Winter Wins: 3 Cozy, Creative Review Games for CNA, PCT & Health Science Classes

Winter in the classroom can be… tricky.

Students are in hibernation mode, energy levels can dip, and attention spans sometimes go right out the window with the cold air.

The good news?

Winter is actually the perfect excuse to lean into fun, seasonal review activities that still keep learning front and center.

If you’re looking for low-prep, high-engagement winter review ideas for your CNA, PCT, or Health Science students, here are three instructor-tested activities that work with any unit—vital signs, infection control, communication, safety, ethics, you name it.

"Hot Chocolate Hustle "

Students review unit content by answering questions correctly to earn hot chocolate bar ingredients.

Setup (Individual Play)

Each student competes individually
Each student starts with:
- 1 cup (paper cup with name written on it)
- An ingredient tracking sheet
Set up the ingredients for the hot chocolate bar (I usually heat water in a crock pot)

*Students often love signing up to bring items—win-win.

How the Game Works

Instructor asks one review question (Multiple choice or short answer)
Students answer individually(Whiteboard, answer card, or paper)
Instructor reveals the correct answer (Correct = earn ONE ingredient)
Students check it off on their tracker (Using the ingredient list above)
Repeat for remaining questions

Winning Conditions (Individual Competition)

Choose ONE:

First to earn all (or a specified number) ingredients
Most correct answers by the end
No-miss streak (5 correct in a row)
Winners build their hot chocolate first at the end.

*Obviously students can swap ingredients based on likes and dislikes.

Winter “Snowstorm” Twists (Optional)

Snow Day Question: Double ingredient
Blizzard Question: Hard question worth 2 ingredients

“Layer Up for Learning!”

Students review key unit content by answering questions correctly to earn winter clothing items.

Teams work together to layer clothing on ONE team member, racing to fully “winterize” them by the end of the game.

Team Setup

Divide class into teams of 3–5 students
Each team selects one “model” who will wear all earned items
Remaining team members are the clinical team (answering questions)

Clothing Inventory (20 Total Items = 20 Questions)

Item	Quantity	Item Count
Winter Hats	4	4
Scarves	4	4
Ear Muffs	4	4
Gloves (pairs)	2 pairs	4
Mittens (pairs)	2 pairs	4
TOTAL ITEMS		20

Students must layer items
Hats stack, scarves wrap multiple times, gloves go over gloves, etc.

*Obviously adjust the number of items to match the number of review questions.

*You will need the above number of items PER TEAM (thrift stores are a great place to pick up these items)

How to Play

Ask one review question at a time
Teams collaborate quietly (30–45 seconds)
Teams hold up answer (whiteboard, card, or verbally)
Correct answer = choose ONE clothing item
Team dresses their model immediately
Continue until all 20 questions are completed

Snowball Throw Games (Quick, Active, and Flexible)

This is your go-to option when students need to move just a little—but still stay focused.

Students answer review questions hidden inside crumpled paper “snowballs” and toss them into a target (wash basin, urinary graduate).

You can run this as individual turns, teams, or whole-class participation depending on your group and time.

For a full breakdown of how to set this up (plus variations), check out the complete post here:

Snowball Throw Games for CNA & PCT Classes

Why instructors love it:

Minimal prep
Gets students out of their seats
Perfect for review days or brain breaks

Final Thoughts

Winter doesn’t have to mean low energy or boring review days. With just a few themed activities, you can keep students engaged, collaborating, and learning—while still embracing the season.

Whether you’re sipping hot chocolate, layering scarves, or tossing snowballs full of CNA content, these activities help make winter review days something students actually look forward to.

Stay warm-and…

Let it snow!