Inside: Looking for the best preschool winter circle time activities? This collection includes songs, stories and learning ideas that will keep preschoolers engaged during your winter theme!
When planning preschool circle time ideas, we make sure to include kids songs, stories, and learning activities.
Circle time is a great way to help build language and social skills while also learning new concepts.
Each day our preschoolers hear at least one story, sing songs and/or recite finger plays, have the opportunity to hold and flip though books, and have short discussions.
Some days we also have one sharing person and we will also play a large group game or involve all the children in some sort of activity.
Make sure to check out the props we will be using during January’s circle times:
You can find all of our numbered winter props here:
Virtual teaching?
I share our virtual winter circle time activities here.
The Best Preschool Winter Circle Time Activities
After reading Colors in the Cold, dress a snowman.
Sing the song Five Little Snowmen and work on simple counting skills with these numbered snowmen.
Make a snowmen glove puppet and recite 10 Little Snowmen. (Making Learning Fun)
Hand each child a colored bear and invite them to place them in the matching colored caves.
Children can put together their own polar bear masks to use during the winter circle time.
Create felt penguin puppets to use while reading Where is Home, Little Pip? (Creative Fun for Kids)
Play a snowman game to recognize numbers. (From the Hive)
Will the groundhog see his shadow on February 2nd? Make this stick puppet to use during circle time! (Typically Simple)
Children will love working together to play this build a snowman game. (Homegrown Friends)
Build letter sound awareness with this mystery mitten activity. (Growing Book by Book)
Print out the free snowmen puppets and have fun singing “5 Little Snowmen”. (From ABCs to ACTs)
Toddlers and Preschoolers can have fun playing the hidden snowball game. (Kiwi Crate)
Download free printables to use as a felt board activity for “Six Little Penguins”. (Nuttin’ But Preschool)
Have the children make their own paper plate penguin chick puppets to hold while reading penguin books. (Kids Craft Room)
Sew some simple penguin bags and carry them like a father penguin. (My Montessori Journey)
Use ice cream sticks and a penguin pattern for a “Five Little Penguins” circle time prop. (Making Learning Fun)
After reading “The Snowy Day”, try some “Peter’s Pocket Activities”. (Preschool Wonders)
Retell the story “The Mitten” using props from free printables. (Blissfully Domestic)
Sing the “Hot Cocoa” song. (Little Fingers that Play)
Download and use these free winter calendar cards for circle time. (Doodle Bugs Teaching)
Use a free snowman pattern to make flannel pieces for “Five Little Snowmen”. (Kids Soup)
⭐️ Make sure to check out our Songs and Rhymes props to use during your circle time!
Winter books to read at preschool winter circle time:
- The Snowy Day
by Ezra Jack Keats - Snowballs by Louis Ehlert
- The Mitten by Jan Brett
- The Biggest Snowman Ever by Steven Kroll
- The First Day of Winter by Denise Fleming
- No Two Alike by Keith Baker
- Time to Sleep by Denise Fleming
- Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner
- Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft
- The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter’s Wonder by Mark Cassino
- Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
by Ezra Jack Keats
by Louis Ehlert
by Steven Kroll
by Denise Fleming
by Keith Baker
by Mark CassinoCLICK HERE to see what books we will be using this year!
Songs to sing during preschool winter circle time:
Here’s my collection of favorite toddler and preschool songs for winter. They are fun to sing during circle time, while in the middle of a transition, or any time you just want to get those winter wiggles out!
CLICK HERE to see them all!
❄️Toddler and Preschool Winter Lesson Plans❄️
We’ve done the work for you! We now have interactive thematic lesson plans for toddlers (18-35 months) AND preschoolers (3-5 years)!
Get ready for fun and learning with unit lesson plans for winter.
Explore a variety of themed hands-on activities!
Easy to follow lesson plans include activity modifications and adaptations to meet the needs of all learners.
For more information, click on the graphics below:
