Do you have old boxes? Is it cold out? You are not alone! It is fun to turn old trash into new toys. This is good for when it is cold. You can make soft art. It uses blue colors too. Today, I will share my best winter crafts. They turn your table into a snowy world. We will make stars from plates. We will make birds from cones. These crafts are easy for small hands. Which one will you try first? Tell me below. Send me your photos too! I want to see what your kids make.
1. Whimsical Cardboard Tube Penguins
It is fun to use an old paper roll. A child can make a bird friend. We do this a lot at my house. It uses things from your bin. Add cotton balls for snow. Use a scrap of cloth for a scarf. Now the bird looks real! This helps kids learn to cut and glue. It teaches them to reuse old things. They learn while they play!
2. Sparkly Watercolor Coffee Filter Snowflakes
I love to use paint and filters. They make great winter art. This craft looks like a soft winter sky. Kids love to watch the blue paint spread. Once they dry, you fold and cut them. These look like real snowflakes. It is a fun way to learn math. We hang them in the windows. They look like real frost. There is no mess here.
3. Rustic Pinecone Snowy Owls
We go on walks to find pinecones. This craft is a great way to use them. Use white cotton to fill the gaps. This makes soft “feathers.” Use felt for eyes and a beak. Now you have a wise owl! It feels scratchy and soft. This is good for kids to touch. These look sweet on a shelf. Put them near green tree branches.
4. Handprint Polar Bear Keepsakes
Hand art is very sweet. This bear craft is a big hit. Use white paint on blue paper. The bear will stand out. Ask kids to add white stars. Use a silver pen or chalk. This shows how much hands grow. These are great gifts for grandma. They love art from their kids.
5. Upcycled Paper Plate Snowmen
Plate Snowmen Simple tools are the most fun. Use two plates. Use some orange paper. Add some old buttons. That is all you need! Each snowman will look new. Some are tall. Some are round. Some have funny smiles. This is how they should be! it is easy to use glue sticks here. This craft is a classic.
6. 3D Paper Strip Snowmen
Paper Strip Snowmen Do you want art that stands up? These snowmen are a joy. Loop strips of white paper. Now the snowman can stand up! It is like a small building task. Use old ribbons for scarves. You can use old shoe ties. Put them on a window sill. They look like a tiny snow town. This brings joy to the room.
7. Puffy Paint Snow Scenes
Have you made puffy paint? Mix foam and white glue. It feels great! It dries soft and thick. It looks just like real snow. Let kids paint a snow scene. This is a fun activity. They can add beads for snow. The fun part is the paint. The art at the end is a prize!
8. Mess-Free Mason Jar Snow Globes
Easy Snow Globes Snow globes are like magic. But they can be hard to make. This type has no water. Use cotton balls and grit. Add small toy people. This is easy for small hands to do. You do not have to worry about leaks! Use the tiny toys from the toy box. Put a small light behind them at night. They will glow like a dream.
9. Salt Painted Colorful Snowflakes
Salt paint is like magic. It keeps kids busy for a long time. Draw a star with glue. Put salt on top. Then drop paint on the salt. Watch the color move! It looks like real ice. It is a fun way to learn. Let them dry for a long time. Do not move them yet! The salt might fall off.
10. Popsicle Stick Sled Ornaments
Stick Sled Art These small sleds feel like old days. Use big sticks and some string. You can make art for your tree. Paint them red or brown. Glue a small photo on the seat. This is a great gift for the tree. These sleds are strong. They will last for years. It is a good way to use glue.
11. Winter Bird Seed Feeders
Winter crafting doesn’t have to stay inside! Creating bird seed ornaments using cookie cutters and gelatin is a lovely way to give back to nature. It’s a great activity for teaching kids about the animals that don’t hibernate. We love hanging these on the trees outside our window and watching the birds come for a snack. It’s a “living” craft that connects children to the rhythm of the seasons. Plus, it’s mostly natural materials, so it’s very eco-friendly.
12. Cardboard Gingerbread Houses
If you want the fun of a gingerbread house without the sticky sugar rush, cardboard is the way to go! We save our delivery boxes and cut them into house shapes. Then, we “decorate” them with white paint markers, buttons, and pom-poms. These last much longer than the edible versions and can be used as playhouses for small dolls. It’s a fantastic way to encourage imaginative play. My kids love “lighting” them up by putting a string of fairy lights inside.
13. Doily Snowman Art
Paper doilies have that intricate, lacy look that perfectly mimics the patterns in a snowflake. Layering different sized doilies creates a very elegant-looking snowman. This is a very gentle, quiet craft that’s great for a Sunday morning. The texture of the paper provides a nice contrast to a smooth cardstock background. We like to add “accessories” like a top hat or a pipe made from felt scraps. It’s a classic look that proves you don’t need expensive supplies to make something beautiful.
14. Beaded Pipe Cleaner Icicles
For a great fine-motor workout, you can’t beat beading. Sliding translucent blue, white, and silver beads onto a pipe cleaner and then twisting it into a spiral creates the prettiest “icicles.” Kids love the sparkle, and it’s a very satisfying repetitive motion. We hang these from the chandelier or the curtain rods to catch the light. They are virtually indestructible, which is a huge plus when you have younger siblings or pets running around the house!
15. Winter Sensory Discovery Bottles
While not a traditional “cut and paste” craft, making sensory bottles is a huge hit for the preschool crowd. Filling a plastic bottle with water, silver glitter, and small snowflake sequins creates a “snowstorm in a jar.” We sometimes add a drop of blue food coloring for a chilly effect. It’s a very calming tool—whenever things get a little too energetic indoors, watching the glitter slowly settle is like magic. Just make sure to super-glue the lid shut!
16. Fork-Painted Snowy Pine Trees
Who knew a plastic fork could be an artist’s tool? By dipping the tines of a fork in green paint and stamping them in a triangle shape, you get a textured “needle” look for a pine tree. Then, use a fingertip to dab on white paint “snow.” It’s such a clever technique that always surprises kids. It’s a great example of how you can use household objects to create interesting art. The results look like a professional holiday card!
17. Felt Heart Penguin Ornaments
Since winter leads right into Valentine’s Day, these heart-shaped penguins are a sweet transition craft. Using felt is great because it’s easy for kids to handle and doesn’t fray. A large black heart for the body and a smaller white heart for the belly makes the cutest little penguin. This is a lovely “first sewing” project if you want to teach older kids a simple whip stitch, but fabric glue works just as well for the younger ones!
18. Paper Plate Arctic Fox
Similar to the snowman, the arctic fox uses a paper plate base but with a clever fold to create the pointy ears. Using cotton balls to give the fox a “furry” face adds a great tactile element. I love how this project encourages kids to learn about different animals that live in the cold. It’s a simple, high-success-rate craft that gives kids a real sense of accomplishment. They always look so proud of their “snow foxes.”
19. Bubble Wrap Snow Prints
Don’t throw away that bubble wrap from your holiday packages! Painting it white and pressing it onto blue paper creates a wonderful “bubbly” snow texture. It’s a very satisfying sensory experience (and yes, we always pop a few bubbles afterward). It makes a great background for other winter drawings or can stand alone as abstract winter art. It’s all about the texture here, and kids absolutely love the “pop” factor.
20. Twig and Yarn Winter Stars
For a more natural, Scandi-style craft, gathering small twigs from the yard and lashing them together with white or silver yarn is beautiful. It creates a rustic star shape that feels very “forest floor chic.” It’s a bit more challenging for older kids to get the wrapping right, but it’s very rewarding. These look stunning tied to a gift or hanging in a cluster in a window. It’s the perfect way to bring the outdoors in during the long winter months.
