Winter can be a magical season, filled with snow-dusted landscapes, cozy moments, and festive cheer. However, it also comes with its challenges. Those shorter days, chilly mornings, and long stretches of gray skies can sometimes leave students feeling less energetic and motivated. It’s easy for the winter blues to creep into the classroom, but the good news is that winter classroom activities can help students stay focused while having fun.
So let’s celebrate this frosty season with activities to brighten up the classroom, boost engagement, and bring a little extra warmth to the winter months. Here are some of my favorite winter classroom activities to re-energize students and get them excited about learning, including a FREE Winter Word Ladders activity!
Winter Puzzle Pack for a Festive Brain Boost
I love using word puzzles for transitions, early finishers, or any time I want to give students a fun break that gets them thinking. Not just the typical crossword puzzle or word search, this pack has 12 unique word puzzles with a fun and festive winter theme that are always a hit with my students. They love the fun of the seasonal puzzles, and I love that they are building spelling and logic skills.
Want to check out the fun for yourself? Grab your FREE sample puzzle from this winter activity packet, and let your students give it a try!
Inspire Creativity with Picture Prompts
Unleash your students’ creativity with Winter Writing Prompts with Pictures. This resource contains a variety of engaging prompts, each accompanied by a vivid picture to spark their imaginations. Whether they’re creating a story about an unexpected snow day adventure, explaining how to build the perfect snowman, or even imagining the journey of a snowflake drifting through the air, these prompts offer endless opportunities for thoughtful responses and creative expression.
Not only do these activities provide a cozy and fun way to practice writing skills, but they also encourage students to think critically and expand their vocabulary as they bring their winter-themed ideas to life. Perfect for independent work, group activities, or even as part of a writing center, these prompts will keep your students inspired and eager to write all season long.
This versatile set of 36 winter-themed prompts includes individual projectable prompts, a paperless version, and an option to present the prompts on choice boards to allow students to choose the prompts that inspire them.
Want even more ways to inspire creative writing? Explore these ideas for using picture prompts and grab your FREE set of picture prompts to get started!
Winter Would You Rather
No lineup of winter classroom activities would be complete without a few fun rounds of Would You Rather…? Encourage critical thinking and conversation with Winter-themed Would You Rather Questions. These 50 lighthearted yet thoughtful prompts are a great way to start the day, inspire opinion writing, or energize group discussions. Students will love choosing between fun scenarios, like snow that tastes like cotton candy or icicles that taste like popsicles.
You can kickstart engaging conversations in the classroom with these prompts and then transition into a writing activity. This set of Would You Rather questions also includes a paperless writing option, making it easy to incorporate both discussion and writing practice.
Monthly Themed Activities for the Winter
For even more ways to engage students this winter, check out the Year-Long Choice Boards. This resource includes themed choice boards for each month, so you’ll have plenty of ideas for December, January, and February! Plus, when you grab the full-year bundle, you’ll receive bonus freebies like a January Fun Holidays pack with themes and activities that are sure to get students talking and thinking creatively.
These boards are a lifesaver for early finishers, sub plans, snow days, or as an easy-to-implement enrichment option. If you’re new to choice boards, discover these 7 reasons to use choice boards in the classroom.
Keep your students engaged and learning all winter!
By incorporating these winter-themed resources into your classroom, you’ll keep students engaged and energized even on the chilliest days. Plus, the seasonal flair adds a touch of fun to everyday lessons, helping everyone shake off those winter blues.
Best of all, these zero-prep digital and print-and-go winter classroom activities are perfect for those days when motivation feels low—for both students and teachers. Whether it’s a chilly morning where students need a little extra energy or an afternoon when you need a quick, ready-to-use activity, these options make it easy to jump right in without extra prep work.
Ready to add some winter fun to your classroom? Get started with this FREE Winter Word Ladder Puzzles Activity from the Winter Word Puzzles Pack!
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