Winter crafts with the kiddos can be fun – if they’re in line with the child’s age, interests and skill level. The harried days leading up to the holidays and the unexpected snow days that can wreak havoc on a working parent’s productivity call for swift action: crafts to the rescue! If parents can carve out enough time and projects with just the right amount of challenge, they can be a wonderful way for the family to reconnect, have some fun, and make memories that will live on in the projects themselves.
Art made on days when it’s too cold or snowy to go out can entertain for hours, and holiday decoration-making can serve to diffuse some of the over-the-top excitement that defines the weeks leading up to the holidays. Busy minds – and hands – make time pass quickly and satisfy kids with a creative streak. Unlike board games and physical play, these projects give kids a chance to simply have fun doing a low-pressure group activity where open-ended results are perfectly OK.
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Soft snowpeople
Craft store pompoms come in many sizes, but the biggest ones work well for creating snowman (or snowwoman) soft sculptures. Parents can facilitate hot gluing the pompoms together, with the largest one forming the base. These can be decorated with sequins or buttons for eyes, small fabric strips as scarves and felt remnants for hats or mittens.
Craft store pompoms come in many sizes, but the biggest ones work well for creating snowman (or snowwoman) soft sculptures. Parents can facilitate hot gluing the pompoms together, with the largest one forming the base. These can be decorated with sequins or buttons for eyes, small fabric strips as scarves and felt remnants for hats or mittens.
Piping hot fun
Anyone who enjoys a cup of hot chocolate on occasion will appreciate this cute and delicious beverage accessory. With purchased large marshmallows, some broken nut pieces and a squeezable tube of black icing, artists can make a snowman face with dots of icing for the eyes and mouth and nut fragments for the nose. These whimsical creations add a dollop of charm when plopped on top of a mug of steaming cocoa.
Anyone who enjoys a cup of hot chocolate on occasion will appreciate this cute and delicious beverage accessory. With purchased large marshmallows, some broken nut pieces and a squeezable tube of black icing, artists can make a snowman face with dots of icing for the eyes and mouth and nut fragments for the nose. These whimsical creations add a dollop of charm when plopped on top of a mug of steaming cocoa.
Rustic snow globe
Many a child’s imaginations have been fueled by gazing into a snow globe. A quick shake makes it “snow,” and these tabletop accents add lots of holiday spirit. Supplies for this project are simple and easy to access: a mason jar, glue, glitter, a little bit of glycerine to mix with water, and objects for the inside. Just remember to glue the objects to the jar lid because that will serve as the globe’s bottom. They can be an artfully arranged group of things or something that tells a story, such as dollhouse figures or garden pebbles and miniature plastic or glass animals.
Many a child’s imaginations have been fueled by gazing into a snow globe. A quick shake makes it “snow,” and these tabletop accents add lots of holiday spirit. Supplies for this project are simple and easy to access: a mason jar, glue, glitter, a little bit of glycerine to mix with water, and objects for the inside. Just remember to glue the objects to the jar lid because that will serve as the globe’s bottom. They can be an artfully arranged group of things or something that tells a story, such as dollhouse figures or garden pebbles and miniature plastic or glass animals.
Tactile amusement
Though the outcome isn’t traditionally pretty, snow slime is a blast to make and play with. It takes three types of glue – regular white, clear and glitter glue – plus a bit of Borax and warm water. For more of a holiday feel, add a drop or two of peppermint extract. The process is quick and easy – a fun family project for over the holiday break – and who doesn’t love making a mess?
Though the outcome isn’t traditionally pretty, snow slime is a blast to make and play with. It takes three types of glue – regular white, clear and glitter glue – plus a bit of Borax and warm water. For more of a holiday feel, add a drop or two of peppermint extract. The process is quick and easy – a fun family project for over the holiday break – and who doesn’t love making a mess?
Sweet Design
For budding architects, a sugar cube igloo project offers tons of fun. The only supplies needed are sugar cubes (available at most grocery stores), a small piece of cardboard, white glue and white paint. Affix the base of the igloo to the cardboard with glue, and build up and around from there. The design possibilities are almost endless, and each maker can treat the base as he or she wishes by painting it white or introducing another material, such as glitter – guaranteed to give the snow that dramatic shimmer.
For budding architects, a sugar cube igloo project offers tons of fun. The only supplies needed are sugar cubes (available at most grocery stores), a small piece of cardboard, white glue and white paint. Affix the base of the igloo to the cardboard with glue, and build up and around from there. The design possibilities are almost endless, and each maker can treat the base as he or she wishes by painting it white or introducing another material, such as glitter – guaranteed to give the snow that dramatic shimmer.
Ice ornaments
This project’s end result is something pretty, but it also teaches the beauty of impermanence. Gather objects from nature such as leaves, branches and colorful berries. Bring the harvest inside and place elements in shallow bowls filled with water. Add a long string for hanging and leave out overnight in freezing temperatures. The next morning, pop them out and hang them from a tree or porch ceiling – they’ll sparkle as the sun shows through them, but when temps rise, they will slowly disappear.
This project’s end result is something pretty, but it also teaches the beauty of impermanence. Gather objects from nature such as leaves, branches and colorful berries. Bring the harvest inside and place elements in shallow bowls filled with water. Add a long string for hanging and leave out overnight in freezing temperatures. The next morning, pop them out and hang them from a tree or porch ceiling – they’ll sparkle as the sun shows through them, but when temps rise, they will slowly disappear.
Stained glass mittens
Another project that takes advantage of sunlight is one that mimics a traditional art – a pair of mittens that give a stained glass effect when hung in a window. By defining the mitten shape with black electrical tape on either a clear acrylic sheet or transparent contact paper, the center space of the mitten is filled with pre-cut or torn tissue paper pieces. Tissue paper can be one color or multi-colored. By gluing some without layering and others overlapping, the effect of lighter and darker colors is that of a pane of stained glass. Mount on a window and enjoy.
Another project that takes advantage of sunlight is one that mimics a traditional art – a pair of mittens that give a stained glass effect when hung in a window. By defining the mitten shape with black electrical tape on either a clear acrylic sheet or transparent contact paper, the center space of the mitten is filled with pre-cut or torn tissue paper pieces. Tissue paper can be one color or multi-colored. By gluing some without layering and others overlapping, the effect of lighter and darker colors is that of a pane of stained glass. Mount on a window and enjoy.
DIY winter birdfeeders
With the help of parents, kids can make these easy birdfeeders for wintertime, when birds need all the help they can get finding nourishment. Gather any bird feed-worthy ingredients on hand – sunflower seeds, oats, Cheerios, dried cranberries and even birdseed – in a large bowl. An adult can supervise heating lard or a suet square (both available in grocery stores) in a pan. Get a plastic cup ready by piercing a small hole at the bottom and stringing a long piece of yarn through it; tie a knot outside the cup bottom and leave a length for hanging from a branch or rafter. After the lard or suet is melted, kids can stir it in the bowl with the birdseed ingredients (mixture should be tacky) and spoon the mixture into the cup. Refrigerate overnight, carefully cut away the cup the next morning and hang for feathered friends to enjoy.
With the help of parents, kids can make these easy birdfeeders for wintertime, when birds need all the help they can get finding nourishment. Gather any bird feed-worthy ingredients on hand – sunflower seeds, oats, Cheerios, dried cranberries and even birdseed – in a large bowl. An adult can supervise heating lard or a suet square (both available in grocery stores) in a pan. Get a plastic cup ready by piercing a small hole at the bottom and stringing a long piece of yarn through it; tie a knot outside the cup bottom and leave a length for hanging from a branch or rafter. After the lard or suet is melted, kids can stir it in the bowl with the birdseed ingredients (mixture should be tacky) and spoon the mixture into the cup. Refrigerate overnight, carefully cut away the cup the next morning and hang for feathered friends to enjoy.
Snowflake messages
The art of the thank-you note lives on, thanks to parents who encourage gratitude. Snowflake thank-you notes can make a task that kids feel nagged about much more fun. To make them wintry, fill the printer with blue paper and work with children to craft a message that parents can type into the computer. Print however many are needed and have kids individualize them with hand-cut snowflakes from folded white paper. Attach to cards with glue.
The art of the thank-you note lives on, thanks to parents who encourage gratitude. Snowflake thank-you notes can make a task that kids feel nagged about much more fun. To make them wintry, fill the printer with blue paper and work with children to craft a message that parents can type into the computer. Print however many are needed and have kids individualize them with hand-cut snowflakes from folded white paper. Attach to cards with glue.
Indoor hopscotch mat
Even if the temps are frigid outside, active indoor play is still possible. An easy way to take hopscotch inside is to get a large oblong piece of plastic from the fabric store – a 3-foot by 6-foot section should do – and paint the hopscotch square template on it (and numbers in a contrasting color). The same thing can be done, for a little more time, by using felt and affixing squares on the mat and adding numbers on top of the squares, secured with a hot glue gun.
Even if the temps are frigid outside, active indoor play is still possible. An easy way to take hopscotch inside is to get a large oblong piece of plastic from the fabric store – a 3-foot by 6-foot section should do – and paint the hopscotch square template on it (and numbers in a contrasting color). The same thing can be done, for a little more time, by using felt and affixing squares on the mat and adding numbers on top of the squares, secured with a hot glue gun.
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Glammed up knits
Take kids’ plain mittens and hats and raise the razzle-dazzle level by embellishing with pompoms, sequins or beads. Colored yarn can also be stitched to make snowflakes or snowmen. Elementary school kids, with parental direction, can plan their design and execute stitching with additional teamwork. They’ll always know which mittens are theirs!
Take kids’ plain mittens and hats and raise the razzle-dazzle level by embellishing with pompoms, sequins or beads. Colored yarn can also be stitched to make snowflakes or snowmen. Elementary school kids, with parental direction, can plan their design and execute stitching with additional teamwork. They’ll always know which mittens are theirs!