When you think of winter, you might see yourself snuggled up by a fire, sipping hot cocoa, and watching the snow fall… 

Or trekking through wintry hills in search of the perfect place to launch your sled… 

Or bundling in layers of sweaters, coats, scarves, and gloves to go ice skating on the frozen pond in the park. 

However you like to welcome winter, you’ll find winter-themed words that describe the attire, activities, natural elements, and more in this charming game of dominoes!    

Welcome Wonderful Winter in Words & Pictures 

We created this resource as a fun brain break or indoor recess activity for your students to play during the cold, winter months. 

To play, students take turns matching each end of the dominoes with the words and pictures that fit the sequence. 

For example, if a player were to lay down the “fire | 🐧 ” domino, the next player would lay the 🔥 card on the left or “penguin” on the right. Gameplay continues in this manner until all of the dominoes have been played.

The winter words represented in this activity are:

beanie coat earmuffs fire gingerbread man holiday card holly hot cocoa ice skate

icicles igloo mittens penguin polar bear reindeer scarf skiing sled

snow boots snow globe snowsuit snowballs snowflake snowing snowman socks sweater tree

Scaffolding + Extension Tips 

Support students who need help understanding the concepts by encouraging students to work in teams. 

Challenge fast finishers to sort the words into categories like clothing, animals, activities, food, etc. Have students create lists by writing the words on a sheet of paper. 

Get our 10 Best Scaffolding Strategies here! 

And For An Extra Helping Of Winter Cheer…

We suggest using this game in the following ways: 

☃️ Odd (Snow)Man Out

Place 3 cards at each station, making sure 2 cards create a matching set, and the 3rd card is different. Student pairs will rotate through each station and match the winter words. Remind students to reshuffle the cards before moving on to the next station. 

🔗 Winter Words Human Chain 

Provide each student in your class with a domino. Challenge the students to find their other halves, creating one long chain of dominoes. For an extra challenge, ask the students to complete the task in silence!

✂️ Upcycle Into Playing Cards

Turn this game into a deck of cards! Break out your scissors and cut up the cards in half. Students can play games like Match It, Go Fish, or Snap (to name a few). 

Easily Prepare This Resource for Your Students

Print on cardstock for added durability and longevity. Place all pieces in a folder or large envelope for easy access. 

Before You Download

Use the dropdown icon on the Download button to choose between the PDF or Google Slides version of this resource. 

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This resource was created by Lindsey Phillips, a teacher in Michigan and Teach Starter Collaborator. 

 

Check out more activities to bring the cold outdoors into the warmth of your classroom!