During these sweltering days of summer, (the hottest summers on record in Miami), I was longingly reminiscing on/about my childhood vacations to Peru during our Summer holidays. These vacations are a core memory for me full of fun escapades with an enormous extended family, extracurricular classes in Spanish on Peruvian culture, and trips to different areas of Peru including the city in the skies: Machu Picchu. On one of our video calls with family in Peru as we jealousy eyed their winter wardrobe, my six year old asked me if we could pretend it was cold where we lived. I realized then that I didn’t need to wait for winter to enjoy some refreshing and cool activities. We decided to embrace the spirit of winter even in the hottest months and beat the heat with some winter-themed activities.
Sol Book Box familias, get ready to experience a chill in the air, cozy vibes, and lots of icy fun without leaving the summer behind using books as our vehicle!
Copito by Maria Luz Malamud is about a little girl and her kitten and their decision to build a snowman. With a nose, two eyes, three buttons, a mouth, four very funny hairs (the birds' favorites) and a glove with five fingers, Copito is born.
Using this book as our launchpad for our winter festivities, we began by bringing out some winter gear: a coat (un abrigo), a scarf (una bufanda), a winter hat (un gorro de invierno), some gloves (unos guantes), and ear muffs (orejeras) to dress up our stuffed toys. We then warmed up some chocolate caliente and had a “hot chocolate tea party” as we counted our marshmallows.
Next we packed up our winter gear and hit our local ice skating rink. This was a great moment to use the vocabulary we’d explored during our reading. We also compared how we’d dress for the different seasons and their respective activities using the list included below.
Winter - Invierno
Summer - Verano
Snow - Nieve
Sun - Sol
Cold - Frío
Hot - Caliente
Snowflake - Copo de Nieve
Beach - Playa
Ice - Hielo
Swimming - Nadar
Skiing - Esquiar
Surfing - Surfear
Fireplace - Chimenea
Barbecue - Barbacoa
Scarf - Bufanda
Sunglasses - Gafas de Sol
Snowman - Muñeco de Nieve
Ice Cream - Helado
Gloves - Guantes
Shorts - Pantalones Cortos
Once we were home we snuggled in and read Diez maneras de escuchar la nieve/Ten Ways to Hear Snow.
Inspired by Lina’s snowy wonderland, we made our own snowflakes using this quick and easy craft. We then hung the delicate snowflakes around our apartment to add a touch of the winter charm, straight from the pages of the book.
Lastly, after a long, “day in the cold”, we grabbed some popcorn, snuggled up with blankets, and watched Frozen.
Who says winter fun is limited to the colder months? Beat the summer heat with winter-inspired activities that can be enjoyed right in the comfort of your home. So, gather your books, get creative, and let the winter-themed fun begin in the summer! You'll feel the winter vibes without the need for a snowstorm.
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Karina Batchelor is a proud Latinx mama from Miami, la ciudad magica. She's a longtime educator, writer, and creative who holds multiple degrees in varied areas of study. Her qualifications have seen her excel across the US and the UK in various sectors of the education and theatre industry. You can often find her with a cafecito in hand at the nearest library, her homeschooling cooperative, or at the theatre, where she works as a professional dramaturg.
