Winter Reading Activities to Re-Engage Students
welcome back &
Happy New Year!
If you’re reading this with lukewarm coffee while trying to remember what day it is, I see you. The holidays are over, your classroom probably still has a rogue candy cane wrapper stuck to something, and you’re wondering how to get your students back into learning mode.
Here’s the good news: the post-holiday quiet is actually the perfect time to reboot independent reading. The chaos has settled, expectations are fresh, and kids are (usually) ready to ease back into routine. Plus, it’s cold outside. What else are they going to do? Go outside for recess? Ha.
Let’s talk about five winter reading activities that’ll warm up your literacy block and get those pages turning again.
1. Special Reading Days That Create Cozy Classroom Vibes
Nothing reboots engagement like breaking the routine in the best way possible. These special day ideas for elementary classrooms require minimal prep but deliver maximum cozy vibes:
PJ Day Reading Party
Let kids wear their pajamas to school and spend extra time reading. That’s it. That’s the whole activity. You can bring in hot chocolate (or let them pretend their water bottles are hot chocolate, budget-friendly!), dim the lights slightly, and watch them sink into their books like they’re at home on a Saturday morning.
Pro tip: Give them a heads-up a couple of days before so they can pick out their good pajamas. Kids take this seriously. Also, it’s a great to build excitement and anticipation for what’s to come!
Tent Reading Day for Independent Reading
Ask students to bring blankets, sheets, or large towels from home. Let them drape these over their desks to create reading “tents” or “forts.” They get to read inside their own little cave for the period.
Fair warning: This will take 10 minutes to set up and another 10 to take down, but the 30 minutes of silent, focused reading in between? Chef’s kiss. Worth it.
Create a Winter Reading Nook in Your Classroom
Dedicate one corner of your classroom as the “Winter Reading Nook.” Add some pillows, a small lamp, string lights if you’re fancy, maybe a fuzzy rug from Target. Rotate which students get to use it during independent reading time. On a budget? Reach out to parents and ask if they’d be willing to lend you some fun things for your reading nook. Parents will go the extra mile for student experiences!
Kids will work so hard to earn that spot. Behavior management? She’s reading in the nook now.
2. Winter Read Alouds to Boost Engagement (With a Cozy Twist)
Here’s a move that costs zero dollars, and a frequent recommendation of mine (because it works!): Pull up a YouTube video of a crackling fireplace on your classroom screen. Read aloud in front of it. Instant ambiance.
Here are some fantastic winter-themed read alouds for different age groups:
Best Winter Picture Books for Read Aloud
- A Long Winter’s Nap – Sweet and simple, perfect for settling in
- Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell (2017) – Caldecott Medal winner with stunning wordless visuals and themes of empathy and bravery
Winter Chapter Books for Elementary Students
- Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Florence and Richard Atwater – A classic that never gets old. Penguins! In a house! Chaos!
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis – Ultimate winter fantasy. You can’t go wrong.
- The Wild Robot by Peter Brown – Not explicitly winter-themed, but survival and adaptation themes fit beautifully with the season
- The Winter of the Dollhouse by Laura Amy Schlitz – A hidden gem about family, history, and a mysterious dollhouse
Bonus move: Let kids vote on which chapter book you’ll read aloud for the next few weeks. Democracy and engagement.
Pro tip: Combine this with PJ Day and you’ve basically created a literary retreat.
3. Silent Book Clubs: Building Reading Community in Winter
This is one of my favorite low-lift, high-impact independent reading activities. Here’s how it works:
- Students do independent reading for 15-20 minutes
- At the end, they gather in small groups for a 5-10 minute mini book club discussion
- You provide generic discussion prompts that work for any book:
- “What surprised you in today’s reading?”
- “Which character has changed the most so far?”
- “What problem is driving the story forward?”
- “If you could give one character advice, who would it be and what would you say?”
Why this works: Kids get the cozy, independent reading time they need and you’re still hitting those speaking and listening standards. Win-win. It also helps them process what they’re reading without the pressure of a formal book report.
Pro tip: Model this once or twice with a fishbowl group so they understand the vibe. It’s a discussion, not a presentation. They’re not reporting, they’re sharing.
4. Winter Book Tastings: Help Students Discover New Books
You know that kid who’s been reading the same series since October? Or the one who claims they “can’t find anything to read” despite your classroom library having 400 books? Book tastings are perfect winter classroom activities for breaking reading ruts.
How to Set Up a Book Tasting Activity
- Set up stations around the room with different books (3-5 books per station works well)
- Students rotate through stations every 5-7 minutes
- At each station, they “taste” the books: read the back cover, flip through pages, read the first paragraph, check out the illustrations
- They keep a simple tracker: book title, genre, “Would I read this? Yes/Maybe/No”
This activity is perfect for winter because:
- It’s low-energy (they’re sitting, you’re facilitating)
- It breaks kids out of reading ruts
- It helps them discover books they’d never pick up on their own
- It introduces them to new genres and authors
Set-up tip: Use books you already have. You don’t need new ones. Just pull things that haven’t been getting much love from your shelves. Give them a second chance to shine. If all else fails, reach out to your librarian!
5. Build Reading Stamina with Timer Activities After Winter Break
Let’s be honest: December destroyed everyone’s reading stamina. Between parties, concerts, assemblies, and the general chaos of the season, consistent independent reading probably fell off a cliff. January is when we rebuild.
The Reading Stamina Building Strategy
Start small and build intentionally. Here’s a sample schedule:
- Day 1: 10-12 minutes of silent reading
- Day 2: 12 minutes
- Day 3: 14 minutes
- Day 4: 16 minutes
- Continue adding 2 minutes each day they’re successful
Why it works: Kids can see their progress. They’re not just reading, they’re beating their own record. You can track this on the board (“Class Record: 24 Minutes!”) or even post it on Instagram if you’re into that. Parents love this stuff.
Management trick: Set a visible timer so students can self-monitor. When the timer goes off, celebrate. “You just read for 18 minutes straight. That’s longer than most adults can focus on anything.”
Cold winter months are ideal for this because there’s less outdoor time, fewer field trips, and (hopefully) fewer interruptions. Use this season to build a habit that’ll carry them through spring.
Making Winter Reading Work in Your Classroom
Winter doesn’t have to be a slog. Yes, it’s dark at 5 p.m. Yes, someone will definitely lose their gloves every single day or leave the jacket on the playground the one day you’re able to go outside. But this is also the season where you can slow down, cozy up, and help your students fall in love with reading all over again.
Pick one idea from this post. Try it this week. You don’t need to do all five at once, you’re not a superhero (even though we both know you kind of are).
These winter reading activities work for elementary classrooms from kindergarten through fifth grade. Whether you’re looking for independent reading ideas, read aloud suggestions, or ways to build reading stamina after the holidays, these strategies will help your students stay engaged during the coldest months.
Happy reading, friend. Stay warm out there.
