Winter

A Storytime Lesson Plan for Preschool Children

Storytime Lesson Plan

"WINTER"

Psalm 74:17

(This series of lesson plans was developed and used in NSW, Australia. Some books and/or songs may not be available in your area. Please adapt these suggestions to suit your resources.)

This story time lesson for preschool age children highlights some of the "coolest" aspects of winter: ice and snow! In addition to some neat winter stories, snowy games, and art, this lesson plan even presents a basic gospel message.

I. Introduction: Show pictures of snowy scenes. Find pictures of your own or from the library that show some of the extremes in winter weather: ice encrusted lampposts, glaciers, or blizzards. Then show some of the more serene winter scenes such as outdoor ice skating, snow skiing, or children making snow angels. Discuss with the children some of the experiences they've had in the snow.

Have a prepared snowman for the children to see and explore. A couple of days prior to the storytime, pour water into two round balloons. Make one larger than the other, and place in the freezer. On the day of the lesson, take the frozen balloons out of the freezer and carefully remove the balloons from the ice. Place the larger of the frozen balls in the bottom of a shallow baking dish or pan, then place the smaller frozen ball on top. It might help to place a little water on the lower ice ball in order to facilitate the two sticking together. You now have a small frozen snowman. You can freeze three balls for a more traditional looking snowman, but extra care needs to be taken to make sure the three balls stick together. As the snowman begins to melt, it will become more sturdy. Cut some accessories out of felt for the snowman. Wrap a felt scarf around his neck, place three round black felt buttons on his tummy, and make little eyes, a nose and a mouth. If you have a little hat that fits, use it. The children will be fascinated and will see that "A Little Bit Of Winter" (today's story) really does bite!