Brrr! For many of us winter is here and it can be daunting to think about how to keep young children engaged during the chilly months ahead. However, winter offers an opportunity to engage children in unique hands-on interactive seasonal-themed activities that promote early literacy skills development. Let’s explore some strategies for supporting early literacy during the winter months.
1. Read Seasonal Books
One of the most effective ways to support literacy development is through reading aloud. Reading and talking about winter themed books (fiction and non-fiction) allow children to build vocabulary and comprehension skills while enhancing their understanding of the world around them. According to a 2021 study by Rowe et al., shared reading helps children develop essential skills such as print awareness, phonological awareness, and vocabulary acquisition (Rowe et al., 2021). Books with winter themes can introduce children to new words related to the season, such as “snowflakes,” “frost,” and “hibernate,” and provide opportunities to discuss concepts like weather patterns and animals.
2. Provide Storytelling and Creative Play Opportunities
Winter-themed storytelling and imaginative play are effective ways to enhance early literacy. Activities like pretending to be winter animals, building “snowmen” out of cotton balls, or acting out scenes from a favorite winter story can help children practice narrative skills. According to a 2023 study by Patton and Rous, pretending and role-playing foster linguistic and cognitive development by encouraging children to use new vocabulary in context and think creatively (Patton & Rous, 2023). During these make-believe activities, adults can narrate children’s actions or prompt them to describe actions, emotions, and sequences to reinforce verbal communication and understanding of story structure.
3. Offer Winter Sensory Activities
Engaging young children in winter-themed sensory activities can further support literacy development by encouraging exploration through language. For instance, filling sensory bins with materials like fake snow, pine cones, or winter-themed toys creates opportunities for rich conversations between adults and children. A study by Johnson (2020) highlighted the benefits of sensory play for early literacy, as it provides children with the chance to describe textures, shapes, and actions while building their vocabulary (Johnson, 2020). These activities also encourage fine motor development, which is essential for writing skills.
4. Recite Rhymes and Poems and Sing Songs
Singing and reciting winter rhymes, songs, and poems also support budding literacy skills. Singing songs about snow or creating simple rhyming poems helps young children recognize sounds, syllables, and patterns, all of which are crucial components of phonological awareness. A 2022 study by Turner et al. found that rhyming songs promote phonemic awareness in young children, which is a strong predictor of later reading success (Turner et al., 2022). Simple songs or rhymes like “Frosty the Snowman” can engage children’s auditory discrimination skills, which are foundational to reading and writing.
Here’s a resource with some terrific winter themed ideas: https://laptimesongs.com/seasons/
5. Support Winter-Themed Writing Activities
Engaging older preschoolers in winter-themed writing activities can help strengthen early writing skills. For example, children can practice tracing letters in “snow” made from salt or sugar. According to research by Chiong et al. (2021), providing young children with frequent opportunities for writing, whether through drawing or letter formation activities, significantly boosts their literacy skills by reinforcing letter knowledge and writing habits (Chiong et al., 2021).
Integrating books, creative play, sensory activities, songs, and writing opportunities into daily routines nurtures the early literacy skills children need for later academic achievement. Research consistently shows that early literacy activities play a crucial role in a child’s cognitive and academic success, and winter-themed activities offer an enjoyable and effective way to build those skills.
For more concrete examples of winter literacy themed activities, see this previous blog post: https://blogs.iu.edu/earlyliteracy/2024/01/12/winter-literacy-wonderland/
Ensuring early literacy activities are accessible for children with special needs involves addressing their individual strengths and challenges. It is important to adopt a multisensory approach, such as incorporating visual, auditory, and tactile elements, to engage different learning preferences. For children with physical disabilities, materials should be adapted when needed and include things like large-print books, braille, or interactive apps with touch-based input. Modifications such as simplifying instructions, breaking tasks into smaller steps, and offering lots of repetition can also help children with cognitive or developmental delays fully participate in literacy experiences. For children with speech or language impairments, using picture cues, sign language, or augmentative communication devices can support understanding and expression.
Lynne Hall is a research associate at the Indiana Institute on Disability & Community’s Early Childhood Center. She holds a Master of Science in Education and an Indiana instructional teaching license (Early Childhood Education and Services; Elementary/Primary Generalist; Elementary/Intermediate Generalist). She formerly taught preschool in a variety of settings for over 15 years. Her expertise includes early literacy instruction and inclusive preschool classroom practices. Email her at hallma@iu.edu
References
Chiong, C., Shuler, C., & Thompson, K. (2021). The importance of early writing in literacy development. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 21(4), 456-474.
Johnson, S. (2020). Sensory play and language development in preschool children. Early Childhood Education Journal, 48(3), 305-314.
Patton, S. B., & Rous, A. (2023). Role play and literacy: Enhancing language skills through imaginative play. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 58, 82-95.
Rowe, M. L., Hammer, C. S., & Sussman, M. (2021). Reading aloud and its impact on early literacy skills. Reading Research Quarterly, 56(2), 210-227.
Turner, J. M., Denny, E., & Hall, A. (2022). The power of rhyme in early childhood literacy. Early Childhood Education and Development, 33(6), 1015-1029.
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