Winter Classroom Activities: Snowy Day Ideas for Reading, Math and Brain Breaks

Snowy-Day Pickers and Games for Indoor Recess

When the weather keeps everyone inside, a few no-prep games on the board save the day.

1. Spin a brain break. The brain breaks wheel holds 12 quick activities, from jumping jacks and freeze dance to tree pose and 5 deep breaths. Edit the list to add winter moves like “skate in place.”
2. A snowman in the hat. In the Magic Name Hat, choose the Rainbow theme and pick the Snowman under “Who pops out of the hat?” for a winter look with no holiday colors.
3. Winter memory match. Paste word pairs into Memory Match and play on the big screen. Choose Teams for 2–4 teams that take turns, or Solo to count moves and time.
4. Balloon hangman. Hangman is a friendly balloon version with no gallows. Add a hint after a spaced dash, allow 4 to 10 wrong guesses (balloons), and students tap Hint when stuck.

Winter Literacy Activities and a Ready-to-Copy Word List

The word tools don’t have a winter preset that skips the holidays, but each one takes your own list. Copy the words below and paste them one per line.

Winter word list (20 words)

• snowflake
• blizzard
• icicle
• frost
• freezing
• snowball
• snowman
• sled
• mittens
• scarf
• boots
• igloo
• hot cocoa
• penguin
• polar bear
• cardinal
• hibernate
• migrate
• evergreen
• January

• Word search. Paste the list into the Word Search Generator. All 20 words fit under its 30-word limit. Choose the Medium or Large grid so every word has room, and the printable PDF includes an answer key.
• Winter bingo. In the Bingo Card Generator, a 3 × 3 card needs 9 words, so this list works as is. For 5 × 5 cards, add four or more words your class chooses to reach the 24 you need. The PDF comes with a call list.
• Word scramble with clues. The Word Scramble Generator takes up to 12 words, so paste in the clue lines below.
• Crossword. The Crossword Puzzle Maker needs a clue for every word, so use the clue lines below. It takes 3 to 20 words.

Clue lines for crosswords, scrambles and memory match (12 words)

• snowflake - A tiny ice crystal that falls from clouds
• blizzard - A storm with strong wind and lots of snow
• icicle - Frozen water hanging from a roof
• frost - Thin ice on the grass on a cold morning
• mittens - Warm hand covers without separate fingers
• scarf - Wrap it around your neck to stay warm
• igloo - A shelter built from blocks of snow
• penguin - A bird that swims but cannot fly
• polar bear - A large white bear of the Arctic
• hibernate - To spend winter in a deep, sleep-like rest
• migrate - To travel to a warmer place for winter
• evergreen - A tree that stays green all year

For more ways to practice new words, see vocabulary practice activities.

Cozy Reading and Winter Writing Prompts

Cold, dark afternoons are perfect for reading. Bring out pillows or a blanket corner and let students read in a cozy spot.

• Winter reading challenge. In the Reading Log, choose the Monthly Calendar Log, use the arrows to pick January or February, and title it “Winter Reading Challenge.” Students color a square for each day they read.
• Set a goal. Turn on the Teacher note line and type a goal like “My winter reading goal: ____ minutes a day.” Add the Parent/Guardian signature line if the log goes home.
• Reading bingo. The Reading Bingo Challenge style puts 24 reading challenges around a FREE center, with separate cards for Grades K–2 and Grades 3–8. Press Shuffle squares to give different classes a different card.

Winter writing prompts

1. Describe a snowy day using all five senses. If it doesn’t snow where you live, describe the coldest day you remember.
2. Write the steps for building a snowman, then trade with a partner who acts them out exactly as written.
3. Would you rather be a penguin or a polar bear for a day? Give three reasons.
4. Pick an animal that migrates or hibernates and explain how it gets through the winter.
5. Write a letter to a friend who lives somewhere warm, explaining what winter is like where you are.

Planning a writing piece? The graphic organizers include a Sequence Chart for how-to steps and 4-Square Writing for opinion pieces, and graphic organizers for every subject explains which to use when.

Winter Math: Snowballs, Temperatures and Snowfall Graphs

Winter math works best when the weather is the hook and the skill is the point.

• Snowball counting (K–1). Use cotton balls or crumpled paper as snowballs. Students count them onto ten frames or roll the Dice Roller and add that many to a pile.
• Temperature number line. A thermometer is a vertical number line, so temperature is a natural way to meet numbers below zero: start at 2°F, drop 5 degrees and land on −3°F.
• Graph the snowfall. Each day, record the snowfall or the high temperature, then build a bar graph on Graph Paper. Choose the Square grid with 1/2 in or 1 in squares, type a title like “Snowfall This Week” and download the PDF. No snow? Graph a class survey of favorite winter activities instead.

Winter Science Review Game Questions

Snow, ice and how animals survive the cold make great science talk.

1. Most snowflakes have how many sides or arms? 6
2. At what temperature does water freeze, in degrees Fahrenheit? 32°F (0°C)
3. Does ice sink or float in water? It floats.
4. Rain, snow, sleet and hail are all kinds of ___. Precipitation
5. What is it called when birds fly to a warmer place for the winter? Migration
6. Groundhogs spend the winter in a deep, sleep-like rest. What is it called? Hibernation
7. What thick layer of fat helps polar bears and seals stay warm? Blubber
8. Which animal lives in the Arctic: the polar bear or the penguin? The polar bear
9. What is the shortest month of the year? February
10. It was 5°F in the morning and warmed up 7 degrees. What is the temperature now? 12°F

Want tips for keeping every student thinking during the game? See review games students love.

An Indoor Recess Plan Built on Timers

Indoor recess goes smoothly when students know what comes next. Short, timed blocks keep the energy moving.

1. Move first (5 minutes). Spin the brain breaks wheel two or three times and do each activity together.
2. Choice time (15 minutes). Students pick a station: memory match, a word search, drawing or building. Start the 15-minute preset on the Classroom Timer.
3. Whole-class game (5 minutes). Play a few rounds of hangman with your winter words, or “name five winter words” with a 30 sec countdown on the Bomb Timer.
4. Clean up and settle (4 minutes). Race a short countdown to tidy up, then end with a breathing exercise.

Need groups for stations? The Group Maker lets you choose Custom group names, like Snowflakes, Mittens, Penguins and Icicles. For more ideas, see visual timers in the classroom and brain break ideas.

Calm-Down Ideas When Cabin Fever Hits

Weeks of cold weather and indoor recess leave students restless. Plan calm moments ahead instead of waiting until everyone is frazzled.

• Breathe together. The Breathing Exercise has Balloon breathing (in for 4, out for 6), Box breathing and Simple 3-3 for younger kids. Run one to three rounds after recess or before a test.
• Snowflake breathing. Students hold up a paper snowflake and breathe out slowly to make it flutter without blowing it away.
• Watch the sand. Start the 2 Min Calm Down preset on the Sensory Hourglass, and turn off Show countdown numbers so students focus on the motion.
• Move with purpose. An Active Brain Breaks video from SEL Videos & Brain Breaks gets the wiggles out.
• Keep a cozy corner. A quiet spot with books and a visual timer gives overwhelmed students a place to reset. See calm-down corner ideas to set one up.

Inclusive Winter Activities for Every Classroom

A snow-and-science theme lets every student join in, whatever their family celebrates. If you plan any holiday activities in December, check your school’s policy first.

• Keep it about the season. Snow, ice, animals, weather and cozy reading work for every family, all winter long.
• Not everyone sees snow. In warm places, compare winter where you live with winter in a snowy place, or graph temperatures instead of snowfall.
• Be aware of winter needs. Not every student has boots, mittens or a warm coat. Avoid prompts that ask what students got or where they went over break.
• Welcome every experience. Students from other places may know a very different winter. Invite sharing, but never put anyone on the spot.

Planning for the holiday season too? See Christmas classroom activities for festive ideas with winter alternatives, or look back at Thanksgiving classroom activities.

Frequently asked questions