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January 16, 2013

Activity Suggestions

Here are some additional activities that will enhance Mitten Week!

 

A Mitten Mixer

A few days in advance, gather enough real or paper mittens to have one for each child. As students enter your room on the first day of your mittens unit, give each child one mitten to hold. When everyone has arrived, ask each child to find the person who is holding the mate to his mitten. Once everyone has found his mate, have the partners sit facing one another. The leader (pa

rtners should take turns) then performs a series of movements using his mitten, such as placing the mitten on his head, putting the mitten on his hand & waving, or tapping the mitten on his nose. His partner copies the same movement, simulating a mirror image!

snow mittens

Why Mittens?

As a group, discuss the reasons why people wear mittens. Ask the children to brainstorm a list of other winter clothing that protects people from the cold, then try this hands-on experiment: Hand each child an ice cube – first in her bare hands, then while wearing a pair of mittens. Ask her to describe the difference in how her hands felt while holding the ice with and without mittens. After all the children have participated in the ice cube activity, teach them this song about the purpose of mittens.

Mittens Feel So Nice

(to the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat)

Warm, warm, warm & snug –

Mittens feel so nice!

So grab a pair in chilly air

Or in the snow and ice!

Musical Mitten Match-Ups

Gather enough pairs of real or paper mittens for each child in your class to have one mitten. During circle time, place one mitten from each pair on the floor in the center of the circle; put the mates in a box or basket. Give one child a mitten from the box or basket & have him search for the mate while his classmates sing this song:

Each Mitten has a Mate

Each mitten has a mate, has a mate.

Each mitten has a mate, has a mate.

Can (child’s name) find the pair?

(He/she) is looking here and there.

Can (child’s name) find the mate,

Find the mate?

Mitten Manipulatives

Laminate a classroom set of construction paper mittens in assorted colors, then use them for any or all of the following activities:

  • Invite students to sort the mittens by color, size or design.
  • Invite students to create color patterns using the mittens. Label matching sets of mittens with upper and lower case letters, numerals and the corresponding number of dots, shapes, or any other basic skill you wish to have the children practice.