4 fun Winter vocabulary and flashcards games that get kids moving while learning!

Here are four winter vocabulary and flashcard games that are designed to get kids moving and having fun while learning English vocabulary! They are simple to set up, require little material and can be adapted to various levels. In these games kids will throw « snowballs », ski to the board, match words, listen very careful to instructions and go as fast as possible! Perfect for warming up cold winter lessons!

Here are the flashcards, ready to be downloaded! Each pack has 3 types of cards : illustration + word, word, illustration

Winter words:

Winter clothes:

Winter sports:

Game 1 – snowballs

You will need : some paper sheets, some hoops or anything that could be used to throw paper in

1. give a sheet of paper to each child, and they write down one word related to the current topic studied in class OR print a picture on each paper and give them to each child
2. kids then crumple the papers to make snowballs, and put them in a bit pile
3. the kids take turns throwing the snowballs into the hoops and try and gain points. The closest hoop could be worth 1 point and the furthest 5 points.
4. if the paper lands in a hoop they have to open it and read out the word/ say what they can see to be able to earn their points

GAME 2 – winter sports + winter vocab

You will need : flashcards winter sports + winter vocab (with words and with illustrations)

You can do separate the two games too.

1. You can do this outside or inside. Have the kids line up in two columns at the back of the classroom. At the front, place on the board a selection of flashcards with illustrations, the same number for each team. On a table place the flashcards with the words.
2. On each turn shout out a winter sport: “skiing!”. The children at the front of the column have to go to the board whilst acting out the action! Once at the board kids have to match one word each with the correct illustration on the board.
3. The winning team is either the first one to match all the cards!

GAME 3 – winter clothes

You will need : nothing 😉

1. Get dressed in your winter clothes and go outside and stand in a big circle
2. the teacher will say a sentence containing one or multiple items of clothing or accessories, and the children with the said items will step in the circle. The teacher adapts the sentence depending on the kids’ levels : “Step in the circle if… you are wearing a red coat”.
3. you can add different sentences, like ask kids to step out of the center if they are not wearing a certain item, you can add shapes… you can also ask a child to describe another child standing in the circle. You can add summer clothes, and no child has to step in the circle. They have to listen veeeeery carefully!
4. you can also add a ball and kids have to throw the ball to a child whilst saying an item of clothing the other kid is wearing.

GAME 4 – jump, clap and spin

You will need : flashcards

Rachel, from @read.and.rhyme.with.brown.owl , has made some great reels about this game!

1. on the board draw 3 columns with 3 titles : jump, clap and spin (you can choose any actions)
2. in each column place 3 or 4 flashcards
3. all kids stand up, and when you say a word they have to do the action corresponding to each category !

Have fun !

Manon.