Spanish Winter Activities: 3 Fresh Ideas to Battle the January Slump in Your Spanish Class

Spanish winter activities are the best strategy for battling the long, gray stretch of January. Can we just be honest? The post-holiday energy drain is real! You are back in your Spanish class after the winter break, and the effort required to get students refocused feels immense. It's tough staring at the lesson plan, wanting something fresh and engaging, but desperately needing it to be genuinely low-prep.

You are definitely not alone if you feel like you’re battling a collective classroom slump right now. Your students may have had a rest, but you have to get them used to speaking and thinking in Spanish again. But here’s the good news: I have some easy-to-manage Spanish games and other winter resources that will help. You don't need huge, elaborate projects; you just need activities that are novel enough to break the routine and focused enough to reinforce key language concepts.

Why Use Winter Activities and Games in Spanish Class

Think about it: with the days shorter and the weather often gloomy, we need to bring light and novelty into the room. The season of winter (el invierno) provides a beautiful, natural context for language acquisition. Students are already thinking about heavy coats, being cozy, and maybe even snow! Why not tap into that existing frame of reference? Plus, using targeted Spanish winter vocabulary and quick, fun Spanish games is the best antidote to the post-break inertia and the general winter doldrums.

In this post, you'll find 3 easy, no-prep or low-prep, fresh, practical Spanish winter activities—perfect for middle or high school—that will help you shake off the dust, re-engage your students, and make the most of this long, dark stretch of winter. Shall we have a look?

Time to Bring the Light Back In

So, how do we actually do this? We skip the boring drills and jump straight into input-rich, engaging tasks that feel like fun, not work. To help you refocus your students after the break, I’ve pulled together three go-to Spanish winter activities that will bring some energy into your class and get your students used to speaking and thinking in Spanish again. (Still looking for some festive review? Don't miss my easy Spanish Christmas activities!

Here are some collaborative and individual Spanish winter vocabulary games to build confidence in your students and lower your prep time!

Stress-Free Review: Spanish Winter Speaking ‘I Have, Who Has?’ Game

The first day back after any break should be centered around low-stress speaking and listening to get the language flowing again. That’s why a fast-paced, whole-class or group game is the perfect game for the first week of school after a break. This "I Have, Who Has?" looping card game is a classic because it demands focused attention from every student while building incredible confidence through repetition.

What it is and how it works

The game is simple: a student reads their card, "Yo tengo..." (I have...) and then asks the question, "¿Quién tiene...?" (Who has...). The student with the matching word or picture answers and continues the chain. It comes with vocabulary sheets so students can review or learn the vocabulary quickly and get them talking with these simple questions and answers.

The Focus

This Spanish Invierno I have Who Has Game focuses on auditory processing and instant vocabulary recognition. Groups of students or the whole class (it depends on the size of your group)  participate in the looping chain, the students get a ton of comprehensible input and repeated exposure to the key invierno vocabulary in a low-pressure, supportive, whole-class environment.

Adapting for Your Class

• For Novices: Model the pronunciation before playing and get students using the version where they need to listen and recognize the vocabulary and match it to the picture.
• For Intermediate: Use version where students have to match a short clue in Spanish to the word and introduce a time challenge! Time them to see how fast they can complete the loop. This adds a fun, competitive element that boosts engagement. 

Resource Tip

Use this as a fast warmup during 2 or 3 sessions to reinforce vocabulary acquisition.

Spanish Winter Activities: Get Students Listening with Descriptive Bingo (Lotería)

When you need a no prep, zero ambiguity, and maximum repetition of vocabulary, turn to a Spanish Game like Bingo. It’s a classic for a reason—it works!

This Spanish Winter Vocabulary Bingo Game is the perfect activity to practice Winter Vocabulary in Spanish class after the winter break or at any time in December, January and February.

What it is and how it works

If your students love Spanish Lotería Games, grab this El Invierno Bingo Game for a fun way to reinforce winter vocabulary and phrases such as "copo de nieve", "bufanda", "botas", "ir abrigado", "árbol pelado", "fuego acogedor" and more with these cute Bingo Boards perfect for S1 and even S2.

The Focus

This is an amazing comprehensible input activity that pushes students to actively listen and process Spanish vocabulary quickly. It forces them to differentiate between vocabulary terms they have in front of them. It is the perfect low-prep Spanish game to practice invierno vocabulary in a whole-class setting.

Adapting for Your Class

This activity includes versions with text and without text, so it can be  used to teach the vocabulary for the first time, or as a vocablary review game. It's no-prep—just choose the option you want, print and distribute. (And yes, it comes with a black and white version as well.)

Resource Tip

• Once you've played the game, get students to choose 3-5 words and write a sentence or a short story with them.
• Do a quick review before playing the game: Use the version without text, and get your students to write the names of the items in the bingo cards before playing the game.

Spelling and Focus: Spanish Winter Activities with a Sopa de Letras

Sometimes, your students just need a quiet moment to breathe. Don't waste that time with busywork; give them a meaningful, calm brain break that genuinely boosts focus. 

What it is and how it works

This Spanish winter vocabulary word search (sopa de letras) is designed for exactly that quiet, focused time. It allows students to process the language passively while engaging in a relaxing, familiar task, making it perfect for reinforcing spelling and word recognition without the pressure of speaking. Word searches are super useful in Spanish class and are a truly essential no-prep activity to have stocked and ready for any class that is flagging. 

And the accompanying vocabulary and writing activities make sure it's a well-rounded resource you can add to your winter sub plans.

The Focus

The activity reinforces Spanish winter vocabulary and spelling. It’s an essential tool that works well for reviewing and cementing word forms and is a perfect tool for quiet work, fast finishers, or adding to an emergency sub plan packet.

Adapting for Your Class

• Use the word search in class and keep the other activities for homework or use during a different class session.
• Partner Challenge: Allow students to work with a partner, but they must speak in the target language (e.g., "¿Dónde está 'el invierno'?") while searching for words.

Resource Tip

Word searches are great for early finishers, why not keep some in your drawer and give extra credits to students that complete them?

Ready to Beat the Winter Doldrums?

Don't let your students struggle trying to remember their Spanish in January ! By adding some of these easy, low-stress, and  low-prep Spanish games, you'll get them to have fun and get used to speaking, listening, and writing in Spanish again. These three resources guarantee high student participation, reinforce crucial invierno vocabulary through repetition, and provides a path to get them working and learning early in the new year!

And if you're looking getting ready for next month, once the January chill starts to fade, it's time to think about February 14th. If you want to celebrate without the glitter and drama, check out these no-fluff Spanish Valentine’s Day activities that are perfect for secondary students.

Click on the links above or visit my TpT store for more fun and engaging activities!