Area of Interest: Diverse communication settings
Skills: Listening and Speaking
Competences: Discourse competence
Age Bracket: 0 – 5
Time Commitment: Under 30 minutes
Affordability: €
Materials:
A window with a clear view outside (if you can’t stick things to the classroom’s window, you can make cut a piece of blue paper and stick it to the whiteboard with magnets),
Basic weather symbols drawn or printed on cards (sun, cloud, rain, snow, etc.),
Sticky tack or magnets for the whiteboard,
(Optional) Simple season-related props (sunglasses, gloves, seasonal fruit, holiday decorations)
Expert recommendations:
This daily routine activity helps very young children learn weather vocabulary and basic expressions in the minority language while connecting language learning to their immediate environment. The activity can be done at home or in early childhood education settings.
As with all routine activities, we recommend that you keep language simple and consistent, using the same phrases every day. This activity is ideal for children aged 3-5. If you look after smaller children, it’s easier to follow the routine when the child arrives (eg. when you take out their coat or backpack), during this time you can emphasise the weather-related words with gestures and sounds.
Available Languages:
No translations available for this item.
Step 1: Setup (anytime before the children arrive)
- Choose your “Weather Window” display area at child height near a real window
- Print, cut and laminate simple weather symbols that can be easily attached and removed
- Place any seasonal props nearby (if using them)
Step 2: Morning Weather Check (5-10 minutes every day)
- Gather children near the window, ideally every day at the same time to help you strengthen your routine in the classroom
- Look outside together
- Use simple phrases in the minority language like “Let’s see the weather” or “What’s outside today?”
- Point to the sky, clouds, sun, or rain as visible
- Model the weather words clearly in the minority language
Step 3: Interactive Elements
- Have children point to matching weather on their “Weather Window” display
- For older children (3-5), encourage them to place the correct symbol on the display
- Use simple questions like “Is it cold outside?” with exaggerated gestures
- Incorporate weather-appropriate movements (jumping like raindrops, floating like snowflakes)
Step 5: Extension Activities (optional, for ages 3-5)
- If you have time, you can extend this activity with play and movement:
- Pretend play with weather-related items (putting on imaginary rain boots or sunglasses, opening imaginary umbrellas or eating an imaginary ice cream)
- Match clothing to weather (use prompts like “what do we wear when it’s cold?” or “who brought a hat today?”)
- Make weather sounds (pattering fingers for rain, whooshing sounds for wind, etc)