Lesson Plan
Winter Wonderland Centers
Students will engage in choice-based activities that foster fine motor skills, introduce early literacy and numeracy concepts, and encourage creative expression within a winter and holiday theme.
These activities provide a fun and inclusive way for preschoolers to develop crucial foundational skills necessary for future academic success, while celebrating diverse winter holidays and the season.
Audience
Preschool Students (3-4 years old)
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Hands-on, choice-based learning centers.
Materials
White construction paper, Blue construction paper, Cotton balls, Glue sticks, Markers/Crayons, Pom-poms, Pipe cleaners, Beads (various colors), Yarn/String, Index cards with simple patterns, Playdough, Cookie cutters (holiday shapes), Small counters (buttons, plastic gems), Number cards (1-10), Letter cards (A-Z, focusing on common letters), Snowflake Symphony Craft Instructions, Holiday Pattern Bracelets Activity, and Winter Playdough Fun Activity
Prep
Gather and Prepare Materials
20 minutes
- Review the generated materials: Winter Wonderland Lesson Plan, Winter Wonderland Slide Deck, Snowflake Symphony Craft Instructions, Holiday Pattern Bracelets Activity, and Winter Playdough Fun Activity.
* Print and cut out any necessary templates or cards for each activity.
* Set up three distinct center stations with the required materials for each activity.
* Ensure all materials are easily accessible for small hands and organized for independent choice.
Step 1
Introduction to Centers
5 minutes
- Gather students for a brief whole-group introduction.
* Use the Winter Wonderland Slide Deck to show visuals of each center.
* Briefly explain each activity, highlighting the fun and what they will learn (e.g., 'Today we get to make sparkly snowflakes, create colorful bracelets, and play with squishy winter playdough!').
* Emphasize making a choice and rotating between activities.
Step 2
Choice Center Time
20 minutes
- Allow students to choose one of the three centers: Snowflake Symphony Craft Instructions, Holiday Pattern Bracelets Activity, or Winter Playdough Fun Activity.
* Circulate among the centers, providing support, asking open-ended questions, and encouraging engagement.
* Facilitate sharing and peer interaction.
* Gently guide students to transition to another center if they finish early or seem disengaged, or allow them to deepen their engagement in one activity.
Step 3
Clean-Up and Wrap-Up
5 minutes
- Give a 2-minute warning before clean-up.
* Guide students in putting away materials at each center.
* Gather students for a quick cool-down discussion. Ask questions like: 'What was your favorite activity today?' or 'What did you create/discover at your center?'
use Lenny to create lessons.
No credit card needed
Slide Deck
❄️ Winter Wonderland Centers! ☃️
Today we're going on a winter adventure with three fun activities to choose from!
Get ready to explore, create, and learn!
Welcome students and introduce the theme of winter and holidays. Explain that today they will get to choose fun activities!
Crafting Snowflakes!
Snowflake Symphony Craft
- Cut out a snowflake shape!
- Glue on fluffy cotton balls!
- Add glitter or markers for sparkle!
This helps your fingers get strong!
Introduce the Snowflake Symphony Craft. Explain that they will be making beautiful snowflakes. Emphasize using glue and cotton balls for a sensory experience. Connect to fine motor skills by mentioning cutting, gluing, and decorating.
Building Holiday Patterns!
Holiday Pattern Bracelets
- Choose colorful beads!
- Put them on a pipe cleaner!
- Can you make a pattern? (like red, green, red, green!)
This helps you count and make patterns!
Introduce the Holiday Pattern Bracelets activity. Explain that they will make colorful bracelets using beads and pipe cleaners. Point out the pattern cards and encourage students to make their own patterns or copy the ones provided. Connect to fine motor skills, counting, and pattern recognition.
Playing with Winter Playdough!
Winter Playdough Fun
- Squish and roll the playdough!
- Use cookie cutters to make shapes!
- Find numbers and letters in the playdough!
This helps your hands and minds learn!
Introduce the Winter Playdough Fun. Explain that they will use playdough with holiday cookie cutters, number cards, and letter cards. Encourage them to count small objects into the playdough or make letters. Connect to sensory play, fine motor, counting, and letter recognition.
Great Work, Winter Explorers!
What was your favorite activity today?
What did you create or learn?
You all did a wonderful job!
Conclude the session, inviting students to share what they liked or learned. Reinforce the skills practiced.
Activity
Snowflake Symphony Craft
Objective: Students will create a snowflake craft, developing fine motor skills and exploring shapes and textures.
Materials:
- White and blue construction paper (pre-cut into snowflake shapes if needed, or allow older/more capable students to cut their own)
- Cotton balls
- Glue sticks
- Glitter, sequins, or markers/crayons for decoration
Instructions:
- Choose Your Snowflake: Pick a white or blue snowflake shape.
- Add the Snow: Use a glue stick to put glue on your snowflake. Then, press cotton balls onto the glue to make fluffy snow!
- Decorate! Add glitter, sequins, or use markers to draw patterns and designs on your snowflake. Make it sparkly and unique!
- Show Your Art: When you are done, you can show your beautiful snowflake to a friend or hang it up to dry!
Activity
Holiday Pattern Bracelets
Objective: Students will create bracelets using beads, practicing fine motor skills, color recognition, and identifying/creating simple patterns.
Materials:
- Pipe cleaners (various colors, especially red, green, blue, silver)
- Assorted beads (various colors and shapes, larger beads for easier manipulation)
- Index cards with simple AB, AABB, ABC patterns drawn (e.g., Red-Green-Red-Green; Blue-Blue-Silver-Silver; Red-Green-Blue)
Instructions:
- Pick a Pipe Cleaner: Choose a colorful pipe cleaner for your bracelet.
- Choose Your Beads: Look at all the different colors and shapes of beads! You can pick your favorites.
- Make a Pattern! Can you make a pattern with your beads? Like red, then green, then red, then green? Look at the pattern cards if you need an idea! Put the beads onto your pipe cleaner.
- Count Your Beads: How many beads did you put on your bracelet?
- Wear Your Creation: When you have lots of beads, you can connect the ends of the pipe cleaner to wear your new bracelet!
Activity
Winter Playdough Fun
Objective: Students will engage in sensory play with playdough, enhancing fine motor skills and exploring early literacy and numeracy concepts through manipulation.
Materials:
- Winter-themed playdough (e.g., white, blue, or even scented with peppermint)
- Holiday-themed cookie cutters (e.g., snowflake, star, tree, menorah, kinara)
- Small counters (buttons, plastic gems, pinecones)
- Laminated number cards (1-10)
- Laminated letter cards (A-Z, focusing on common letters and first letters of students' names)
Instructions:
- Squish and Roll: Take some playdough and squish it! Roll it into a ball or a snake.
- Make Shapes: Use the cookie cutters to make different winter and holiday shapes in your playdough!
- Find the Numbers: Can you find a number card? Try to make that many little playdough balls, or press the number into the playdough.
- Find the Letters: Can you find a letter card? Try to make that letter with your playdough, or press a small object to outline the letter.
- Count the Counters: Put some buttons or gems into your playdough. Can you count how many you have?