My pile of books I want to share with the kids always seems to grow in the winter. And, there are always new ones to add to the stack. Jan Brett’s newest book, The Snowy Nap, is begging to be read this season.
The Snowy Nap Book and Literacy Activity
Help the kids learn about the new season, enjoy a fun story, and practice letter recognition and identifying beginning sounds with this book related activity.
The literacy skills covered in this activity include:
- listening responsively to a book
- identifying details
- recognizing letters of the alphabet
- identifying beginning sounds
Materials Needed
- The Snowy Nap by Jan Brett
- Chart paper
- Markers
- Small stickers (try 1000 Stickers by Roger Priddy)
- Magnetic letters
Read the Book: The Snowy Nap
Gather the kids together and show them the front of the book, The Snowy Nap. Invite them to tell you what animals they see on the cover. Ask the children what hints are on the cover that provides clues that the season is winter.
Read the story to the children. Draw attention to the border of the pages and have the kids describe what they notice.
After reading, ask the kids to name some other animals that hibernate during the winter.
Letter Naps Book Activity
Setting Up the Snowy Nap Activity
1. On a large piece of chart paper draw small beds. You’ll want at least one bed per student in your class.
2. Place a sticker on each bed.
3. Place the chart paper on a magnetic surface next to an area where the kids will gather. You could also work on this activity by placing the poster on the floor.
4. Give each child a magnetic letter that corresponds to the beginning sound of one of the sticker pictures on the bed poster you created.
Starting the Activity
Gather the kids and ask each one to identify the letter and letter sound.
Name a picture on the first bed. As a group, identify the beginning sound. Invite the child holding the letter that represents the sound to come up and put the letter on the bed for a nap.
Continue until all of the kids have a had a chance to put a letter down for a nap.
Variations and Modifications
-Instead of beginning sounds, work on matching uppercase and lowercase letters. Place a lowercase letter on each bed and ask the kids match the correct uppercase magnetic letter.
The kids will enjoy playing this activity with a partner or small group after doing it together in a whole group setting. Also, provide the book for kids to enjoy on their own. This will give them a chance to really study the detailed illustrations.
For more winter activities, check out these resources in our store.
BIO: Jodie is the creator of Growing Book by Book. She believes that we can meet the needs of all our growing readers. She guides you through developmentally appropriate book lists, reading activities, circle time ideas and literacy-building tips for young children. Check out her Winter Preschool Songs for Circle Time. You can connect with her on Facebook and Instagram.
