Winter Online Activities for Elementary Virtual Learning

What’s more fun than learning through the winter season with winter online activities? This time of year, it can be hard for students to stay motivated. That’s why we have digital winter lesson plans that will make your classroom routines rock this season!

These activities are perfect if you’re an educator looking at going online with distance teaching during these winter months.

Slippers. Hot cocoa. A roaring fire. Regardless of snow on the ground, these are three indicators of winter. Winter is a time for us to embrace the coziness of the indoors, snuggle up with a good book, and tuck into a steaming bowl of soup. For the younger students, winter might be a great opportunity to learn to snowshoe, sled down that icy hill or build the perfect snow fort. 

We know we can’t spend all of our time outside, so here are some great online interactive resources that utilize winter online activities to practice skills across all content areas. From reading to social studies, and a few just for fun, the many facets of winter await!

Language Arts Winter Online Activities

Reading and writing go hand in hand, and taking a project approach is a great way to integrate the two subjects. Learning about other cultures helps us broaden our horizons and shift our perspectives. 

A rich winter topic for both reading and writing is Christmas Around the World. After reading about the way Argentina and Germany, for example, celebrate Christmas, a student could represent this new learning in poster form, on a Google Slide presentation, with a 3-D creation, or even in a video broadcast.

Perhaps learning about the Christmas customs of a particular country will spur further exploration of that country! Here is a great website just for young explorers!

Looking for game and activity resources to improve reading and writing skills? You’re in the right place! Complete an online crossword puzzle here. The clues are in picture form, and a red letter in the crossword puzzle indicates an incorrect answer. 

How about practicing literacy skills through a fairy tale adventure? Choose the correct words and lead the prince and princess past the dragon to each other! 

Winter Science Activities for Virtual Learning

Children are curious about so many things that adults don’t even consider….like snow! How do snowflakes form? Why is weather influenced by the equator? Which animals migrate? Harness this curiosity by using these great online materials for your young learners!

Snowflakes are gorgeous, intricate miracles. Learn more about snowflake formation here.

Maybe you think snowflakes grow at the same rate, regardless of temperature – well you’re mistaken about that! Temperature – even a variance of just a few degrees – has a big impact on snowflake formation. Check out this website to learn more!

Curious about the weather in general? Between hurricanes, tornadoes, and thunderstorms, there is a lot to learn! This website includes reading passages as well as photographs. Maybe all of this learning is inspiring a call to action! Check out this resource for activities to do at home to learn more about the many varieties of weather!

Need more info about weather, climate, and weather hazards? Here are some book sets about them!

We have third-grade science stations all about Weather & Climate for a more in-depth study!

The weather has a great influence on animals. Learn more about migration on Brainpop! Not all animals migrate, however – some hibernate. Leave it to National Geographic Kids to be the experts on hibernation! 

Do you want more information about migration and hibernation? Check out these books and videos about migration and winter animals.

If you are still meeting in person, here is a great list of holiday science activities that will motivate any student.

Social Studies Activities for Distance Learning

If you know anything about Alaska, you know that the Iditarod is a pretty big deal there! Kids can learn all about the Iditarod starting with this Scholastic resource. Learners can discover what it’s like to be a sled dog, how a legally blind female became a top musher, and all about the Junior Iditarod, for mushers ages fourteen to seventeen.

For a fun and informative read-aloud about the Iditarod, check out My Alaskan Race by Huskie Dog: Iditarod Race.

January is a great time to start your biography unit. Kick it off by studying Martin Luther King. Jr. and progress to having each student write a biography report on their famous person. This biography unit has both print and digital options!

Math Activities for Distance Learning

Math is about practice! Here are some engaging interactive games guaranteed to keep the interest of your students while they practice math skills. 

Turn on the Christmas lights in this fun game! 

Nothing screams “WINTER!” like baking…this matching activity ends with a satisfying cupcake decorating session. Bonus! Why not use this game as a rehearsal and follow it up by actually baking and frosting some cupcakes?

What time is it? Your child will be able to answer that question after applying time-telling skills in this online game. It can be customized for easier and more difficult levels, even up to five-minute increments!

Social-Emotional Learning Holiday Distance Learning Activities

Think stress and anxiety are just for big kids? Not so! Research shows our younger kids becoming just as stressed out as the older ones! This is especially true with distance learning.

How can adults handle this? The first step is to talk about and normalize stress and anxiety as something that many people go through. 

Start with this age-appropriate video from our friends at Brainpop, and follow that up with a read-aloud of Ruby Finds a Worry by Tom Percival. 

This comprehensive website offers many hands-on exercises for parents and kids to calm down.

There are so many high-quality winter online activities for kids. Enjoy these teaching ideas and resources with your elementary learners, and be sure to share these and the other wonderful resources you find with your friends and neighbors. They will thank you!