Toddler/Preschool Winter Busy Binder
Today, I am sharing my winter busy binder. I included some fun Christmas images, but it is mostly winter-themed so that it does not seem out of place once Christmas is over. Make sure to check out my free printables for additional winter and Christmas activities. Some of the skills addressed in this binder are uppercase and lowercase letter matching, counting, number recognition, shape and color matching, as well as writing practice.
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If you have already used the PREVIOUS BUSY BINDERS, then you probably already know how to assemble this. If you have not, don’t worry, it’s very simple! Simply print the busy binder pages and cut out the necessary pieces for the pages. If you cut the pieces out before laminating, they will last you a lot longer. It means you cut twice, but it’s worth it! I’ve purchased my laminating sheets from many different stores and have not had any issues using various brands. You must laminate the pages though. Page protectors will not work the same way because they are not sealing. I highly recommend aligning your printed page toward the bottom of the laminating sheet. This way, when you hole punch the top, it doesn’t interfere with anything on the page. The velcro will just pull at the page protectors. I use this velcro for my busy binders and it works amazingly well and I’ve purchased it more than once. I prefer to stick the hook (scratchy) pieces of the velcro on the page and the loop (soft) pieces of the velcro on the printable pieces that Elani will be handling.
The alphabet pages are great for matching lowercase and uppercase letters, but you can also easily practice letter sounds and alphabetical order. I find that it is so easy to find things that have uppercase letters, but children are going to see lowercase letters more in books and it is important that they are exposed to those early on. These cute mittens are a fun way to practice both!
The sweater matching pages allow for pairing the correct sweaters based on shape, while the penguin matching pages allow pairing based on the size of the penguin. This is a good opportunity to also work on sizing words, such as small, medium, and large.
The snowflake pages focus on the numbers 1-10. The numbers can also be used on their own to practice numerical order.
The sleigh and winter house pages are two different types of puzzles. The numbers on the gingerbread house or igloo can assist your child in assembling the puzzle. For the sleigh, the colors can help to correctly position the shapes on the puzzle.
Another puzzle that I included in this binder is this two-piece puzzle with winter items. Puzzles are currently one of Elani’s favorite things, so I decided to include a few different types in this binder.
These tracing pages are great for fine motor skills. I use a binder pocket to keep a dry erase marker for Elani to use for tracing. I also use these erasers and they work perfectly. I used to use them in my classroom to keep my wipe board clean and they keep these pages looking clean and new. I love that I can cut them to whatever size I want them to be.
The star pages are meant for working on color identification. You can also use the stars to discuss color mixing.
I created the gingerbread page just for fun, but knowing where clothing items go is a great skill, as well!
If you have any questions about the binder, feel free to reach out. I absolutely love making these and will be getting to work on the spring binder pages next year!
