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Safety first: Always supervise little ones, and skip small parts for kids who still put things in their mouths. Please read our play safety notes before you start.
Key takeaways
- 27 winter crafts in five groups: snowmen, mittens, snowflakes, winter animals and process art.
- Every craft lists ages from 18 months to 8 years, plus prep time and mess level.
- No Christmas themes, so the crafts work from December through February.
- Leftover wrapping paper, cards and boxes become January craft supplies.
In this post36 sections
- Winter Crafts for Kids: The Supply Kit to Grab Once
- Snowman Crafts for Kids
- 1. Paper plate snowman
- 2. Sock snowman
- 3. Cotton ball snowman
- 4. Handprint snowman family
- 5. Melted snowman puffy paint
- 6. Toilet paper roll snowman
- 7. Playdough snowman kit
- Mitten and Hat Crafts for Kids
- 8. Mitten matching game
- 9. Lacing mitten
- 10. Dot sticker mittens
- 11. Salt painted mittens
- 12. Yarn pom hat ornaments
- 13. Wrapping paper mitten garland
- Snowflake and Ice Crafts
- 14. Cotton swab snowflakes
- 15. Tape resist snowflake painting
- 16. Ice suncatchers
- 17. Glue snowflake window clings
- 18. Chalk snow scene
- 19. Bubble wrap snow stamping
- Winter Animal Crafts: Penguins, Polar Bears and Owls
- 20. Paper plate penguin
- 21. Toilet roll penguins
- 22. Torn paper polar bear
- 23. Paper plate snowy owl
- 24. Folded paper arctic fox
- Snow Day Process Art
- 25. Frozen paint cubes
- 26. Snow spray painting
- 27. Snowy road truck painting
- The Angle Nobody Mentions: Winter Crafts That Last Until February
- More Seasonal Fun for Kids
- FAQ
Winter Crafts for Kids: The Supply Kit to Grab Once
Most of these crafts use the same short list of supplies. Grab them once in December and you're covered until spring, including snow days when the stores feel very far away.
Winter craft kit
Snowman Crafts for Kids
Snowman crafts for kids are the classic for a reason: three circles, a nose and a scarf, and every age can make one their own way.
2Sock snowman
Fill a white sock with rice, tie it off with a hair tie, then add a second tie to make a head. A cut-off kid sock becomes the hat, and a ribbon scarf finishes it. Draw the features with a marker instead of gluing on buttons. Ages: 5 to 8. Prep: 10 minutes. Mess: medium (rice spills). Supplies: a white sock, 2 cups of rice, 2 hair ties, ribbon, marker.
- Safety: a grown-up does the tying. Skip buttons and rubber bands, which are choking hazards for younger siblings.
3Cotton ball snowman
Draw three circles on blue paper and let kids fill them with cotton balls dipped in a little glue. Add a paper hat and twig arms from the yard. It's soft, puffy and very satisfying for small hands. Ages: 3 to 5. Prep: 5 minutes. Mess: low. Supplies: blue paper, cotton balls, white glue, twigs, paper scraps.
- Safety: cotton balls are a choking risk for under 3s, so this one starts at preschool.
5Melted snowman puffy paint
Mix equal parts shaving cream and white school glue for a puffy paint. Kids spread a puddle shape on cardstock and top it with a felt hat, paper nose and two black paper dots. It dries puffy in a few hours. Ages: 4 to 8. Prep: 5 minutes. Mess: high. Supplies: shaving cream, white glue, cardstock, felt and paper scraps.
- Safety: shaving cream stings if it gets near the face. Not for kids who still mouth things.
6Toilet paper roll snowman
Paint a toilet paper roll white, glue on a strip of felt as a scarf, and add a paper cone hat on top. Line up a whole snowman family on the windowsill. Ages: 3 to 7. Prep: 5 minutes. Mess: medium. Supplies: toilet paper rolls, white paint, felt, paper.
- Safety: use washable paint and cover the table.
7Playdough snowman kit
Set out white playdough, short sticks, a few big paper scarves and a cookie cutter. Kids roll balls, stack them and build a snowman they can squish and rebuild. No glue, no drying time. Ages: 2 to 5. Prep: 3 minutes. Mess: low. Supplies: white playdough, short sticks, paper scraps.
- Safety: sit with toddlers, who may taste the dough. Skip small beads or buttons for under 3s.
Mitten and Hat Crafts for Kids
Mittens are an easy shape to cut and decorate, and they double as math games. Trace your child's own mitten for a template that is exactly the right size.
8Mitten matching game
Cut 8 pairs of paper mittens and decorate each pair the same way: stripes, dots, zigzags. Mix them up and have kids find the pairs, then clip them on a clothesline taped low on the wall. Ages: 3 to 5. Prep: 15 minutes. Mess: none. Supplies: colored paper, markers, clothespins, string.
- Safety: keep the clothesline taped low and short, and take it down after play.
9Lacing mitten
Cut a mitten from cardstock and hole-punch around the edge. Wrap tape around the end of a piece of yarn so it works like a shoelace tip. Lacing builds the finger skills kids use for writing. Ages: 4 to 7. Prep: 5 minutes. Mess: none. Supplies: cardstock, hole punch, yarn, tape.
- Safety: supervise yarn play, and put yarn away afterward with younger kids around.
10Dot sticker mittens
Draw a big mitten outline and hand over a sheet of dot stickers. Toddlers peel and stick to fill the mitten. Peeling stickers is great fine motor practice. Ages: 18 months to 4. Prep: 1 minute. Mess: none. Supplies: paper, marker, dot stickers.
- Safety: stay close, since toddlers may try to eat stickers.
11Salt painted mittens
Draw a mitten pattern in white glue, sprinkle salt over it and shake off the extra. Then touch a brush of watercolor to the salt lines and watch the color spread. Kids 5 and up find it fascinating. Ages: 4 to 8. Prep: 5 minutes. Mess: medium. Supplies: cardstock, white glue, table salt, watercolors.
- Safety: salt can sting small cuts. Wash hands after.
12Yarn pom hat ornaments
Cut a toilet paper roll into rings. Kids loop short pieces of yarn through each ring and push them up to make a tiny knit hat, then tie the top. Hang them on a branch or the window. Ages: 6 to 9. Prep: 5 minutes. Mess: low. Supplies: toilet paper roll, yarn, scissors.
- Safety: kids this age can use child scissors with a grown-up nearby.
13Wrapping paper mitten garland
Trace mittens on leftover wrapping paper and old holiday cards, cut them out and clip them to twine with mini clothespins. It turns December's scraps into a January window decoration. Ages: 4 to 8. Prep: 5 minutes. Mess: low. Supplies: leftover wrapping paper, old cards, twine, mini clothespins.
- Safety: hang the garland above toddler reach, and keep twine out of cribs and play spaces.
Snowflake and Ice Crafts
These snowflake ideas skip the folding and cutting, which can frustrate young kids. Some even use real ice.
14Cotton swab snowflakes
Glue cotton swabs onto dark paper in star patterns: one cross, then an X over it, then little Vs on each arm. Each child's snowflake comes out different, just like real ones. Ages: 4 to 8. Prep: 2 minutes. Mess: low. Supplies: cotton swabs, navy paper, white glue.
- Safety: cotton swabs are a choking risk for under 3s, and keep them away from ears.
15Tape resist snowflake painting
Tape a big snowflake shape onto white paper with painter's tape. Kids paint over everything in blues and purples. When it dries, peel the tape for a crisp white snowflake. Ages: 2 to 6. Prep: 3 minutes. Mess: medium. Supplies: painter's tape, white paper, washable paint, big brush.
- Safety: use washable paint and a smock.
16Ice suncatchers
Fill a pie tin with water and drop in cranberries, pine sprigs and orange slices, then lay a loop of string in the water. Freeze outside overnight if it's below freezing, or in the freezer. Hang it from a tree and watch it glow. Ages: 3 to 8. Prep: 10 minutes. Mess: medium. Supplies: a pie tin, water, string, cranberries, greenery, orange slices.
- Safety: cranberries can be a choking risk for under 4s, so a grown-up handles them with toddlers. Hang it on a low branch out of the way.
17Glue snowflake window clings
Squeeze white school glue in a thick snowflake shape onto a plastic sheet protector. Let it dry for a day or two until it turns clear, then peel it off and stick it on a window. Ages: 5 to 8. Prep: 5 minutes. Mess: low. Supplies: white glue, a sheet protector, glitter (optional).
- Safety: glitter can irritate skin and is messy. Try fine salt instead for sparkle.
18Chalk snow scene
Hand over black construction paper and white chalk, then let kids draw a snowy night: snowmen, falling snow, a moon. Blend with fingers for a foggy effect. Ages: 3 to 8. Prep: 1 minute. Mess: low. Supplies: black paper, white chalk.
- Safety: chalk is messy, not dangerous. Wipe hands before snack.
19Bubble wrap snow stamping
Tape bubble wrap around a paper towel roll. Toddlers roll it through white paint and across blue paper for an instant snowy pattern. Ages: 18 months to 4. Prep: 3 minutes. Mess: medium. Supplies: bubble wrap, paper towel roll, white paint, blue paper.
- Safety: bubble wrap stays taped, since loose plastic shouldn't end up near a toddler's mouth or nose.
Winter Animal Crafts: Penguins, Polar Bears and Owls
Winter animals keep the craft table going after the holidays. Kids also learn a few fun facts as they go.
20Paper plate penguin
Paint the edges of a paper plate black, leaving a white belly in the middle. Add orange paper feet and a beak, plus black paper flippers on the sides. Draw the eyes with a marker, or let kids 4 and up glue on googly eyes. Ages: 3 to 6. Prep: 5 minutes. Mess: medium. Supplies: paper plate, black paint, orange and black paper, glue, a marker or googly eyes.
- Safety: precut the shapes for younger kids. Googly eyes are a choking hazard, so use paper circles or marker eyes for 3-year-olds and younger siblings.
21Toilet roll penguins
Paint a toilet paper roll black with a white oval belly, then add a paper beak and feet a felt scarf and two googly eyes. Make a whole family and stand them in a row. Ages: 4 to 8. Prep: 5 minutes. Mess: medium. Supplies: toilet paper rolls, black and white paint, paper, felt, googly eyes.
- Safety: washable paint and a covered table keep this easy. Keep the googly eyes away from babies and toddlers, since they are a choking hazard.
22Torn paper polar bear
Draw a simple bear outline on light blue paper. Toddlers tear white paper and glue the pieces inside. Tearing is wonderful hand work, and messy edges look like fur. Ages: 2 to 5. Prep: 3 minutes. Mess: low. Supplies: blue and white paper, glue stick, marker.
- Safety: tear big pieces for toddlers and stay close.
23Paper plate snowy owl
Fold the sides of a paper plate in to make wings, then add two big paper circles at the top and a paper beak. Older kids can cut paper feathers and glue them in rows. Ages: 4 to 8. Prep: 5 minutes. Mess: low. Supplies: paper plate, paper scraps, glue, child scissors.
- Safety: skip craft feathers for under 3s, since they can be inhaled or swallowed.
24Folded paper arctic fox
Fold a square of white paper into a triangle, then fold the two side corners up to make ears. Draw a nose and a smile. Kids 6 and up can make a whole den in five minutes. Ages: 6 to 9. Prep: 2 minutes. Mess: none. Supplies: white square paper, marker.
- Safety: no concerns for this age.
Snow Day Process Art
Process art is about the doing, not the finished look. These are great for toddlers and for burning off snow day energy.
25Frozen paint cubes
Pour washable paint into an ice cube tray, add a craft stick to each cube and freeze. Kids slide the cubes across thick paper and watch the colors smear as they melt. Ages: 18 months to 6. Prep: 5 minutes the night before. Mess: high. Supplies: washable paint, ice cube tray, craft sticks, heavy paper.
- Safety: use only washable, non-toxic paint, since toddlers may lick the cubes. Supervise closely.
26Snow spray painting
Fill spray bottles with water and a few drops of washable liquid watercolor or food coloring. Head outside and paint the snow. It's a winter craft for kids that ends up as pure play. Ages: 2 to 8. Prep: 5 minutes. Mess: medium (outside). Supplies: spray bottles, water, liquid watercolor or food coloring.
- Safety: dress for the cold, take breaks to warm up, and know that food coloring can stain mittens.
27Snowy road truck painting
Pour white paint onto a tray and let kids roll toy trucks through it, then drive them across blue paper. The tire tracks look like a snowy road. Ages: 2 to 5. Prep: 2 minutes. Mess: medium. Supplies: toy trucks, white paint, blue paper, tray.
- Safety: use toy trucks without small parts and wash them right after.
The Angle Nobody Mentions: Winter Crafts That Last Until February
Most winter craft lists mix in Christmas trees and ornaments. That's great in December, but the decorations come down January 1. Snowmen, mittens, snowflakes and winter animals can stay up until spring, so kids get weeks of pride on the fridge.
January is also when you have a pile of leftover wrapping paper, boxes and cards. Here's how to turn them into winter crafts instead of trash.
| Leftover | Winter craft | Best age |
|---|---|---|
| Wrapping paper | Mitten garland (idea 13) | 4 to 8 |
| Holiday cards | Mitten matching game (idea 8) | 3 to 5 |
| Shipping boxes | Cut big snowflake shapes for tape resist painting (idea 15) | 2 to 6 |
| Bubble wrap | Snow stamping roller (idea 19) | 18 months to 4 |
| Ribbon | Sock snowman scarves (idea 2) | 5 to 8 |
| Toilet paper rolls | Snowmen and penguins (ideas 6 and 21) | 3 to 8 |
Winter craft supplies
-
Cotton balls (large)
About $4 to $8
Fluffy snowmen and snow scenes.
Check price on Amazon for Cotton balls (large) -
Washable white paint
About $6 to $12
The base color for almost every winter craft.
Check price on Amazon for Washable white paint -
Plain paper plates
About $5 to $10 per pack
Snowmen, penguins and owls. Uncoated plates take paint better.
Check price on Amazon for Plain paper plates -
Felt sheets
About $8 to $15 per pack
Scarves, hats and mittens that don't tear.
Check price on Amazon for Felt sheets -
Kids spray bottles
About $8 to $15 per set
Snow painting outside and window washing inside.
Check price on Amazon for Kids spray bottles
More Seasonal Fun for Kids
Still in December? Try our kids Christmas crafts by age or a Christmas sensory bin. For the long weeks after the holidays, our toddler activities at home cover every age from 12 months to 3 years. And if your big kids are bored of crafts, borrow a code or STEM challenge from our elf ideas for older kids.
Frequently asked questions
What are easy winter crafts for kids?
Paper plate snowmen, torn paper polar bears, dot sticker mittens and tape resist snowflakes are the easiest. Each takes under 5 minutes to set up with supplies most homes already have.
What winter crafts can preschoolers make?
Preschoolers do well with cotton ball snowmen, cotton swab snowflakes, the mitten matching game, lacing mittens and paper plate penguins. They build fine motor skills like gluing, lacing and placing small pieces.
What winter crafts are safe for toddlers?
Pick crafts with big pieces and washable paint: paper plate snowmen with precut shapes, torn paper polar bears, bubble wrap stamping and frozen paint cubes. Skip cotton balls, cotton swabs and buttons until age 3.
How do you make a snowman craft without buttons?
Draw the features with a marker, use small black paper dots glued on by a grown-up, or press fingertip prints in black paint. All three look cute and avoid choking risks.
When should you do winter crafts with kids?
Any time from December to the end of February. Because these crafts have no holiday themes, they make good decorations once the Christmas things are packed away.
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