Getting students back into the swing of things can feel like herding squirrels. 😵💫 But all that giddy energy can be great for learning! I’ll show you how with these easy peasy back from winter break activities that are perfect for upper elementary.
Instead of fighting the chaos, I plan for it. These fun, low-prep activities help:
- Reset classroom expectations
- Reconnect as a class community
- Ease students back into learning
Let’s dive into the ideas that make this transition smoother for everyone. Then grab your FREE January lesson plans at the end of this post! 🌟
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1. Kick Off with a Back from Winter Break Classmate Scavenger Hunt
You know your kids want to talk about what they did over break. Not only that, but many of them just miss their friends and want to talk!
Instead of fighting against this, let students reconnect and move around with a structured “Find Someone Who…” style scavenger hunt.
While they’re “hunting” for signatures, I’m reviewing with them:
- How to walk around the classroom
- What voice level to use during movement
- How to respectfully interact with peers
✔️ Procedures review in disguise! This activity sets the tone for positive interactions and gets the wiggles out fast.
2. Reflect with Winter Break Snapshots
Another one of my easy back from winter break activities that students love are called Winter Snapshots. For some classrooms, it’s just too much of a challenge for students to walk around the room for the classmate scavenger hunt idea.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t give your kiddos a structured way to talk about what they did over winter break.
These purposeful pages allow kids to draw and write about different aspects of their holiday weeks out of school.
Winter Break Snapshots from my January Early Finishers Packet include:
- Drawing prompts like “What was your favorite winter memory?”
- What’s the best food you ate? or What’s the best thing you watched on tv?
💬 Pro tip: Structured writing like this paired with a simple Turn-and-Talk prevents off-task chatter later. I explain how this works in my post on smart solutions for a chatty class.
These pages from my January Early Finishers can be purchased in my site shop HERE or in my TPT store HERE.
3. Set Goals with New Year’s Activity Pages
For your first day back from break, goal setting is top of mind. Take advantage of the New Year’s resolutions energy by incorporating that as one of your after winter break classroom activities.
Get students focused on the future with simple SEL-based writing prompts:
- “This year, I want to…”
- “One healthy habit I want to grow…”
Pair with a read-aloud like Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution to inspire your class. I’ve rounded up my top book picks in this post: Happy New Year’s Books for Kids.
📝 These pages also make for a great bulletin board or SEL journal entry! Click the image to see more examples of this.
4. Warm Up Reading Skills with Winter Inferencing Riddles
How do we get our kiddos ready to jump back into reading after a longer break? Well, teacher friend, if your students love a good brain teaser, these winter reading riddles are for you!
Here’s how I use them:
- Morning warm-up: whether as a whole class or with students working in pairs or small groups
- Reading centers
- Early finishers
There’s even a fun SCOOT template included that makes this a good movement-based reading activity that you can use during something like indoor recess.
📚 These inferencing riddles get students thinking critically while having fun with winter-themed clues. It’s the perfect sneaky way to build inference skills.
5. Get Creative with a Snowman in Disguise Writing Craft
In the same way that it might be challenging to get students back in the routine of reading, you may run into this challenge with writing. Here’s comes Disguise a Snowman to the rescue!
This winter twist on the classic disguise-a-turkey project lets students turn a snowman into anything.
Overtime, I’ve seen:
- Rock star snowmen
- Doctor snowmen
- Ninja snowmen
🎨 Combine writing + creativity + classroom decor? Yes please! This winter writing craft doubles as a bulletin board your admin and any visitors will love.
6. Reinforce Math Skills with Color by Number Winter Math
Color-by-code review worksheets = math practice without the groans.
Why I love these type of back from winter break activities for upper elementary:
- Engaging visuals make math less intimidating
- Students work independently while I meet with small groups
- It feels like fun but reviews important math concepts
🧮 You can use this fun Winter Math review packet—designed specifically for 4th & 5th graders—during centers or after lunch when focus is low. They also make great bell ringers to keep mornings from being chaotic!
7. Practice Reading with January Nonfiction Passages
Getting back into reading routines after winter break is hard—but short winter nonfiction quick reads really do help!
These print and go passages offer:
- High-interest, winter-themed topics
- Text-dependent questions
- Built-in vocabulary practice
📖 I use them for:
- Independent practice or reading homework
- Building up context clues and reading skills like defining words in context
- Quick check-ins for comprehension
8. Encourage Imagination with the Snow Globe Writing Craft
“If I lived in a snow globe…” Such a simple prompt that will lead to such funny results! It is usually hilarious what students write when you ask them to imagine being stuck in a snow globe.
That prompt alone gets students instantly inspired. This creative writing activity is perfect for:
- Combining writing + art
- Practicing narrative structure
- Displaying student voice
I also take pictures of my students bundled up in all their coats, hats, and gloves during recess. Those pictures get added to the final craft by taking clear Dollar Tree plates for the globe.
❄️ It’s a seasonal favorite that students remember for the rest of the year.
9. Jumpstart Independent Reading with a Winter Reading Challenge
Reading stamina often takes a hit over winter break. This fun challenge builds it back up very quickly! I love using reading challenges all year instead of reading logs.
Winter reading challenges motivate kids to read more and since they can be used with any reading material, they’re also great for D.E.A.R = Drop. Everything. And. Read time.
Challenge prompts include things like:
- Enjoy some reading under a blanket
- Read a book with snow on the cover
- Find something to read after you brush your teeth – yes, these reading challenges are perfect for at-home reading too
📚 I print these as bookmarks and keep a basket full in our reading corner or classroom library. It gets students motivated to read every single day.
Even the school librarian likes using these when kids come back after winter break for library time!
10. Review Vocabulary with Synonyms Snowman
Word work doesn’t have to be boring. So our final fun and easy winter break activity involves hands-on literacy that boosts vocabulary.
Synonym Snowman = vocabulary review + small group procedures reset.
While students match synonyms in pairs or stations, I:
- Reinforce group expectations
- Monitor transitions
- Review how to use materials and clean up
✔️ It’s the kind of multitasking teachers dream about when returning from a longer winter break.
❓FAQs About Back from Winter Break Activities
Q: What to do with students after winter break?
After winter break, students need a mix of connection, routine refreshers, and light academic review. I recommend starting with community-building activities, like a classmate scavenger hunt or winter break reflections, followed by fun academic warm-ups like color-by-number math or creative writing prompts.
Q: How do you reset your classroom after winter break?
I treat the first week back like a soft reset. We revisit procedures—how we transition, work in groups, handle materials—while doing engaging activities. This way, students practice expectations in real-time, not just hear me talk about them.
Q: What are some fun academic activities for January in upper elementary?
Some of my favorites include: winter inferencing riddles, snowman writing crafts, nonfiction reading passages, and winter-themed synonym work. These reinforce key skills in reading, writing, and math while keeping students excited to learn.
Q: How can I make the return to school after break smoother for students?
Structure + fun is the magic combo. Let students share about their break, set goals for the new year, and reconnect with classmates. Activities that blend SEL, creativity, and light academics help everyone ease back into the rhythm of learning.
🎁 Plan the Full Month with These FREE January Lesson Plans
Want to see how I tie all these activities into a smooth, stress-free month? Grab my free January lesson plans!
Inside, you’ll get:
- A week-by-week guide
- Academic + SEL connections
- Procedures and routines reset ideas
📩 Click here to download your free January plans and start the new year off with less stress and more joy. You deserve it, teacher friend!
Need more winter teaching ideas? These posts will help: