Snow & Mittens

(I have to thank two of our Americorps service members, Emily R. and Tiffany J. for their help with this lesson plan!)

The Mitten by Jan Brett
One Mitten by Kristine O’Connell George
Lost. Found. By Marsha Diane Arnold
Bunny Slopes by Claudia Rueda

Opening Activity: Stretch and wave
Sing: Welcome Song: If you are happy and you know it clap your hands!

Talk: Today our theme is snow! Do you like snow? Do you like to play in the snow? Do you wear mittens to keep your hands warm? Let’s read a book about a mitten!

Read: The Mitten by Jan Brett

(Aside for parents: It is fun to find and read books about familiar objects that your children owns, such as mittens. If you would like help finding books like this, please let me know and I will be happy to help you!)

Write: Write the letter “S” on the whiteboard. Ask the kids if they know that letter.

Show them the circle I cut out of paper. Ask if they know what shape this is. Separate the circle into the two half circles. Do they know what shape that is? Show them how they can put it together to make the letter S like a puzzle. Have each child put it together like a puzzle.

(Credit: Supercharged Storytime)

(Aside for parents: Recognizing shapes is one of the first skills for children to begin writing letters. Anything that you can do to make it fun, such as cutting shapes out of paper, or recognizing shapes around their home, will help your child when they begin to recognize letters and ask for help writing letters.)

Sing: Snowflakes, Snowflakes

Snowflakes, snowflakes dance all around, (Have hands wiggle fingers and move up and down, and side to side)
Snowflakes, snowflakes touch the ground, (touch the ground with fingers)
Snowflakes, snowflakes in the air, (Fingers wiggling)
Snowflakes, snowflakes everywhere!  (Stretch arms out with fingers wiggling)

(Credit: Emily R. and Tiffany J.)

Read: One Mitten by Kristine O’Connell George using my mittens as props.

Sing: Sing 5 Little Snowmen while holding up the puppets. Ask the kids to hold up 5 fingers as you sing the rhyme, and with each verse, one of their fingers becomes folded down.

5 Little Snowmen:
5 Little snowmen all in a row,
5 little snowmen all made of snow
Out popped the sun and it shown all day (bring the sun out)
One little snowmen melted away (take one snowman away)
(Credit: Emily R. and Tiffany J.)

(Possible aside to parents: Singing rhymes that require fine motor skills, such as ones where the child needs to count their fingers and fold one finger down at a time, help them develop coordination in way that is fun because it is set to music.)

Talk: Have you ever lost something? What did you lose? Did you find it again?

Read: Lost. Found. By Marsha Diane Arnold.

Play: Find the lost snowball while asking, “Snowball, snowball cold and round! Behind which mitten can you be found?” Have kids close their eyes while I hid the snowball. They lift each mitten looking for it until they find it.

Read: Bunny Slopes by Claudia Rueda

Sing: End of Storytime Closing Song:
Tickle the Stars,
Tickle your toes,
Reach down over and tickle your nose,
Reach down low,
Reach way up high,
Storytime is over can you wave goodbye?