12 Easy and Fun Winter Crafts for Kids in Elementary School

I’ve handpicked my top winter crafts for kids in elementary school. These projects are for children aged 6 to 10. You will find easy creations with common materials, detailed instructions, and tons of imaginative ways to bring winter wonderland right at your kitchen table or classroom desk.

1. Paper Plate Snow Globes

Paper plate snow globes are cute winter crafts for in elementary school.

Materials:

Instructions:

  1. First, cut a circle in the center of a paper plate.
  2. Then, stick light blue paper or color the background with light blue behind the cut-out circle.
  3. It is up to you to create a scene with tiny toys, figurines, or decorated paper cutouts; then, glue them in place.
  4. Snowy base can be made by adding some cotton balls.
  5. Cover the cut-out circle with plastic wrap and tape it on the back to secure it.
  6. Decorate the perimeter of the circle with markers and more cotton balls.

Children enjoy the activity of creating their own winter landscapes! Besides, they can keep these as presents or winter decorations for their rooms or in the classroom.

2. Pom-Pom Snowmen

Cute snowman made with white pompoms.

Materials:

  • Cotton balls
  • Colored paper
  • Glue
  • Black and orange markers
  • Felt scraps (for scarves, optional)

Instructions:

  1. Draw a snowman outline on colorful paper.
  2. Glue cotton balls to fill in the shape.
  3. Add eyes, arms, nose, and a scarf using markers and felt.

Pom pom snowmen are very soft, cute, and easy to mix and match with other characters. Your little ones can build an entire snowman family with exciting accessories!

3. Coffee Filter Snowflakes

Snowflake ornaments made with coffee filters.

Materials:

Instructions:

  1. Fold coffee filters into quarters or sixths.
  2. Draw designs and patterns using markers.
  3. (Optional) Lightly spray with water or dab with a wet paintbrush to make colors blend.
  4. Let them dry on paper towels.
  5. While still folded, cut out different shapes along the edges to make a snowflake design.
  6. Open up slowly to see your colorful snowflake.

These colorful snowflakes give an impression of fantasy when they are placed in windows, especially during the day when the light passes through. Wonderful to enlarge the scissors skills and color theory practice!

4. DIY Bird Feeders (Cheerio or Pinecone)

Materials:

Instructions:
For Cheerios Version:

  1. Thread cereal pieces onto a pipe cleaner or string, bending into a circle or fun shape.
  2. Twist ends to secure, then hang outside on a tree.
A bird feeder made with cereal and pipe cleaners.

For Pinecone Version:

  1. Attach the string to the upper part of the pinecone.
  2. Put peanut butter on the pinecone.
  3. Cover the pinecone with birdseed by rolling it in it.
  4. Hang outside for the birds.
A bird feeder made with a pinecone and peanut butter.

Making these crafts is a way for birds to get food in winter and also teaches kids the importance of taking care of wildlife. They will have fun seeing new birds that come to their feeder made by them!

5. Puffy Paint Snowmen

Puffy paint snowmen made with shaving cream are cute winter crafts for kids elementary.

Materials:

  • Shaving cream
  • White glue
  • Blue cardstock or thick paper
  • Markers or crayons
  • Scrap yarn or felt
  • Buttons, sequins, or paper bits

Instructions:

  1. Combine shaving cream and white glue in equal portions to create puffy paint.
  2. Use the mixture to paint snowman shapes on blue paper.
  3. While wet, push in buttons for coal, add bits of yarn or felt for scarves, and use scraps for hats or noses.
  4. Let dry completely before displaying.

Kids get to play with sensory squishy paint and watch their art puff up as it dries. Puffy paint snowmen are so close to real snowmen and are also a great way to tactile experience!

6. Popsicle Stick Snowflakes

Popsicle stick snowflakes.

Materials:

Instructions:

  1. White paint four popsicle sticks and allow them to dry.
  2. Merge the sticks into a snowflake form with glue (first, make a cross, then put two staggered diagonally).
  3. Put glue on the stick and scatter glitter.
  4. Glue gems, decorative beds or colorful pom poms to the ends and centers of the sticks.
  5. Wait until it is completely dry before hanging it.

Glittery popsicle stick snowflakes become the extra luster for any room. Kids have fun designing their own blizzard of unique snow crystals!​

7. Watercolor Resist Winter Trees

A kids craft made with white crayon and watercolor paints.

Materials:

Instructions:

  1. Draw tree trunks, bare branches, and snow drifts on your paper using a white crayon.
  2. Paint over the whole scene with watercolor paint in cool wintery colors.
  3. Watch as the crayon lines resist the paint and “magically” appear!
  4. Let the artwork dry completely.

This craft is perfect for teaching color layering and art techniques. Each painting will look a little different—just like a real snowy forest!​

8. Arctic Fox Paper Plate Craft

An artic fox made with white paper plate and pompoms.

Materials:

Instructions:

  1. Cover a paper plate with glue and stick on cotton balls for fur.
  2. Cut out two white ear structures and then smaller inner black ear shapes, and glue them at the top.
  3. Stick a black pom pom in the middle to represent the nose.
  4. Use a marker to draw eyes and add any details.

Arctic foxes are a cool winter animal for kids to learn about. This fuzzy craft is as cute as it is soft!​

9. Winter Hat Watercolor Resist Art

A winter hat painted with water colors over a watercolor paper.

Materials:

Instructions:

  1. Draw a large hat outline and designs (stripes, dots, zigzags) with white crayon on your paper.
  2. Paint over with watercolor; the crayon will resist the paint to show the pattern.
  3. Let dry, then glue a pom pom to the top.
  4. Cut out your hat if you want to hang it up.

Kids can mix and match colors and patterns for a wall full of cheerful hats! The wax resist surprise never gets old.​

10. Paper Luminaries

A paper luminary for winter.

Materials:

Instructions:

  1. Start with paper bags, fold them and make small holes or cut shapes in them by either punching or cutting.
  2. Use the markers or crayons to decorate—snowflakes, winter landscapes, or stars are just a few ideas.
  3. Open the bags, put them on the fireplace or windowsill, and light a tea candle inside.

Cozy paper luminaries make winter evenings magical and safe with flameless lights. Kids love seeing their art glow!​

11. Pipe Cleaner Icicles

Pipe cleaner icicles.

Materials:

Instructions:

  1. Take a pipe cleaner and wrap it around a pencil, then pull it off.
  2. Add a few pony beads to the pipe cleaner, combining different colors or sticking to a “frosty” color scheme.
  3. Hang from windows, plants, or shelves for instant winter sparkle.

This craft is quick and great for fine motor skills. These pretty icicles shimmer in the light like real frost but last forever!​

12. Doily Snowman Collage

A snowman collage made with paper dollies.

Materials:

  • Paper doilies
  • Buttons
  • Construction paper
  • Glue stick
  • Scraps of colored paper or felt for hats, scarves, and noses
  • Scissors

Instructions:

  1. To make a snowman, glue two or three doilies on colored paper horizontally.
  2. Cut and glue hats, scarves, noses, and buttons on.
  3. With marker or extra paper, draw or glue on the eyes, mouth, and arms.

Children can use plenty of accessories to adorn their snowman!. The lacy doilies add texture and old-fashioned charm.​

This art activity not only has big reveals and but also encourages mixing of colors through creativity. Each birch grove is unique and eye-catching for classroom displays!​

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These winter craft activities are fun, low-mess, and suitable for classrooms, afterschool groups, or cozy afternoons at home.

Looking for more ideas? Check out these easy snowman crafts, winter crafts for preschool and elementary kids, winter animal crafts for kids, snowflake crafts, winter paper bag crafts, recycled and cardboard crafts, and 15 easy winter pipe cleaner crafts.

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