Here are some of our favorite books for a winter theme, using non-holiday winter books! If you live in the Southern Hemisphere, check out our favorite books for a summer theme. We also have favorite books for a fall theme and favorite books for an autumn theme (focusing on favorite books for a general fall theme but ones that are perfect for our fall scavenger hunt unit). Favorite books for an autumn theme especially focuses on autumn leaves and general autumn themes that work well in both Europe (where the term “autumn” is used more than “fall”) and North America.
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Just choose books based on your child’s age and what you think will engage your child’s interest. I recommend checking out the “Read Sample” feature on Amazon and reading reviews there. Another place to learn about a book is on YouTube. You can typically see the entire book there.
Montessori-friendly books use photos or realistic illustrations. They don’t have talking animals or a lot of fantasy. But many books that have fantasy and talking animals are wonderful books, and I love sharing them with children who understand the difference between fantasy and reality.
For toddlers and preschoolers, about ¾ of the books I use are typically Montessori friendly (focusing on reality without smiling or talking animals or smiling or talking vehicles). For this post, I’m featuring lots of Montessori-friendly books (except Snowmen at Work, which is one of my 6-year-old grandson’s very favorites!)
Books for a Winter Theme
Books for a Winter Theme
I’m featuring books here for an winter theme for preschoolers through elementary-age kids.
Top Shelf of Forward -Facing Display:
- The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice has lots of science and history information about the Winter Solstice. Recommended for ages 6-9.
- Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter is a Montessori-friendly book from a series that I love. It’s recommended for ages 3-6 and tells the story of a brother and sister who walk through their town and welcome the signs of winter. When you near the end of winter, don’t miss Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring!
- What Can You See in Winter? It’s a simple emergent reader with photographs of a variety of things traditionally seen in winter, such as “You can see snow. You can see snowballs.” Each page has one photograph and one sentence. It’s recommended for ages 4-6, but especially like it for toddlers, young preschoolers, and readers who will benefit from an emergent reader.
2nd Shelf:
- I often include Gail Gibbons’ books in my unit studies. It’s Snowing!, like Gail Gibbons’ other books, is gives a lot of information in an easily understood way.
- Snow Is Falling is from another easily-understood science series I often use. It’s recommended for ages 4-8.
- Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley was the first known photographer of snowflakes, and the book Snowflake Bentley won the 1999 Caldecott Medal.
3rd Shelf:
- Winter is Here is recommended for ages 4-8, but I prefer it for ages 2-5. It’s a sweet, Montessori-friendly book that gives a gentle, rhythmic introduction to winter.
- Winter Wonderland is a Montessori-friendly National Geographic book with gorgeous photographs. It’s recommended for ages 4-8, although I like it best for ages 3-5 or 3-6.
- Another of the wonderful Montessori-friendly books we used is The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter’s Wonder. It has an understandable explanation of snow crystals along with stunning photographs of actual snow crystals.
4th Shelf:
- Tracks in the Snow is a simple, sweet book about a little girl following the tracks outside her window. It’s recommended for ages 2-6, although I especially like it for older toddlers and young preschoolers.
- Animals in Winter (Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out-Science) is an easy-to-understand Montessori-friendly book recommended for ages 4-8.
- Over and Under the Snow. The book is a realistic story with a bit of the science of hibernation. It’s a great way to start a discussion about why certain animals aren’t seen in winter in various parts of the world.
Bottom Shelf
- Owl Moon is a gorgeous Montessori-friendly book that won the Caldecott Medal in 1988. It’s recommended for ages 3-7.
- Reading The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats is one of my favorite ways to reinforce the concept of winter. This classic multicultural story won the Caldecott medal in 1963. It’s a wonderful book for children ages 2-5. I enjoyed using it when I owned a Montessori school in the 1980s and with my now-adult kids. I still have the copy from when my kids were little. Now my grandkids are enjoying it!
- Snowmen at Work (My 6-year-old grandson, Caleb, absolutely loves this entire series.)
On the other side of the room, I also have a book basket with The Snowy Nap, The Mitten, Ten Ways to Hear Snow, and a number of our other favorite books from winter units.
You can see many winter books books here: Winter Books for Kids (including books as they’re published)
More Winter Resources
Winter Montessori-Inspired Products on Etsy
Free Winter Printables and Montessori-Inspired Winter Activities
Free Winter Scavenger Hunt Printables and Montessori-Inspired Activities
- Montessori-Inspired Snowman Color Activities Using Free Printables
- Montessori-Inspired Snowman Letter Activities Using Free Printables
- Montessori-Inspired Winter Activities
- Montessori-Inspired Winter Playdough Activities
- Montessori-Inspired Winter Math Activities
- 25+ Snow-Themed Sensory Tubs
- Free Mitten Printables and Montessori-Inspired Mitten Activities
- Free Winter Songs and Rhymes for Circle Time
- Simple Snowman Sensory Bin {A Fun Way to Work on Essential Skills for Toddlers and Preschoolers
- Free Snowman Printables and Montessori-Inspired Snowman Activities
- Montessori-Inspired Winter Themes and Activities
- Teaching Toddlers about Winter with the Montessori 3-Period Lesson and Activities
- Free Snowflake Printables and Montessori-Inspired Snowflake Activities
- The Snowy Day Eggshell Crushing and Pin Poking Activity
- Montessori-Inspired Winter Activities with Spielgaben {Free Printables}
- Free Winter Playdough Math Pack (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Montessori-Inspired Playdough Math Activities for Winter {Free Printables}
- Simple Winter Practical Life Activities
- How to Prepare a Simple Winter Playdough Tray with Super-Soft Playdough
- Free Winter Sports Printables and Montessori-Inspired Winter Sports Activities
- Free Winter Sports Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Free Winter Sports Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Montessori Winter Activities Printables for Preschool Through Elementary from Every Star Is Different
- Free Winter Songs and Educational Videos
- Free Winter Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Free Winter Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- The Best Winter Books for Kids
- Free Guided Frozen and Winter Meditations for Kids {Mindfulness Resources}
- Free Snowperson Printables and Montessori-Inspired Snowperson Activities
- Free Snowman Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Free Snowperson Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- I Have, Who Has? Winter Art Appreciation Game Pack in Print or Cursive
- Free Snowy Day Printables and Montessori-Inspired Snowy Day Activities
- Free Sled Do-a-dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Favorite Books for a Snowy Day Theme
- Free Snowy Day Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Winter Art Appreciation – Meditation and Puzzles
- Free Evergreen Tree Printables and Montessori-Inspired Evergreen Tree Activities
- Free Evergreen Tree Songs and Educational Videos
- Free Christmas Tree Songs and Educational Videos
- Free Ice Skating Printables and Montessori-Inspired Ice Skating Activities
- Favorite Books for an Ice Skating Theme
- Kids’ Winter Activities Pinterest Board
Montessori-Inspired Winter Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).
Montessori-Inspired Snowperson Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my newsletter to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).
https://forms.aweber.com/form/50/773231250.htm
Montessori-Inspired Snowy Day Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).
Montessori-Inspired Winter Scavenger Hunt Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).
Have fun this winter!
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