Mittens can keep your hands warm, but they can also
make some fun games for your classroom.
Mitten Weather
Thumbs in the thumb place (Stick out thumbs.)
Fingers all together. (Put fingers together.)
This is the song
We sing in mitten weather. (Wiggle palms left and right.)
When it is cold (Wrap arms around self and shiver.)
It does not matter whether (Shake head.)
Mittens are wool (Hold out right hand.)
Or made of finest leather. (Hold out left hand.)
Mitten Applause
This
is a quiet way to teach the children to applaud. Thumbs up and palms
open facing each other. Pretend to clap stopping about 2" from each
palm as if wearing mittens.
The three little kittens may have lost their mittens, but here's a pattern so you can make your own mittens for these games.
The three little kittens may have lost their mittens, but here's a pattern so you can make your own mittens for these games.
Visual Matching
Cut
mittens out of a wallpaper book or wrapping paper. Cut two out of each
pattern and then mix them up. Give children clothespins to clip the
matching ones together. Introduce vocabulary to describe various
patterns, such as “stripes,” “checked,” “plaid,” “solid,” “polka dots,”
“animal print,” etc.
*Make mitten matching games with upper and lowercase letters or with pictures and beginning sounds.
*Make mitten matching games with antonyms or snynonyms.
*How about a matching game with math facts and answers?
Hint! Hang a piece of string between two chairs so the children can hang up their matching mittens.
Kitten Game
One
person is “Mama” or “Papa” cat. “Mama” or “Papa” go out in the hall
while the teacher selects 3-5 students to be their kittens. All
students put their heads on their desks. The students who are kittens
begin make quiet “meowing” noises. “Mama” or “Papa” cat must walk
around the room and try to identify their kittens. When a kitten is
found that student puts her hand in the air. The last kitten to be
found becomes the new “Mama” or “Papa” cat.
Mitten Art
Let
children trace around mitten patterns and cut out two. Can they
decorate the mittens with crayons or markers so they look exactly the
same? Hole punch around the sides of the mittens and sew with yarn.
Hint! Wrap the end of the yarn with tape to make it easier to sew.
The Mitten
Select
several different versions of “The Mitten” and read them to your
class. Compare and contrast stories and illustrations. Let the
children vote on their favorite.
*This is also a delightful tale to dramatize. A blanket on the floor works just fine as a mitten.
