As the chilly winter season sets in, it’s the perfect time to create a cozy and enriching environment for our youngest learners to explore the wonders of early literacy. Engaging children in winter-themed literacy activities not only fosters a love for reading and language, but also enhances their cognitive and motor skills and embeds opportunities to talk about science and math concepts. Winter literacy activities provide a highly engaging way for young children to interact with language and create lasting memories that lay the foundation for a lifelong love of reading, writing and learning. Let’s explore some ideas designed for children from birth to five years old:
- Winter Storytime (Birth to 5):
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- Set up a cozy reading nook with blankets and pillows.
- Fill the nook winter-themed books appropriate for different age levels.
- Check out this resource with a downloadable list for ideas: https://blog.allaboutlearningpress.com/picture-books-for-winter/
- Snuggle up in the nook and talk about the books’ pictures and read aloud, emphasizing the joy of storytelling.
- Winter songs and fingerplays (Birth to 5)
- Sing winter themed songs and fingerplays during your daily routines and activities. What a great way to soothe a baby during a restless diaper change, help redirect a toddler, and engage with a preschooler while developing their literacy skills.
- Check out this resource with seasonal song and fingerplay suggestions: https://laptimesongs.com/seasons/
- Sensory Snow Writing (Ages 2-4):
- Fill a shallow tray with real snow, fake snow or flour.
- Invite children to use their fingers or small tools to write letters or draw shapes in the sensory material.
- Include lots of different scooping, pouring, and filling items.
- Talk about how the material feels and what the children are doing- extend and expand on their ideas.
- Snowflake Letter Hunt (Ages 2-5):
- Cut out paper snowflakes and write letters on them.
- Let children decorate the snowflakes with writing tools.
- Hide the snowflakes around the room or play area.
- Encourage children to find snowflakes and identify letters.
Hot Cocoa Rhymes (Ages 3-5):
- Create winter themed rhyming word picture cards.
- Have children match rhyming pairs while enjoying pretend or real hot cocoa.
- Think of all the fun you could have with marshmallows! Create a picture with them and have children tell you about their creation.
- Talk about what happens to marshmallows when they are in hot cocoa.
- Frozen Alphabet (Ages 3-5):
- Freeze alphabet letters in ice cube trays.
- Provide warm water and tools for children to “rescue” the letters while naming letters and talking about what is happening.
- Winter Vocabulary Scavenger Hunt (Ages 3-5):
- Create a list of winter-themed pictures.
- Have children search for and collect items associated with each picture (e.g., something red for the red sled picture).
- Winter Word Wall (Ages 4-5):
- Introduce a winter-themed word wall with words like snow, mittens, snowman, etc.
- Encourage children to use these words in sentences or stories and point out when they hear them in a read aloud or see them in a book.
- Introduce a winter-themed word wall with words like snow, mittens, snowman, etc.
- Frosty Phonics (Ages 4-5):
- Provide word cards and foam or magnetic letters to build simple words related to winter.
- Support children to say the letter sounds and the word.
Adapting winter literacy activities for children with identified special needs requires consideration to ensure inclusivity and engagement. For children with sensory sensitivities, consider using alternative materials for activities like sensory snow writing, such as soft fabrics or foam, providing a tactile experience without overwhelming stimuli. For those with mobility challenges, modify activities like the Frozen Alphabet by adjusting the height or location of the frozen letters, allowing easy access for all children. Flexibility and individualized support are key, and asking family members or specialists for input to meet a child’s specific needs and preferences will help create a warm and inclusive environment for every child to participate and enjoy the winter literacy experiences.
Lynne Hall, Research Associate, 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, equity in early childhood education, and inclusive classroom practices.
Email her at hallma@iu.edu
Engaging young children in culturally responsive literacy activities during the holiday season not only promotes their literacy development, but also fosters a sense of cultural awareness and appreciation for diversity. Let’s consider a variety of culturally responsive early literacy holiday activities for our youngest learners:
decorations or crafts that reflect their cultural backgrounds. If age appropriate, prompt children to narrate a short story or describe the significance of the symbols and colors they chose while they work on their projects. This hands-on approach not only enhances fine motor skills but also allows children to express themselves verbally.
Activity 5: Cultural Dress-Up and Role Play
Emergent literacy generally occurs during the first two years of life. But remember, chronological ages are very general guidelines and all children develop at their own pace. For more information on the early literacy stages, please visit this previous blog post: 
Children typically become pre readers and writers at about the age of five. During this stage, they will exhibit more advanced reading and writing abilities. You can support their phonological and phonemic awareness by continuing all of the activities you were doing when they were in the early reading and writing stage while placing more emphasis on things like: 
something that starts with the same sound as bucket?, and let them search for an item.
Children in the early reading and writing stage are usually between 3 and 4 years of age, but this is a very general guideline because all children develop at their own pace. Here are some strategies to support phonological and phonemic awareness with early readers and writers:
October is National Dyslexia Awareness Month.
differences associated with dyslexia.
High Five skill # 5, early writing, doesn’t begin when children can hold writing/drawing instruments. It begins in infancy as we work to develop the precursory skills children need to engage in writing activities. Writing engages the brain in unique ways that support memory and meaning making that can’t be duplicated by using technology. Research also connects the development of writing skills with the development of reading skills ( 2010, Carnegie Corporation). Let’s explore some strategies that foster writing skills during early childhood.
Language skills are the basis of writing. Engaging children in conversations, reading to them regularly, encouraging them to describe their thoughts and experiences, expanding their vocabulary and language understanding supports their ability to express themselves through writing. See this previous blog post for more information on developing oral language skills: 
between letters, their sounds, and their written forms. See this previous blog post about building children’s alphabet knowledge: 
Sensory experiences consist of various textures, materials, and mediums. Exploring finger paint, shaving cream, sand, molding dough, etc. enhance children’s tactile perception and understanding of shapes and patterns.
High Five Skill # 4, oral language, is a fundamental tool for communication and expression that supports children’s cognitive, social and emotional development. Birth to five years is an important period for fostering oral language skills. During these early years, adults play a vital role in creating literacy rich environments that support language skills. Let’s explore some strategies and activities that nurture oral language development from infancy to preschool.
exchange ideas, and use language to negotiate and collaborate during play.
Concepts of print, including understanding how to hold a book, knowing how to track print from left to right, and recognizing letters and words on a page, are essential precursors to reading. Supporting young children to develop concepts of print is crucial to their literacy development. Here are some effective strategies for supporting young children to learn concepts of print.