During wintertime, it's easy to add "snow days" fun into your learning. Start with my snowman vowels sort freebie! Play with snowmen as you sort long vowels from short vowels in a simple phonics file folder game or classroom center. While you're at it, here's another wintery idea: Make learning fun with snowman breaks during the day.
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It's easy to set up this activity! Print out the two "children" pages and attach them to a file folder. Then, cut out the snowmen. Your student(s) should sort the snowmen into the correct side of the page. Which child made each of the snowmen? Which child made the most snowmen? I've included a recording page if you wish to have your students write down the words from the snowmen.
This activity requires kids to read the words and say them aloud to hear the sounds the words make. The long vowel snowmen have words with two-letter phonograms, such as /ea/ and /ow/, as well as silent "e" words. It's a perfect activity for kids to review phonics rules even after they've learned to read.
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Long & Short Vowels
Snowman Sort
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I based this simple activity on one of the games in one of my best sellers, Long and Short Vowels set of worksheets and center games. Check out this not-seasonal product in my Shop or at TPT if you are interested in more long and short vowels activities.
Another idea related to snowmen is to take breaks throughout the day with a snowman in mind. This is perfect for those days when your children/students really wished for a snow day and did not get one: you are still doing school! Tell them it's snowman time, and watch them smile.
I've shared two songs you could sing during "snow breaks" below.
I'm a Little Snowman (sung to the tune of I'm a Little Teapot)
I'm a little snowman, short and fat.
Here are my buttons. Here is my hat.
When there's snow and ice, I laugh and play.
When the sun comes out I melt away.
Once There was a Snowman
Once there was a snowman, snowman, snowman.
Once there was a snowman: Tall, tall, tall!
In the sun he melted, melted, melted.
In the sun he melted: Small, small, Small!
Later, you could also take a dance break to Walking in a Winter Wonderland. I don't know why it's commonly considered a holiday song: it's perfect all winter long!
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