Back from Winter Break Activities 5 Fun Things to Do the First Week

Blog post cover image with the text “6 Things to Do the Week After Winter Break” for teachers returning to the classroom.

The first week back from winter break can be tough for both the students and the teacher. Even though the kiddos are well-rested, they are out of their school routine. So now, I’m gathering up a few ideas and back from winter break activities.

1. After Winter Break- Resolutions and Goal-Setting

Printable New Year’s resolution writing page for students to set classroom goals.

You’re fresh off New Year’s Eve and the start of the first of the year. It’s the perfect time to teach your students about resolutions and goal-setting. To begin, one activity to do during your first week back is to celebrate resolutions! Have students set goals for the rest of the school year, either personally or at school. Within my reading flip book, you’ll find a goal-setting page just for the kiddos! This is a perfect reading comprehension activity that allows them to set goals.

New Year’s reading comprehension flip book for elementary students with reading, sorting, and writing activities.

The reading flip book comes with a reading passage, two follow up comprehension activities, and a resolutions page. This would be perfect for the first day or two after coming back from winter break.

New Years Reading Flip Book

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2. Reteach Expectations After Winter Break

Classroom behavior cards showing good and poor choices for students reviewing classroom rules.

Yes, you spent most of your August teaching your students the rules and procedures for your classroom. Don’t let a two-week winter break take away from all of that progress. Spend a few minutes a day revisiting rules and procedure lessons. This will help refresh the kids’ memories of what is acceptable behavior in the classroom! The image above is a sorting activity that kids can with a partner or a small group where they sort and discuss good choices and poor choices in the classroom.

Printable classroom rules and drill procedure worksheets for reviewing routines.

Another activity for students to do during the first week back after winter break is to write about their rules and procedures. It’s very important that students know exactly what is expected of them, especially during fire drills, lock down drills, and other emergency level school procedures. These activities can take between 5 to 15 minutes a day and will pay off greatly for the rest of the year.

Rules and procedures classroom activities for back to school with posters, discussion cards, and writing pages.

Classroom Rules & Procedures Activities

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3. Practice Speaking & Listening Activities

Classroom discussion activity cards and anchor chart for teaching communication and conversation rules to students.

Also piggybacking on idea #2, it’s also important to start day 1 in January focusing on Speaking and Listening activities. Spending 5-10 minutes a day on Speaking and Listening activities can improve morale, student relationships, student behavior, and comprehension. There are many perks. Plus, students may really struggle with listening and following directions the first few days since their routines have been thrown off the last two weeks. I have five different grade levels of Speaking and Listening activities. Links to individual grade levels are below under the next image.

Classroom speaking and listening cards labeled “Speaker” and “Listener” for discussion activities.

In the two images you see above, communication and collaboration are focused on. This can help ease students back into their school days after two weeks off for winter break. Give students activities where they can discuss with intention and listen carefully to collaborate with their peers.

Second grade speaking and listening unit with Common Core SL.2 activities, event cards, prompts, and assessments.

Speaking & Listening: Grab Your Grade Level

4. After Winter Break- Incorporate Winter

Collection of winter-themed children’s books like The Mitten, The Snowy Day, and Sneezy the Snowman.

If you’re looking for more activities to do your first week back, look for winter themed reading, writing, and math activities. The kiddos will know it’s chilly outside… there may even snow on the ground. They’re reading to start learning about winter time, whether it be nonfiction passages or simply fictional winter-themed stories. Last year, I gathered up a few great winter read-alouds. Read that blog post here. The links to these books are affiliate links to Amazon.

Winter narrative writing activity with sequencing pages showing beginning, middle, and end story structure.

(Link: Winter Writing Activities)

Teaching a focused, intensive opinion or informational writing unit the first few days after a break may not be the best idea. The kids won’t be as focused as they could possibly be for a Common Core- aligned writing unit. Ease back into the second half of the year with some fun winter narrative writing activities. Students will cut out, rearrange, and glue down steps of a story to create their own narrative winter themed writing pieces.

Winter reading comprehension passages about sledding printed on blue paper for elementary students.

(Link: Winter Differentiated Reading)

Small group can be a bit tough to manage and control when student behavior isn’t perfect. Use these winter differentiated passages to help plan out your small group time with a fun winter theme!

5. After Winter Break- Plan a Fun Experiment

Exploding snowman winter science experiment for children.

(Source: The Science Kiddo)

Hands-on science experiments with winter themes are the perfect idea for back from winter break activities to do your first week back. This experiment is an exploding snowman in a bag. First, the students will use an Alka Seltzer tab and snow. They’ll put it in a Ziploc baggy. Then, students will watch the bag swell and possibly pop. After they watch the reaction, they’ll try to figure out the scientific reasoning for this reaction.

Snow activities: Make a snow storm in a jar- FUN winter science experiment for kids.

(Link: Play Learn Grow)

Another easy, winter-themed science experiment would be the snowstorm in a jar. First, students will mix several ingredients in a jar, including baby oil, Alka Seltzer tabs again, white paint, glitter, and water. Then, students will observe how the material interact with each other, making the snowstorm in a jar occur.