Use snowball name cards as a way to arrange your circle time seating and as a means of promoting name recognition. Cut circles out of white construction paper and print each students' name on an individual circle with a marker; if you'd like to jazz up the snowballs, embellish them with iridescent glitter. Laminate each of the cards and spread them out on the ground in the order you wish your students to sit. When students are called to circle time, they must read the names on the snowballs and sit on top of the snowball that has their names printed on them.
Incorporate music and movement into your circle time with a winter snowman-themed song. Instruct your students to stand up and sing and act out the following song, sung to "I'm a Little Teapot":
I'm a little snowman short and fat (squat down, stand back up and spread arms over belly.)
Here is my scarf and here is my hat (pretend to put on a scarf and hat.)
When the snow is falling, come and play (wiggle fingers above head.)
Build a snowman every day (pretend to build a snowman.)
If reviewing the calendar is part of your circle time, create a winter-themed calendar. Print out images of snowflakes, winter hats and mittens. On each of the images, print a number for each of the days of the month you are teaching your winter unit in. Print the numbers in a pattern: snowflake for No. 1, winter hat for No. 2, mitten for No. 3, snowflake for No. 4 and so forth. Before placing the date on the calendar, review the pattern represented by the previous numbers and ask students to identify the next shape that should come in the pattern.
Have your students sort through winter clothes during circle time. Set out a pile of different types of winter clothing; hats, gloves, scarves and ear muffs, for example. Instruct students to sort through the pile and place each of the items into piles based on the type of clothing; hats with hats, gloves with gloves and so forth. If different types of clothing are made up of the same colors, ask students to sort the clothing based on colors; for example, blue clothing with blue clothing and red clothing with red clothing.