12 January Activities for Kindergarten

Here’s a look at the literacy portion of my January Math and Literacy Centers! These centers cover skills from beginning sounds, CVC words, sight words, short vowel sounds and sentence building! I put these out in our literacy tubs and the kiddos choose which centers they want to do. You can read more about how I run my literacy centers {here}.

In this center, the students will practice reading their CVC words by matching the words on the marshmallows with the pictures on the hot chocolate.

I also made some beginning sound marshmallows for the kiddos who aren’t quite ready for CVC words yet.

Then they complete the corresponding recording sheet {which I stick in write and wipe pockets or sheet protectors}.

 Colorful Mittens:

This is a fun way to practice sentence structure using sight words and color words. The kiddos build a sentence and then match the correct color mitten to the sentence.

To differentiate, I leave out several recording sheets to meet my students’ needs. One of them requires the students to trace the sight words and color the mittens the correct color, another one has them write the sight words and color the mittens, while the last one has them write the whole sentence on their own.

Slippery Sight Words:

This center is to practice reading and matching sight words. They will match the penguins with the correct ice block, then write the words on the recording sheet.

Snowball Sort:

We’re really working on identifying medial sounds in our CVC words! Vowel sounds sure are tough!! The kiddos will sort the snowballs into the right pail by listening to the middle sound.

The recording sheet has them write the correct vowel in each box. My fast finishers will use the words and write sentences on a whiteboard when they’re done.

Here’s a look at the math centers included in my unit as well as a look at how I differentiate each center!

Scooping Snowballs:

This activity can be used to practice one-to-one correspondence by having your students scoop “snowballs” onto the mitten and count how many they scooped.

To differentiate, I also included a recording sheet for your students to identify the partners and the sum of the snowballs {you would just want to have them use two colors for manipulatives instead of several colors}

Cold Weather Counting:

Match the objects to the numbers 1-10.

To differentiate, have your students match the tally marks too!

Spinning Snowflakes:

Have your students spin the spinner {using a paperclip and pencil, or a spinner if you have one} and record the number of snowflakes they spun.

To differentiate, have your students spin the spinner twice and add the numbers together!

Or, spin the spinner and subtract from 10.

Cocoa Cover Up:

My students love to play these fun partner games. They can either practice adding with the dice together, or practice adding with number cubes. I made the number cubes from foam cubes I found at the Dollar Tree!

Slip n’ Slide:

This is a fun activity to practice number order with numbers 1-20. After the kiddos put the penguins in order, they can use the recording sheet to trace the numbers 1-20.

To differentiate, have your students write the numbers on their own.

Before and After Boogie:

Using the penguin number cards, your kiddos can pick a penguin number and identify the numbers that come before and after it. They can use the recording sheet with the number line to help them.

Or, for more of a challenge, use a recording sheet with no number line!

Snowman Ten Frames:

Have your students match the numbers 1-10 to their ten frames.

Or, teen numbers if you’re working on those!

I stick all of these centers in our math tubs and slide the recording sheets into write and wipe pockets {or sheet protectors}. This way my students can visit the centers more than one time, and we aren’t wasting paper!