frames by matching each snowball-filled ten frame to the correct number.

One-to-One Correspondence

Winter objects are fun for students to count as they practice one-to-one correspondence!

Counting winter objects and writing the number

First, they can count various winter objects on a card and then write how many they counted.

Adding snowflakes under a numbered cloud

Students can also practice one-to-one correspondence as they place the correct number of snowflakes under each numbered cloud.

A mitten-shaped number line game

Finally, students can practice counting as they identify the number of dots on the dice they have rolled. Then they will remove the mitten from the number line that matches the number they have counted. Your students will want to play this game again and again!

Counting by Five and Ten

If your students need to practice skip counting, these math centers will help!

Winter counting by 5 activity
Winter counting by ten puzzle activity

Students can put these winter-themed cards in order as they practice counting by five and by ten.

Putting number flashcards in order, counting by 5
Putting flashcards in order, counting by 10

These winter puzzles are also a great self-correcting activity to help students practice skip counting.

Ordering and Comparing Numbers

There are many fun winter centers to help your students explore numbers through ordering and comparing.

Ordering numbers with a snowflake activity

First, students can practice putting numbers in the correct order with a winter twist! They can unscramble the numbers on a cloud by putting numbered snowflakes in the correct order.

Counting Winter Objects
Counting and comparing numbers

Students can also compare groups of winter objects and numbers to determine which has more or less. 

Addition and Subtraction

Winter centers are also perfect for addition and subtraction practice! 

Matching sunshine to the correct snowman addition equation

The snowman is melting in this center! Students will match each addition equation to the correct numbered sun.

Sorting penguins to the correct igloo based on addition equations

In this sorting activity, students will sort the penguins to the correct igloos by solving each addition equation.

Matching fish to penguin based on subtraction equation

Students can also practice subtraction by matching each penguin to the correct fish.

Even More Math Fun

Centers are also a great way for students to practice counting on.

Counting on
Adding objects to a ten frame to create ten.

First, they can count the winter pictures on a card, then write the number and the following two numbers. Students can also use a mitten-themed math center to determine how many more are needed to make ten.

Coloring in shapes on a worksheet

Your students can practice identifying and naming shapes by choosing different snowman cards. Then they can color in the matching shape on their recording sheets.

Printable Winter Centers for Kindergarten

All of the centers I’ve shared in this post can be found in one easy-to-download resource. You’ll find everything you need to set up these literacy and math centers in your classroom, including the task cards, recording sheets, and illustrated student instructions. To take a closer look at everything included with these winter centers, head over to the A Spoonful of Learning shop or TPT.

January Math and Literacy Centers
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Save These Kindergarten Centers for Winter

Be sure to save this post if you’d like to come back to it later! Just add the pin below to your favorite teaching board on Pinterest. You’ll be able to quickly find these kindergarten centers when you’re looking for hands-on activities to use in your classroom this winter.

Kindergarten Winter Centers