Classroom and home-based exercises designed to complement and enrich the experience of reading Ezra Jack Keats’s celebrated children’s book are intended to foster deeper engagement with the narrative, characters, and themes. These exercises encompass a range of modalities, including creative writing prompts inspired by the story’s events, art projects replicating the book’s distinctive collage style, and sensory exploration activities that encourage children to connect with the winter environment depicted in the illustrations. For instance, children may be asked to write a short story about what Peter might do on another snowy day, or they could create their own collages using colored paper and fabric scraps to depict their own experiences in the snow.
The value of these supporting exercises lies in their ability to promote literacy, creative expression, and critical thinking skills among young learners. By actively participating in them, children develop a stronger understanding of the story’s plot, character motivations, and underlying messages about curiosity, exploration, and the simple joys of childhood. Historically, educators have recognized the potential of using literature as a springboard for interdisciplinary learning, employing such complementary learning methods to extend the educational impact of a story beyond mere reading comprehension. They offer opportunities for kinesthetic learning, artistic exploration, and the development of narrative skills.
