Trace a mitten pattern on felt. The pattern should be slightly larger than the hands of the largest child. Trace four mitten shapes for each child. Have the children cut out the shapes using age-appropriate scissors. Teachers may cut out the shapes for younger children who have difficulty cutting through felt safely. Have the children glue two shapes together around the edges, leaving the bottom open. Allow the glue to dry.
Create a worksheet using pairs of mittens in different patterns, such as dotted, checked, striped and solid. You may also print out a worksheet from an educational website such as Enchanted Learning. Have the children color the mittens according to the mittens' pattern. For example, they could color the striped mittens orange. Then ask the children to count the mittens of each color.
This activity is based on the Ukrainian folktale "The Mitten," but it can be completed without reading the story. Worksheets are available online, but you can create your own. Provide each child with a sheet of paper, placed horizontally. Ask them to draw a line down the middle. Ask the children to draw an empty mitten on one side of the page, then a mitten with animals inside on the other side of the page. To compare the mittens, ask the students, "Which mitten looks heavier? Which mitten looks lighter? Which one is lumpier?"
Hang a clothesline and attach clothespins. Cut out mitten shapes from different colors of construction paper. Provide each child with at least one pair of mittens. Have them to decorate each pair with the same pattern, using markers, sequins or glitter. After any glue has dried, mix up the mittens and have the children find the matching pairs and hang them on the line.