Mitten matching is a game that lets preschoolers practice their sorting skills. Obtain a variety of pairs of matching mittens by asking children to bring in mittens from home. Alternatively, buy pairs of mittens at a thrift store. Create a clothesline by attaching a piece of yarn or string to the wall with thumbtacks. Mix up the mittens and lay them out randomly on the floor beneath the clothesline. Provide a pile of clothespins. Encourage children to find mitten pairs and to use the clothespins to hang those mittens in pairs on the clothesline.
Trace mitten patterns on sturdy paper such as construction paper or card stock. Cover the craft table in butcher paper. Lay out shallow dishes of paint in a variety of colors. Preschoolers can use child-safe scissors to cut out mittens. Provide each preschooler with a container and a lid and instruct children to put their mittens in their jars. Give each child several marbles. Show the preschoolers how to dip marbles into paint and put them into the container. Put the lid on the container very tightly and encourage the children shake it. The marbles create designs on the mittens.
Read picture books to preschool children on the subject of mittens. Some age-appropriate books for preschoolers are "The Mitten" by Jan Brett, "The Mystery of the Missing Red Mitten" by Steven Kellogg or "Three Little Kittens" by Paul Galdone. Invite children to bring in their mittens and wear them during the group reading. After reading stories about mittens, discuss topics related to mittens. Ask them to describe their mittens, the purpose of mittens, their favorite pair of mittens, and if they have ever lost their mittens.
Sensory activities help preschoolers discover new textures and enhance their perceptions of their environment. Fill a sensory table or other container with snow or crushed ice. Provide mittens in a variety of styles and fabrics. Encourage children to put different mittens on their hands and explore the snow. Discuss how the snow felt with the mittens on. Investigate which mittens are warmer. Talk about which mittens were water-resistant. Record the preschoolers' observations on a whiteboard or chalkboard.