Reading and crafting are a great way to support literacy in your classroom. These four winter-inspired books and crafts will not only warm up your students’ hands, hearts, and minds, but they’ll also help them remain engaged in the classroom, no matter how cold and blustery it is outside.

1. Pug's Snow Day and the Super-Soft Snowball Craft

Young readers will delight in the graphic novel, Pug's Snow Day: A Branches Book (Diary of a Pug #2). Bub the pug does not like the snow — it's slippery, freezing cold, and wet! Read to your students and find out if Bub is able to get past his fear of snow. With this Super-Soft Snowball Craft, students make a snowball and visualize the snow that Bub, and his human Bella, encounter on a frosty winter day.

What you need:

• White yarn
  
• Scissors

What you do:

• Instruct students to hold up one hand with their fingers slightly spread apart, and then ask them to wrap one long piece of yarn around their fingers 40 times. (You may need to help students keep their thumbs out of the way.)
• Ask students to carefully slide their hands out of the roll. Then, help them tie a small piece of yarn horizontally around the center of the roll to create loops on each side. (It should look like a butterfly.)
• Students can now cut open all of the loop holes on each side.
• Have them spread the yarn apart and fluff it out to create an even snowball look all around!

2. The Biggest Snowman Ever and the Snowman Ornament Craft

In The Biggest Ever: The Biggest Snowman Ever, by Steven Kroll, Clayton and Desmond realize that great things happen when they work as a team. With this Snowman Ornament Craft, inspire your students to work together and try their hand at making the biggest snowman ornament ever!

What you need:

• White paper cut out in circles (3 different sizes) 
• Black paper
• Colorful markers
• Black markers
• Glue
• Googly eyes
• 8-inch strip of ribbon
• 5 craft sticks

What you do:

• Ask students to glue 3 craft sticks vertically using a strong-hold glue. Lay the sticks on a flat surface and allow the glue to dry.
• Glue the white paper cut out in circles onto the sticks. The largest circle should be on the bottom and the smallest on top. 
• Cut a top hat with black paper and glue it on the top of the snowman.
• Glue 2 craft sticks horizontally on each side to create the arms of the snowman. 
• Glue the ribbon to create a scarf right below the head of the snowman. 
• Glue 2 googly eyes just below the brim of the hat. 
• Once the glue has dried, encourage students to use markers to decorate their snowman. This could be its nose, smile, and winter accessories. 

3. The Winter Wish and the Winter Wishes Mobile

In The Wish Tree, by Kyo Maclear, Charles goes on an adventure in the woods to find the wish tree. Along the way, Charles encounters heartwarming experiences and friends that help him realize that wishes come true in the most unexpected of ways. Create a Winter Wishes Mobile so that your students can share their own winter wishes with the class.

What you need:

• White printer paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• Glitter (white or silver)
• Yarn or ribbon
• Black markers
• Sturdy branches or wooden rods

What you do:

• Pass around 2 to 3 sheets of white printer paper to each student. Show them how to carefully fold and cut a snowflake.
• Encourage students to write their own winter wishes in the center of their snowflakes using black marker. Add white or silver glitter to the edges for an extra shine.
• Once the snowflakes are dry, collect and fasten them to colorful yarn or ribbon. Then, tie them to the branch or rod at different lengths so the snowflakes hang like falling snow.

4. A Flower in the Snow and Recycled Egg Carton Flowers

In A Flower in the Snow, by Tracey Corderoy, young readers learn that every flower fades — even one that magically springs up from below the icy tundra. But with these Recycled Egg Carton Flowers, your students won’t have to go far to find flowers that blossom and hold their vibrant color all winter long. Read to find out if Luna and Bear will get their sunshine flower while your students create their very own! 

What you need: 

• Egg carton
• Scissors
• Craft paint
• Paintbrushes
• Paper clip, skewer, or pencil
• Pipe cleaner

What you do:

• Instruct students to cut up an egg carton, separating the cups from the pyramid-shaped center pieces.
• To create petals, encourage students to trim the edges of the egg carton cups and cut notches from the edge of the cup into the center.
• Ask students to repeat this process for the flower centers or they replace it with the pyramid-shaped pieces.
• Students can now paint both parts of the flower, front and back. Let dry completely.
• Using a paper clip, pencil, or skewer, help students poke 2 holes in the center of each piece of the flower. Next, thread the pipe cleaner through the holes to attach the flower center to the petals. Pull the pipe cleaner taut and twist to secure.

Whether students create a snowball that will never melt or a mobile that shares their greatest winter wishes, there’s always a clever and crafty way to engage students this winter season! 

Looking for more winter book inspiration? Check out our favorite snow stories below. You can find all books and activities at The Teacher Store.