Winter is a magical time of year when snow falls and holidays are just around the corner. Middle school students can take a special interest in this season since it's also a time for fun winter activities. With so many options for things to do with your middle schooler in the winter, we've made a list of our favorite activities for winter. All of these winter-themed projects, experiments, and lesson plans will have your child learning and growing throughout the winter months.
Top 25 Winter Activities for Middle Schoolers
1. Christmas Candy Structure Challenge
Using only gumdrops and toothpicks, middle school students should build the tallest and strongest structure that they can. You can set special challenges, such as being able to reach a certain height or support a certain weight.
Learn More: The Homeschool Scientist
2. Poinsettia PH Paper
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This science activity leverages the sensitive leaves of the popular red winter flower. It's a cool winter science experiment with acids and bases and watches as the poinsettia flowers react to new input. You can also compare the results with standard PH paper.
Learn More: Thought Co.
3. Snowball Fight!
Take a break with a classroom snowball fight. Pretend that you're giving a pop quiz, and ask each student to take out a piece of paper. Then, ball up the paper and throw it at a friend! It's an indoor snowball fight!
Learn More: Teaching Made Practical
4. The Science of Christmas Trees
This quick video introduces a whole host of interesting scientific facts and figures that will lead to deeper discussions on the science behind our favorite Christmas decoration. It's a great way to start talking about different science topics.
Learn More: Nottinghamscience
5. Explore Electronics with Christmas Cards
This activity for students results in a DIY light-up Christmas card that middle school students can give to their families and friends. It's a fun experiment with circuits, and it's a great introduction to electrical engineering.
Learn More: Mama Smiles
6. Learn Probability with Dreidels
This math lesson plan looks at chances and probability, and it is perfect for students who celebrate Christmas/ Chanukah/ Kwanzaa. It uses math and culture together to teach probability. You can also bring in related math worksheets to really drive the information home.
Learn More: Teach-nology
7. Digital Snowflake Activity
If the weather isn't cold enough for real snowflakes, you can make your own unique digital snowflakes with this web tool. Every snowflake is different, which makes it a great way to talk to middle school students about their own unique personalities and talents.
Learn More: Dangries
8. Hot Cocoa Experiment
This science experiment is an easy way to teach kids about physics, dissolution, and solutions. All you need is some cold water, room temperature water, hot water, and some hot cocoa mix. The rest is a clear experiment that teaches the scientific process.
Learn More: Creative Family Fun
9. Winter Color Mixing Activity
Bring the fun of the snow inside to the art studio with this activity. You can teach kids about how colors, temperatures, and textures interact with this activity. The result is gorgeous, and even resembles a magic trick!
Learn More: Science Kiddo
10. Holiday Word Games and Activities
These classroom freebies are perfect for getting kids excited for the winter holidays! You can use these printables to keep students engaged in their learning while also looking forward to Christmas and New Year.
Learn More: Pinterest
11. Pine Cone Art Projects
There are so many cute things that you can make with pine cones! First, take a nice walk through the winter woods to collect the best pine cones. Then, use your imagination to create as many different projects as you like.
Learn More: Pinterest
12. Freezing Hot Water
If the weather is extremely cold, you can do the classic experiment where you throw hot water into the air and watch it freeze before your eye. Just make sure that you and all your middle school students are bundled up before you head out into intense weather!
Learn More: Scientific American
13. Indoor Water Park
If the winter weather isn't your child's favorite and they're longing for the summer vibes, you can travel together to an indoor water park. That way, even in the dead of winter, they'll be able to enjoy the sights and sounds of summer in the sun.
Learn More: Travel Channel
14. Dry Ice Experiments
Dry ice is a fascinating substance, and it's a great basis for several fun winter activities. Middle school students can use dry ice to explore different properties and different states of matter, and they can learn lots about basic chemistry in the process, too.
Learn More: Yucky Science
15. Freezing Bubble Experiments
This is another activity for super cold weather. You can make frozen bubbles with your middle school student and help them learn about the physics of temperature and changing states of matter.
Learn More: The Weather Network
16. Fake Snow Recipes
You'll be surprised by how a few simple ingredients can make fake snow. Fake snow can be used for games or for decoration. What's even better is that you probably have these ingredients in your kitchen right now!
Learn More: The Craft At Home Family
17. Easy Snowflake Drawing Activity
This activity introduces middle school students to drawing with the concept of repeated geometric shapes. It also encourages young artists to look to nature for inspiration, which is a great way to engage with the winter season!
Learn More: Pinterest
18. Winter Crafts for Middle School Students
This collection of craft ideas is a great way to engage your child's creative side. Most of the projects feature materials that you already have around the house, and it's a great way to pass the time at home when it's too cold to go out.
Learn More: Pinterest
19. Christmas Math Activities
These are a few math activities that will help middle school students practice their grade-level skills while also getting excited for the Christmas holiday. It offers some fresh and mathematical perspectives on some common Christmas songs and traditions.1
Learn More: Cognitive Cardio With MSMM
20. Volunteer!
Middle school students are at a great age to learn about the importance of helping others, and their energy can be focused in this direction. Encourage your child to shovel snow for the neighbors or bake cookies for someone who needs cheering up. Volunteering together as a family can bring you closer together, and it can bring your community together, too!
Learn More: Erie Insurance
21. Christmas Snowball Writing Activity
This is a collaborative writing assignment where students have to think fast to make stories with prompts that their classmates have written. Each student writes a prompt on a piece of paper, crumples it into a snowball, and gives it a throw. Then, they pick up a new snowball and start writing from there.
Learn More: Pinterest
22. Super Bouncy Snowballs
This is a recipe for fun, and also for bouncy snowballs. They are great for playing inside and outside, and the ingredients are much easier to find than you might think. It's also a great way to teach some basic chemistry in the winter months.
Learn More: Pinterest
23. Hibernation Biology Unit
This is a fun way to learn about all the different animals that hibernate throughout the winter. It's also a great way to learn about the biology and ecology of hibernation, and how hibernation impacts ecosystems all over the world.
Learn More: Year-Round Homeschooling
24. Writing Prompts for Winter
This long list of writing prompts will help middle school students learn about different forms of writing, including narrative, argumentative, pro/con, and others. It's a great way to introduce them to the author's purpose and to the different ways that we can express ourselves in writing.
Learn More: Pinterest
25. Close Reading Poetry Lesson
This unit is all about Robert Frost's classic poem "Stopping By the Woods on a Snowy Evening." It's a great way to introduce poetry, and the winter months offer the perfect context for curling up with this close reading exercise.
Learn More: Pinterest
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