Beat the dark days of winter with these crafts designed to bring delight during this time of year. Take advantage of cozy time spent indoors with these crafts that draw from the winter season, pull from items you may already have around the house, thinks you can easily find in nature, and bring joy to your home during the coldest time of year.
In this blog post:
- Things you find in nature: Nature winter crafts for children
- Things you already have: “Underconsumption” winter crafts for kids
- For an afternoon: Winter afternoon craft project for kids
- Wintry days indoors: More fun winter craft ideas for kids
- Winter learning for children from Treehouse Schoolhouse
Things you find in nature: Nature winter crafts for children
We love finding reasons to get out in nature and explore the outdoors. These crafts are inspired by winter nature study, including ideas to peek at nature birds or gather sticks and things from nature for fun and simple crafts.
DIY Birdseed Wreath
Use birdseed to create a wreath to delight the birds in your area with this activity from Treehouse Nature Study, Intermediate Years: Winter.
Walnut Candles
Image used with permission from How Wee Learn.
Create simple candles from hollow walnut shells to create a warm, welcoming glow in your home. Read the full total from How Wee Learn.
Tiny Twig Houses
Have children gather twigs and sticks from nature to put together these simple twig houses. Read the full tutorial from the Do Dodson Designs.
Nature Art Stamping
Get little ones curious about the outdoors by having them gather items from nature, dip them in paint, and see what stamps and designs they create. Read instructions in this blog from Happy Hooligans.
Wax Fire Starters
Love a cozy winter fire? Used repurposed items and things from nature to make these wax fire starters. See the full directions from Candle Starters.
Pinecone Wreath
Create a beautiful wreath from winter pinecones in this activity from Treehouse Nature Study, Intermediate Years: Winter.
Mason Jar Candle Holder
Use a mason jar and tissue paper to create a simple and creative candle holder in this tutorial from A Connected Christmas, Volume Two.
Winter Tree Art
Encourage children to replicate beautiful winter trees with twigs in this simple activity from Fantastic Fun and Learning.
Snow Painting
Does it snow where you live during the winter? Let little children enjoy the outdoors by painting the snow in this simple, hands-on connection from The Lady Birds’ Adventures.
Winter Owl Pinecones
Use pinecones, cotton balls, and googly eyes to create these sweet winter owls in this tutorial from Easy, Peasy, and Fun.
Ice Ornaments
Use freezing temperatures to your benefit and create ice ornaments to hang on bare, winter trees. Gauge the temperature by seeing how long they last with this activity from Fox Farm Home.
Nature Paint Brushes
Forget traditional art supplies and enjoy some creative fun by creating paint brushes from pine straw, evergreen tree branches, or whatever you find in nature with this tutorial from Brandywine Conservancy.
Things you already have: “Underconsumption” winter crafts for kids
We love the idea of making crafts from things you already have in your home, or from materials you can source secondhand. If you have a habit of thrifting interesting materials or storing away things for later use, these ideas are for you. If not, browse these items of materials to store up for your next rainy day activity. It is always surprising to see what kids can come up with from things you already have around the house.
Braided Rag Rug
Use strips of fabric or material from old t-shirts to create a braided rag rug and keep feet warm as you step out of bed on cold, winter mornings in this tutorial from Sew Can She. Children can help braid the fabric together, then use a sewing machine to stitch it all together.
Tissue paper snowflake garland
Use tissue paper to make these simple, fringed snowflakes and string them onto a garland in this tutorial from Hands On As We Grow. Perfect for toddlers and small children ages 4-6 who are comfortable using scissors.
Collages and junk journaling
Collages are making a comeback! Cut letters and pictures out of old magazines and create artwork or journal entries with bits and pieces of things you already have. You can use Mod Podge to glue papers together or use scrapbooking materials to make beautiful images out of things you already have. Here is a simple tutorial with some ideas to get started from Margarete Miller.
Make a stationery kit
Decorate coordinating letters and envelopes to create stationery to writing letters to loved ones. Create a stationery set so you are ready to go when you need to write a letter. Here is some inspiration from DIY Joy.
Snowflake Cardboard Lacing Craft
Use cardboard circles and yarn for this simple activity for children to practice making geometric snowflake shapes in this tutorial from Our Kid Things.
DIY Shrinky Dink
Use recycled plastic containers to create winter shrinky dinks like snowflakes and winter animals. See the full instructions from Chaotically Yours here.
Homemade Bookmark
Love to cuddle up with a good book during the winter? Here are 50 ideas for making bookmarks from Crafty DIYers.
For an afternoon: Winter afternoon craft project for kids
On cold winter days, having a project that is a little more involved (especially for older kids) is a fun way to pass the day. These are handcrafts that may require a little more experience or precision, but has a worthwhile and rewarding result.
Knit Scarf or Hat
Children who love handcrafts will enjoy making a scarf or winter hat and wearing it on a cold day. Here is are some ideas for knitting scarves from Knitting for Charity and a simple knit hat pattern from Wild Cherry Farm.
Waldorf Window Stars
Use kite paper to create window stars to make your home festive during the winter season with this Waldorf Window Star tutorial from The Denver Waldorf School. Use white kite paper to make them resemble snowflakes.
Paint a Winter Scene
Do an art study and try your hand at replicating a winter painting, or use watercolors to paint a snowy winter scene with this kid-friendly tutorial from Andrea Nelson Art.
Origami Winter Shapes
Origami takes practice and concentration, but is the perfect way to pass the time indoors during the winter. Here are some fun, winter-themed origami ideas:
Felt Stuffed Animals
Take an afternoon and create simple stuffed animals from felt with this easy sewing tutorial from The Yellow Birdhouse.
Beeswax Candles
Children can help roll sheets of beeswax in this simple candle tutorial from Inner Child Fun Media.
Snowflake Suncatcher
Use clear contact paper and tissue paper to make colorful snowflakes to put on your windows during the winter with this project from Kids Activity Zone.
Make a Windsock
See winter winds come alive with this learning activity from Treehouse Nature Study, Intermediate Years: Winter.
Wintry days indoors: More fun winter craft ideas for kids
Here are a few more ideas that draw from the themes in winter, whether that is winter snow, a lantern for the darkest day of the year, or a cozy cup of tea.
Homemade Snow
Use cornstarch and vegetable oil to make sensory Snow Dough from Treehouse Nature Study, Primary Years: Winter.
Custom Tea Blends
Research your favorite tea blends and make your own custom blends for cozy cups of tea during wintertime. Here are some recipes to get you started from Simple Loose Tea.
Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix
Create your own hot chocolate mix with this recipe from from Treehouse Nature Study, Intermediate Years: Winter.
Winter Solstice Lantern
Make a lantern to bring light to the darkest day of winter with this winter solstice lantern activity from Treehouse Nature Study, Primary Years: Winter.
Winter learning for children from Treehouse Schoolhouse
If you love seasonal learning, you will love the nature study curriculum for children from Treehouse Schoolhouse for year-round learning.
Treehouse Nature Study, Primary Years
Treehouse Nature Study, Primary Years is a seasonal nature study curriculum designed with family-style learning in mind. It is a gentle guide meant to invite various ages to connect with each other and the world around them through living books, nature notebooking, hands-on projects, and beauty subjects such as poetry, picture study, and folk songs.
Treehouse Nature Study, Intermediate Years
Introducing Treehouse Nature Study, Intermediate Years geared towards grades 4th-8th. Experience a seasonal study that invites your older children to connect with each other and the world around them through living books, nature notebooking, hands-on projects, poetry, and picture study. Deepen your child’s learning through advanced language arts and scientific experiments.
What winter crafts are you looking forward to this season? Share your favorites in the comments below.
