Kindergarten teachers know that students need to be taught every single routine and expectation for their day. We are so good at doing this in the beginning of the year when everything is new and then we don’t have to do this as much. We forget a little bit. And then… it snows. Just like all routines, teachers need to explicitly teach students what we expect of them when they are getting ready for recess in the snow.
Even more important though, is teaching students how to get ready to play in the snow. Some students may not have ever seen snow before if they moved and won’t know how to get ready for the snow. Other students may have never had to get ready for the snow by themselves. This blog post will go over exactly how to teach your students how to get ready for the snow and then what the expectations are for snow play.
The first snowstorm
Be warned. The first time it snows, kids will get excited. Very excited. Plan ahead of time for this. Give them lots of time to get settled into the day – start your day with simple play activities (see fun winter-related activities here!).
Offer a chance for them to share their excitement in morning meeting– maybe even meet them in their excitement by doing a snowball greeting! (Write their names on a post-it note and then crumple it up and throw it into the middle of the circle. Take turns picking up a “snowball” and greeting the person whose name is on the sticky note. Then that person gets to take a turn picking a new “snowball!”). And then, whatever you have planned before the kids go out to recess… cancel it or shorten it. You’ll need the time to explicitly and slowly teach them how to get ready for recess.
It will also be important to let parents know the day before or the morning of the first snowfall what the school’s expectations are around winter gear. For example, at my school, a child will need snow boots, snow pants, a jacket, and gloves/mittens in order to play on the snow and structure. Otherwise, the rule is they have to stay on the hardtop (which is shoveled).
Modeling Getting Dressed for Winter
I like having visuals for my students for what the steps are for getting ready for recess in the snow, which is why I use this checklist. You can get it here. I also usually have one student who I know has all the winter gear model for everyone how to get ready. They come to the front of the rug with their big back of winter gear, and this is how I teach everyone how to get dressed for winter.
We start by taking shoes off – it’s important to tell students where to put their shoes, or else they will end up on the floor getting kicked around or stepped on. Then, students should put on their snow pants BEFORE putting on their snow boots. After snow pants and snow boots, the next step is a winter jacket, hat, and/or scarf. I make a big point for students to zip up their coats BEFORE they put on their mittens or gloves. Otherwise, they won’t be able to zip up themselves, and you’ll have 10+ kids coming to you asking for help.
After one student models for everyone how to get dressed for winter, I invite everyone into the classroom with their winter gear to follow along the slideshow (you can get it here) and practice getting dressed. This is why you want to leave a solid chunk of time free before recess (I’m talking like 20 minutes). While you will get a lot of students asking for your help, don’t give in! Have them take their time and try it themselves first before you jump in to help them. We want to encourage as much independence as possible.
Expectations for Snow Play
When you are talking about getting dressed for the snow, you should also talk about any rules and expectations your school has for playing in the snow. Just like with regular recess time, there will be fewer misbehaviors if students know exactly what is expected of them and what their options are to play. Can they sled down a hill? Can they throw snowballs? I’m sure that each school has their own rules. Make it clear to your students what they are before going outside to recess.
Coming Back in from Recess
Before students leave for recess, make sure they know what is expected of them for returning from recess. Where should they put their wet snow boots and snow gear? Should they change back into sneakers and take all their winter gear off? Do they have a place to stomp their feet to shake off the extra snow and ice? These are all individual to each classroom and school. Take the time to decide some of these questions. Before students leave they should know exactly what to do when they come back.
Leave LOTS of Time
Getting ready for recess in the wintertime takes at least 5-10 minutes more than normal. This is especially true at the beginning of the winter when students are just getting used to all the steps they have to take. Leave lots of extra time for them to get ready before recess begins. As they get better, you can then shorten the transition time.
Tips for Independence
Use a visual checklist to hang nearby where students are getting ready for recess. I hang a checklist inside each student’s locker. Next time students need to get ready for recess, instead of telling them what to do step by step, ask them, “What’s first? What’s next?” If they don’t remember, ask, “Where can you find out what’s next?” If you have a student who needs more support completing the checklists, you can laminate these sheets or put them in a sheet protector and then use dry-erase markers to check off each step. If time is really becoming an issue, you can set visual timers for each step or for the routine to be completed.
Conclusion
Getting ready for recess in the snow doesn’t have to be a chaotic disaster each day! You can proactively teach students the expectations for getting ready to play in the snow and model for them each step of the process. This will help students to be more independent. Plus, it will help avoid 20 kids rushing up to you to ask you for help! That’s what I call a win-win! You can get all of the visuals mentioned in this blog post here!