Explore Winter with Jan Brett: A Cozy Homeschool Unit Study for Preschool & Early Elementary

Every homeschool family needs a winter season that feels soft, slow, and cozy — the kind filled with good books, warm cocoa, and projects that sparkle *just* enough to feel magical. If that sounds like your kind of winter, the Explore Winter with Jan Brett Unit Study is about to become the heart of your winter homeschool days.

This winter unit study is designed especially for preschool through early elementary kids … the ages that love sensory bins, glue sticks, furry story characters, and crafts that turn your kitchen table into a little snow-covered workshop. And because it’s a Knowledge Crates unit study, it comes completely open-and-go. No prep. No dollar store runs. No searching for glitter in the back of a drawer. Everything’s right there waiting.

Inside the crate, you’ll find everything you need for a beautiful season of winter learning:

• 26 hands-on activities tied to Jan Brett’s most beloved stories

• Gorgeous hardcover picture books including The Hat, The Snowy Nap, Cozy, and The Three Snow Bears

• A cuddly Hedgie 🦔 plush to join in the fun

• Torn-paper art, mixed media painting, wooden crafts, sensory snow, STEM experiments, and more

• A clearly organized printed guide with step-by-step instructions

• Conversation starters and extension ideas for each book

It’s the kind of winter unit study that takes the overwhelm out of planning and replaces it with joy, creativity, and slow, cozy moments. 💙

From sequenced stories to snowy sensory bins to rosy-cheeked polar bears, every week is filled with hands-on learning kids will want to do again and again.

Your winter adventure begins with The Three Snow Bears, a charming Arctic twist on a familiar tale. Kids explore:

• Sequencing through picture cards

• Early math with the Snow Bears Math Mat

• A layered torn-paper igloo art project

It’s a gentle blend of literacy, early math, fine motor skills, and winter creativity. 🐻‍❄️🐻‍❄️🐻‍❄️

Art is a huge part of this winter unit study — and every project feels like something a child genuinely wants to hang on the fridge.

Highlights include:

• Polar Bear Art (complete with rosy painted cheeks!)

• Folded Paper Hedgehog craft

• Winter Hat Mosaic using metallic papers

• Mixed Media Winter Blues painting with scrape techniques

Every project is beautifully winter-themed and perfect for little hands.

What’s a winter unit study without snow you can actually touch?

This crate includes:

• Cold, fluffy sensory snow (thanks to polymer Insta-Snow)

• A winter play dough station with themed accessories

• Guided observation prompts and extension ideas

It’s hands-on science, sensory exploration, and imaginative play all rolled into one.

Each included book becomes its own mini lesson, complete with guided questions and interactive activities. Your child will enjoy:

• DIY sequencing cards for The Hat

• Sparkly icicle art and a “Snowy Brain Break” inspired by The Snowy Nap

• A Cozy Sequencing Box activity for Cozy

• A Be Kind Like Cozy kindness challenge poster

This winter unit study turns storytime into connection time.

Simple winter science is sprinkled throughout so kids can feel the concepts they’re learning.

Activities include:

• A snowstorm-in-a-cup experiment

• Roll-and-Poke Hedgehog polymer demo

• Hatch & Grow Arctic Friends science observation

These experiments take big concepts like states of matter and chemical reactions and make them age-appropriate and exciting.

This crate includes several winter crafts families love to display:

• Wooden sleigh for Hedgie

• 3D wooden snowflakes

• A 3D Snow Globe Snowman

They make wonderful keepsakes to bring out each winter.

If you love structure (or just want someone else to do the planning), the free pacing guide breaks this unit into four easy weeks. Each week mixes books, art, sensory play, and science so you never have to wonder what to do next.

This winter unit study also includes a downloadable list of winter-themed read-alouds and picture books—perfect for building a seasonal reading basket or adding more storytime to your days.

Want to stretch the learning even further? Kids can use Arctic Magna-Tiles to:

• Build snowy homes for Jan Brett characters

• Recreate scenes from Cozy or The Hat

• Sort animals or retell stories

• Add imaginative play to their sensory snow bin

It’s an effortless way to extend the unit through open-ended, child-directed play.

These are the winter homeschool days you’ll remember later — the ones filled with warm cocoa, paintbrushes, and a little plush hedgehog tucked beside your child.

Some of the sweetest moments from this winter unit study include:

• Watching your child gasp when the sensory snow “grows”

• Sequencing a story together, giggling over the parts they remember first

• Painting winter blues art while snow falls outside

• Snuggling up with Hedgie during read-aloud time

Winter learning doesn’t have to feel rushed, formal, or complicated. It can be soft, seasonal, and full of connection. And this unit gives you everything you need to make that happen.

Families tell us this unit feels like:

It’s open-and-go, screen-free, beautifully curated, and perfect for little learners.