Weather and Clothing Association/Winter
Self-Help Skills
From
Stormie:
Although
I'm posting ideas below as often as I can, my very favorite activities have been
reserved for my "WINTER"
booklet (see the "Stormie's Stuff for Teachers" section
of my website).
Math Learning Center Activity: "Matching Mittens":
Cut pairs of mittens from colorful wallpaper samples, mix them up, then put them
in the math center for the children to match. Remind the children to mix
them up again before leaving the area so the next person can match them.
Variation: Before going outside on a wintry day, mix all the children's
real mittens together in the center of group time and have them find their own
pair of mittens. Just be sure that the mitten pairs are all different!
By the way, do this during "M" week and it's even better reinforcement of the
alphabet as you can discuss "M stands for mitten!"
>Hang
a little clothesline (at children's eye level) somewhere in the classroom.
Then, have the children hang their matching mittens (paper or real) side by side
on the clothesline using snap clothespins (math/fine motor development).
Housekeeping Corner (Or Play Kitchen) Activity: "Winter Dress-Up":
For the month of January, keep child-sized winter clothing here so that children
can practice self-help skills: zip, button, tie, or snap coats and sweaters, and
practice putting on boots, ear muffs, scarves, hats, etc. Variation:
Gross Motor: Instead of an obstacle course, have a "Dressing Course" (do individually
or in small groups and set it up in advance): Have children hop to a table and
put on their coats, then skip to a chair and put on their boots, then jump to
their cubby and put on their hats. Setting a timer adds to the fun.
Group
Time Activity: "Learning How To Put On My Coat":
This little poem
is great for teaching children how to put on their own coats. No, it's not
the way older children and adults put their coats on but it's a good beginning
and introduction to the skill, and it's never failed me yet! Have all the
children bring their coats to group time. Show them how to lay their coats
out in front of them with the inside facing up and the neck part of the coat closest
to their bodies. Using your coat too, do this rhyme together:
My
coat is open on the floor, I sit at the tip-top,
In
the armholes go one hand then the other,
Then
it's over my head--flip,flop!
Winter or Summer: Provide a box of clothing
that has a mix of both summer and winter clothing in it. Children can sort
the items.
Warm/Cold
Weather Clothing Comparisons:
*Compare
the differences between gloves one wears to keep warm and gloves one might wear
to a fancy occasion.
*Compare
winter and summer socks.
*Compare
long and short sleeved blouses and shirts.
*Compare
jacket and coat linings versus sweaters.
>From
Kim Kristic, in Charleston, West Virginia:
I like doing a BEACH DAY in the middle of winter
to demonstrate the differences between winter and summer. The children are
encouraged to wear summer clothing (under their winter coats obviously), and I
provide an inflatable pool. All the activities and snacks are geared toward
a "Beach Day" theme. I even do "The Limbo" with the class.
>From
Kimerly Gaines: We like to add several "Mister
Rogers" type sweaters to our dress-up clothes during our "Winter"
theme.
Favorite
Books:
From
Stormie:
What Will
I Do If I Can't Tie My Shoe? by Heidi Kilgras; illustrated by Dana Regan:
This book teaches "how to tie your shoe."
>Here's
a book with activity from Ginger Craig, Staten Island:
The Jacket I Wear in the Snow, by Shirley Neitzel; Nancy
Winslow Parker, Illustrator:
In this repetitive story (which makes use of rebus pictures for easy reading by
children), a child describes the various articles of clothing she has to put on
and take off before and after playing in the snow ("This is the jacket I wear
in the snow, this is the zipper that's stuck on the jacket I wear in the snow,"
etc). This story provides a great opportunity to work on "dressing skills"
and practicing with buttons and zippers.
Activity:
I gathered each article of clothing (as close as possible to those in the story
-- differences are ok because children use their imaginations, but the scarf is
described as "wooly and red," so it should match). As I told the story I
gave each child an item to hold or wear. They could pull the gear on over
their clothes and wear the mittens or gloves, or just hold the items up.
As we repeated each item subsequent times in the story, I pointed at the child
with the appropriate article of clothing to stand up, or hold up his/her item,
and I encouraged all the children to call out the name of the clothing to help
tell the story. As the child in the story took off her gear, I had the children
do the same and place their items in my "shopping bag." The children enjoyed
the novelty of wearing snow gear indoors and they liked the interactive aspect
of it. Later, I placed the clothes in the "Dress-Up Center" so the children
could dress up on their own. (I also brought several large plastic non-separating
zippers to school that were over a foot long and are a great size for children
to manipulate -- they can be purchased at a fabric store -- or in my case, borrowed
from my mother who sews :) (They are the type of zippers used for couch
cushions.) -----------------------------
Reminder
from Stormie: If you would like to begin collecting ALL my current classroom
ideas (each on a 4 x 6" index card), as well as new ones that I create, you
can do so by ordering my "Activity Cards." Click here
to check them out.
Group
Time Activity: "Learning How To Put On My Coat":