It's a new year with a new link up! Last year I hosted Read Aloud Wednesday, but I noticed that there were several book related link ups around on Wednesdays. So I decided to step back and consider keeping a reading link up but hosting it on a different day. I love to share great reading ideas and activities. And I would love to see what your family has been enjoying reading lately. So, on Fridays, I'll be sharing a post with favorite books and book related ideas. And I'll have a link up for you to share your book related posts as well.
Although we've had unseasonably warm weather here, in this post, I'm sharing some of our favorite winter read alouds along with links to some fun activities I've found for those books.
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The Mitten by Jan Brett
Age recommendation: 3-8
The story: Nicki loses his mitten in the cold and snowy forest. One by one forest animals take up residence inside it. The book has beautiful illustrations by the author- Jan Brett.
Activity links:
This free printable will let you print the mittens and all of the animals so that children can put each one inside the mitten as you're reading.
Scholastic has instructions for a cute lacing craft that you do with cardstock mittens.
Homeschool Preschool.net has a great sorting activity and free printables that go along with the story.
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Age recommendation: 2 and up
The story: Peter wakes up in the morning to see snow outside his apartment building window. The charming story and great illustrations tell young readers about the adventures that Peter and his friend have in the snow and the joy of a young child experiencing fun in the snow.
Activity links:
Homeschool Creations has some great free preschool printables to go along with the story.
Joyfully Weary has a fun and messy shaving cream snow activity to go along with the snowy day. There is also an ice melting experiment that would be great to try after reading the story.
Fairy Tales and Fiction by 2 has a great story map for The Snowy Day with several versions- easier, more difficult, colored, black and white. (Keep scrolling down to find it on this page.)
Snow by P.D. Eastman
Age recommendation: 3-8
The story: This is a class beginner book edited by Dr. Suess. It's such a classic that I believe I have an original that belonged to either Jason or myself. The story is timeless, following the adventures of children sledding, building snowmen, throwing snowballs, and all the other great fun that kids can have in the snow.
Activity links:
If you don't have your own snow, make some sensory snow after you read the story. Growing a Jeweled Rose has a great recipe.
Happy Hooligans has some great ideas for a Build a Snowman Activity Tray that kids can use again and again to make their snowmen.
Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton
Age recommendation: 3-7
The story: Katy is a determined little tractor. Although she acts as a snow plow in the winter, she isn't often needed in her little town that doesn't get much snow. But when a blizzard hits, Katy is ready. The illustrations in all of Virginia Lee Burton's books are excellent, and the story is a charming one that I enjoyed reading to the kids.
Activity links:
Homeschool Share has a free lapbook to use with Katy and the Big Snow.
Kids can make their own 3D snowplow with this craft from Reading Confetti.
This Reading Mama has a free printable word sort that is snow plow themed.
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost, illustrated by Susan Jeffers
Age Recommendation: 4-8
The story: This is Robert Frost's original poem illustrated beautifully. The landscape is a New England winter. The artist does an excellent job of drawing attention to parts of the landscape, and even young kids will enjoy the pictures as you read aloud the classic poem.
Activity links:
Homeschool Share has a free lapbook to accompany the book.
Life With Moore Babies has a beautiful silver foil forest craft to go along with the book.
This is another great art project based on the book from Teach With Kate.
Pick up a few of these and enjoy the cold weather with some winter read alouds.
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And now it's your turn. What is your family reading? Please link up your favorite book posts below. Link to your direct post, not your blog home page. Link up any post about favorite reads- for the kids or for yourself. You can grab a button below, and I'd love for you to share about the link up. You can find Favorite Book Fridays on my book review blog, Good Books for the Journey, as well.
Tweet: We're sharing our favorite #books. Link up current favorites from your family. Favorite Book Friday #AsWeWalk http://ctt.ec/AnxZ0+
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