January Learning Through Play (Winter Activities for Toddlers & Preschoolers)

Welcome to your January Learning Through Play Guide — a month of cozy sensory setups, winter STEM, crafts, literacy, and creative exploration designed specifically for toddlers and preschoolers.

January often brings cold weather, shorter days, and a need for meaningful indoor play. That’s why we’ve curated play-based activities that build early learning skills, support fine motor development, and help you create a gentle daily rhythm at home or in your homeschool.

Whether you’re exploring snow & ice themes, arctic animal worlds, or winter crafts, this month’s activities are designed to be hands-on, simple to set up, and full of learning through play joy.

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Week 1 — New Year & Winter Play

Start the month with activities centered on new beginnings, math, sensory exploration, and calm holiday-to-routine transitions.

🧠 Sensory & Science

• New Year Disco Ball & Mirror Bin — a sparkly sensory invitation to explore light & reflection.

• Mindfulness Foam — sensory foam that doubles as calm-down play and texture exploration.

📚 Storytime

• The Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution — a story about setting intentions and routines.

✨ Calm & Craft

• Make a Calming Corner — create a soothing sensory space for still moments.

Build on this week with activity reflections in your homeschool rhythm: sensory morning, storytime mid-day, craft in the afternoon.

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Week 2 — Snow & Ice

Welcome the heart of winter with snow-themed letters, frozen science, and sensory crafts.

🧊 Snow & Science

• Ice Cube Melting Race — speedy sensory science to explore temperature changes.

• Freeze & Melt Experiment — extend the play with droppers and warm water.

❄️ Crafts & Fine Motor

• Paper Snowflake Cutting — perfect for scissor practice and creating winter décor.

• Snow Globe Craft — a favorite winter craft with visual sensory appeal.

📚 Winter Reads

• The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats — a classic story that captures winter wonder.

👉 For even more snow & ice ideas, check our winter sensory play collection and Flisat table setups like Ice Skating & Snow Play and other snowy activities.

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Week 3 — Arctic Animals

Explore polar life as you create arctic sensory bins, build habitats, and watch little learners make connections to the animal world.

🐧 Arctic Sensory Play

• Arctic Animal Counting — combine counting practice with animal figures.

• Penguin Ice Skating Tray — sensory play inspired by ice and movement.

🎨 Crafts & Art

• Polar Bear Paw Painting — sensory art exploring winter textures.

• Paper Roll Penguin & Polar Bear — upcycle toilet paper rolls into winter mascots.

📚 Storytime

• The Bear Snores On — a cozy read aloud that pairs well with arctic activities.

👉 Dive deeper into arctic sensory play with the South Pole Sensory Bin — snow, ice, and animal habitats inspired by polar landscapes. (Goodnight Fox)

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Week 4 — Food, Health & Winter Wellness

Round out the month with winter food, health exploration, and play invitations that support healthy habits and sensory engagement.

🍎 Healthy Food Play

• Fruit & Veggie Counting — math meets nutrition awareness.

• Taste Test Science — try new foods and talk about texture, taste, and preference.

🧼 Health & Hygiene

• Germs Are Not for Sharing — a playful way to reinforce hygiene habits.

• Handwashing Poster & Activity — add sensory foam and glitter to practice handwashing routines.

🧸 Calm Play

• Fruit Stamp Art — creative exploration after sensory and food sorting.

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Extra Winter Play Extensions

Here are a few seasonal activities from around the blog that you can slot in this month — linked and ready to explore:

❄️ Winter Crafts

• Pipe Cleaner Snowflake Craft — simple, sparkly fine motor fun for winter art projects.

🐻 Winter Sensory Play

• Winter Arctic Animals — Ice Sensory Bin — meltable ice, arctic animals, and sensory exploration all in one bin.

⛸️ Ice Skating & Snow Play

• A variety of ice, coconut snow, and sensory bin ideas perfect for January indoor play.

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How This Fits Into a Homeschool Rhythm

January play doesn’t need to feel overwhelming. Try this simple daily rhythm:

• Morning: Sensory or math invitations (e.g., counting, ice play)

• Midday: Storytime + craft

• Afternoon: Independent sensory play or themed extension activity

This gentle rhythm supports skill building without extra stress — perfect for winter months when cozy, engaging play is more important than rigid schedules.

Want a done-for-you way to organize these themes into a full homeschool plan? My GoodnightFox Homeschool Curriculum Planner includes weekly themes, activity suggestions, worksheets, and seasonal structure so you don’t have to reinvent your weekly planning.

👉 Explore the planner here: https://goodnightfox.myshopify.com/products/homeschool-curriculum

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Books to Pair With January Play

Reading aloud strengthens language and builds anticipatory play. Pair sensory bins or crafts with seasonal reads like:

• The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

• Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner

• If You Were a Penguin (various editions)

These books compliment sensory, art, and animal exploration throughout January.

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Your Turn: Winter Play Checklist

To help you keep track this month, use this simple checklist:

• ❏ Arctic animal sensory bin

• ❏ Ice science or melt experiment

• ❏ Snow globe craft

• ❏ Pipe cleaner snowflakes

• ❏ Healthy food & habits play

• ❏ Storytime with a winter book

Don’t feel like you must do everything — pick a few favorites each week and let play grow from there.

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January Wrap-Up

January is the perfect time to slow down, build rhythms, and connect through play. These activities are designed to support learning, curiosity, and meaningful moments at home.

Start with one activity each day or rotate them through the week. If you ever want help organizing these ideas into a full homeschool rhythm that fits your family’s life, the GoodnightFox Playschool Planner was created with exactly that goal in mind.

👉 Check it out here: https://goodnightfox.myshopify.com/products/homeschool-curriculum

10 Winter Christmas Holiday Sensory Play Ideas for Flisat Table

Winter is a magical time of the year, and Christmas holidays bring joy and excitement to both children and adults. Whether it's a snow-covered wonderland or a cozy indoors celebration, creating sensory play experiences can add an extra touch of fun and learning. The Flisat table from IKEA, with its sturdy design and detachable top, offers a perfect platform for engaging sensory activities for kids. In this blog post, we will explore 10 Winter Christmas holiday sensory play ideas that you can implement on your Flisat table.

1. Sparkling Winter Ice Skating Magic:
Prepare a batch of shimmering snow playdough using silver glitter and essential oils like peppermint or lavender. Provide various winter-themed cookie cutters, small figurines, and toys for children to mold, create snow scenes or make snowballs. Use the Inspire My Play tray to divide up sensory fillers like chickpeas, colored rice, and colored sand. Print the Ice Skating Dramatic Play kit to turn your Flisat table into a sparkly winter skating rink.

2. Festive Sensory Bins:
Fill colorful sensory bins with fake snow, festive pom-poms, jingle bells, plastic snowflakes, and small Christmas-themed objects. Allow children to scoop, pour, and explore the textures, colors, and sounds while stimulating their senses.

3. Arctic Ice Dig:
Freeze small toys, plastic animals, or buttons in water or ice cube trays. Place these frozen treasures on the Flisat table and provide children with salt, spray bottles, and droppers filled with warm water to melt the ice and excavate their goodies.

4. Scented Sensations:
Engage the sense of smell by providing fragrant materials such as cinnamon sticks, cloves, orange peels, and evergreen branches on the Flisat table. Encourage children to touch, smell, and explore nature's enticing aromas while talking about their Christmas associations.

5. Snowy Writing Tray:
Fill a shallow tray with a thin layer of salt or sugar. Invite children to practice their writing or drawing skills by making marks in the "snowy" surface using their fingers or tools like paintbrushes or cotton swabs. This activity enhances fine motor skills and provides a tactile experience.

6. Hot Cocoa Sensory Play:
Set up a hot cocoa sensory bin by filling it with cocoa powder, mini marshmallows, spoons, and empty mugs. Let children scoop, pour, and mix the ingredients, stimulating their sense of touch and exploring concepts of measurement and cause and effect. If you want to opt for less mess, cocoa puff cereal, black beans, and coffee beans are great alternatives to cocoa powder. Or if you’re feeling risky, you can always try it with chocolate chips! This is one of my favorite activities because it’s great taste safe sensory play for toddlers but can be done with non-editable materials for older kiddos as well.

7. Winter Wonderland Sensory Bottles:
Create sensory bottles by filling clear plastic containers (make sure to get a wide enough mouth to fill with larger objects) with water, food coloring, and various glitter or confetti. Add small winter-themed objects like mini penguins, polar bears, snowflakes, or legos. Children can shake, twist, and observe the mesmerizing winter scenes. For filler, combine water and baby oil to allow the objects to fall slowly. Or as an alternative, use fake snow or white rice for a snowy winter scene.

8. Jingle Bell Counting:
Place jingle bells of different sizes and colors in an empty container on the Flisat table. Encourage children to sort, count, and match the bells. This activity enhances math skills, hand-eye coordination, and auditory discrimination.

9. Melting Snowman Experiment:
Build miniature snowmen using snow clay or playdough. Set up a tray for children to observe and record the melting process using a timer. Discuss the science behind melting snow, exposing children to scientific concepts in a fun and interactive manner.

10. Nutcracker Land Activity:
Create Nutcracker Themed Kids in Toyland setup using Christmas-themed sensory texture boards by gluing different materials like velvet, foil, felt, or sandpaper onto sturdy pieces of cardboard. Let children explore the textures and talk about the sensations they feel, fostering sensory awareness and vocabulary expansion. You can also allow older kids to paint a cute wooden Nutcracker ornament to match the theme.

The Flisat table is a versatile and practical tool that allows children to engage in sensory play experiences during the winter Christmas holiday. These ten ideas provide opportunities for children to explore various textures, smells, sounds, and sights associated with this magical time of the year. Incorporating sensory play into your child's winter routine not only fosters development but also creates memories that will last a lifetime. So, roll up your sleeves, gather some materials, and have fun embracing the wonders of winter on your Flisat table!

Exploring Sensory Play: Ice Skating Adventures for Young Minds

As a mother passionate about nurturing my daughter Sofia's curiosity and development, sensory play has been a cornerstone of our educational journey. Through these engaging experiences, Sofia not only discovers new textures and sensations but also expands her cognitive and motor skills while having an absolute blast.

Why Sensory Play Matters:

Sensory play is crucial for toddlers like Sofia as it stimulates their senses, fostering cognitive, language, and social-emotional development. By engaging in activities like fake snow and chickpea snowballs, shredded coconut snow and snowflakes, and ice skating arctic animals on snowflake-shaped Gatorade ice cubes, Sofia not only explores various textures but also hones her fine motor skills and imaginative thinking.

Sofia adores these sensory setups. Her eyes light up when she dives into the fake snow and chickpea snowballs, reveling in the chilly touch and tactile exploration. The shredded coconut snow and snowflakes evoke giggles and soft sensory pleasure, while the ice skating arctic animals skating on Gatorade ice cubes transport her to an imaginative wintry wonderland.

The Ice Skating Rink Play Decor:

To elevate the ice skating experience, I've designed a thematic decor setup. A vibrant menu and a charming banner adorned with wintry motifs set the scene. Flags flutter around the rink, while cutouts of drinks and snacks add to the ambiance, enhancing Sofia's playtime immersion.

The SENSORY FILLERS:

Sensory play takes many shapes and forms and often depends on the kid’s age. Here are three different snow-play bins for a variety of ages including taste-safe options.

1. Real Ice Snowflake Skating Rink: For this sensory bin, I used real ice. I froze blue gatorade in order to give the ice some color, but you could also use food coloring if you’d like. I used this fun snowflake silicone mold in order to freeze the water and enable the little characters to float around on the ice. I used bath toys from the Target dollar spot and froze them on the top of the ice cubes. I also used a regular square mold and a sphere mold to add more ice to the bin. Sofie loved moving them around the ice and skating them around.

2. Fake Shredded Coconut Snow: For a taste-safe bin, I used a bag of shredded coconut from the local Trader Joe’s. I used this filler because Sofie loves to snack, but I also had a feeling she wouldn’t love the flavor and get too full before lunch. She really loved immersing her hands in the texture and squeezing and mushing it together. She even tried to make little snow balls. I added these wooden snowflakes and wool balls to the bin as well.

3. Fake Snow: For this bin, I used powdered fake snow. You just put the powder in the bin and add a bit of water and the snow instantly puffs up. It was both fun to watch it form and fun to squeeze and play with. We added some chickpea “snow balls” in order to make it even more fun to sift and stir.

4. Chickpeas, rice, and sand: Using our InspireMyPlayTray, we creating 5 different compartments. We used two shades of painted purple chickpeas, blue dyed salt, and white sushi rice. We poured the rice into the middle of the play tray, poured chickpeas around the outer edge, and blue salt in the middle. Then we used our resin pieces from @LittleOctoberHouse to make the Ice Skating Scene. We also used our GoodnightFox Animal Acrylic Charms for character small world play.

Vocabulary Words for Toddlers:

1. Skates

2. Snowflakes

3. Penguin

4. Arctic

5. Ice

6. Glide

7. Frosty

8. Chill

9. Slush

10. Winter

11. Skateboard

12. Snowball

13. Snowman

14. Blizzard

15. Frost

16. Freeze

17. Glacier

18. Icicle

19. Polar

20. Snowplow

21. Mittens

22. Snowfall

23. Snowboard

24. Figure Skating

25. Snowdrift

By incorporating these words into play, toddlers like Sofia not only immerse themselves in the theme but also expand their vocabulary, setting a strong foundation for future learning and communication.

Sensory play isn't just about fun; it's a gateway to holistic development, fostering creativity, cognitive growth, and joyful learning experiences. As Sofia delights in these sensory bins, I revel in witnessing her joy and development, knowing that each setup sparks new discoveries and fuels her imagination.