Introduction
Winter is a beautiful time filled with opportunities to bond with your children while fostering their creativity. As the temperatures drop, crafting becomes the perfect indoor activity to keep kids engaged and entertained. Whether you're a parent, a teacher or a childcare professional, incorporating seasonal crafts into your kids’ routine can spark joy.
In this post, we’ll share 10 fun winter craft ideas focused on the beauty of the season. These crafts are suitable for different age groups and require minimal supplies.
Why Is It Important to Do Crafts With Your Kids?
Crafting is more than just a fun pastime; it offers a range of benefits for children and families! Here are some reasons to prioritize craft time with your kids this winter:
Enhances Creativity and Problem-Solving Skills: Craft projects encourage kids to think outside the box and experiment with materials, boosting their creative confidence.
Builds Fine Motor Skills: Activities like cutting, gluing, and painting help children develop dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
Strengthens Family Bonds: Crafting together provides a unique opportunity to connect and create shared memories.
Reduces Screen Time: Engaging in hands-on projects keeps kids away from screens and stimulates their imagination.
According to Play to Develop, arts and crafts significantly improve children’s cognitive and emotional development, strengthen academic performance and even boost self-esteem.
10 Winter Craft Ideas for Kids
1. Winter Nature Rubbings (Ages 5-10)
Capture the textures of winter with this classic craft.
What You Need: Thin paper, crayons, and winter items like pine needles, bark, or leaves.
How to Make It: Place the paper over a textured item and rub with crayons to reveal patterns.
Why It’s Great: Encourages exploration of the natural world while developing observational skills.
2. Frosted Pinecone Bird Feeders (Ages 3-8)
Make eco-friendly bird feeders that look like frosted pinecones.
What You Need: Pinecones, peanut butter (or sunflower butter), birdseed and ribbon.
How to Make It: Spread peanut butter on pinecones, roll in birdseed and tie a ribbon around it. Hang outside in a place where you can watch as birds come to snack!
Why It’s Great: A craft that encourages interest in local wildlife and offers long-lasting fun.
3. Watercolor Resist Snow Scenes (Ages 5-12)
Paint winter landscapes with a magical twist.
What You Need: White crayons, watercolor paints and paper.
How to Make It: Draw a winter scene with a white crayon, then paint over it with watercolors to reveal the design.
Why It’s Great: Introduces kids to art techniques and the joy of hidden surprises.
4. Snowstorm in a Bag (Ages 3-6)
Create a sensory experience with a swirling snowstorm in a sealed bag.
What You Need: Zip-top bags, hair gel, glitter and blue food coloring.
How to Make It: Fill the bag with hair gel, add glitter and food coloring, seal it and let kids squish and swirl.
Why It’s Great: Perfect for young children to explore textures and movement
5. Yarn-Wrapped Snowballs (Ages 6-10)
Craft soft, decorative snowballs from yarn.
What You Need: White yarn, balloons and glue.
How to Make It: Inflate balloons slightly, wrap them with yarn dipped in glue and let them dry. Pop the balloon to reveal a yarn snowball.
Why It’s Great: Encourages patience and creates fun seasonal decor.
6. Stick Snowflakes (Ages 4-9)
Transform craft sticks into beautiful snowflakes.
What You Need: Popsicle sticks, paint, glue and glitter.
How to Make It: Arrange and glue sticks into a snowflake shape, paint them and decorate with glitter.
Why It’s Great: Encourages creativity and enhances spatial reasoning.
7. Snowstorm Jars (Ages 3-7)
Make a swirling snowstorm in a jar.
What You Need: Mason jars, baby oil, white glitter, blue food coloring and water.
How to Make It: Fill a jar with baby oil, add glitter, pour in water and add a few drops of blue food coloring. Seal tightly and shake.
Why It’s Great: Captivates younger kids with a mesmerizing activity.
8. Salt Dough Snowflakes (Ages 5-10)
Create lasting snowflake ornaments using salt dough.
What You Need: Salt, flour, water, cookie cutters and paint.
How to Make It: Mix salt, flour and water to form dough. Roll out and use snowflake-shaped cutters to create designs. Bake and decorate with paint.
Why It’s Great: Combines sensory play with creativity.
9. Snowy Owl Collages (Ages 4-8)
Craft a wise snowy owl using everyday materials.
What You Need: Cotton balls, construction paper, glue and markers.
How to Make It: Draw the outline of an owl on the construction paper. Have kids glue cotton balls in the shape and use paper to add details like eyes and a beak. Add marker accents around the owl to create a fun scene.
Why It’s Great: Combines art with learning about winter animals.
10. Snow Globe Jars (Ages 7-14)
Create personalized snow globes using jars.
What You Need: Mason jars, water, glycerin, glitter and small figurines.
How to Make It: Attach figurines to the jar lid, fill the jar with water and glitter and seal tightly.
Why It’s Great: Combines creativity with a bit of engineering, and creates a fun keepsake to display.
Closing
Winter crafts offer more than just a way to pass the time—they inspire creativity, strengthen relationships and create lasting memories. From sensory play for toddlers to intricate projects for teens, there’s a craft for every child to enjoy this season. These activities celebrate the beauty of winter while fostering skill development and self-expression. So gather your materials, embrace the chill in the air and turn this winter into a season filled with creativity and fun.
Ready to try these winter crafts with your kids? Share your creations with us on social media and be sure to tag us on Facebook and Instagram!
About Us
Lollipops Daycare & Preschool is a licensed childcare center in Utah with seven locations throughout Salt Lake County and Utah County. We proudly go beyond basic health and safety requirements to provide a warm, nurturing and stimulating environment which supports the physical, social-emotional and cognitive development of every child in our care.
To learn more about our services or schedule a tour, give us a call at (801) 509-5411, or send us a message through our contact form.
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