Toddler Craft Ideas for Winter

There are many craft ideas for the winter holiday season for young children to make. Sometimes, the material and steps are not age appropriate for toddlers, ages one to three. The following crafts bring fun results through simple methods. They allow toddlers to have the hands-on enjoyment of creating art, as well as providing sensory experiences and introduction to new material.

 

Photo from Kiwicrate.com

 

 

Winter Snowflake Art Activity

Materials Required:

• Dark construction paper (black, or blue)
• Large Paper Doilies
• Small Paint Rollers
• White Paint (kid safe)
• Tape
• Small shallow paint containers

For the following art activity each toddler is provided a piece of dark construction paper, black or blue, with a large paper doily taped in the middle. White tempera paint is then placed into small shallow containers beside each child with a small paint roller made for children, which can be purchased at most craft establishments or large outlet stores. Alternatively, the toddlers could use a large paintbrush or sponges for painting. Young children love to paint, and enjoy the process equally and perhaps even more than the product. The children will hopefully paint their entire paper white. When dry, the doily is carefully peeled off by grown up hands and the image left behind resembles a winter snowflake.

Photo from SheKnows Parenting

 

Snowmen Craft Activity

Materials Required:

• Contact Paper
• Scissors
• Cotton Balls
• Googly Eyes
• Orange Paper
• Black Paper
• Paper plates or firm paper (optional)

Before the toddlers begin this activity, the caregiver has some material to prepare. Small carrot noses and black hats should be cut out as well as snowman shapes from the contact paper. If this activity is being prepared for a large group of toddlers and there is a budget, simply make the snowmen smaller to allow the contact paper to be spread into more individual projects.

This activity is a fun, sensory experience for young children as they place soft cotton balls onto sticky contact paper. This paper can be found at most stationary or office supply stores. The children are provided snowman shapes and when the paper is peeled back, they are left with adhesive paper that can hold the cottonballs. The children can cover their snowman and finish the project off with eyes, carrot nose and a hat. Alternatively, the contact paper can be glued or stapled to a firm paper, such as small paper plates or thick white paper.

 

Painting with Holiday Cookie Cutters

Holiday cookie cutters provide wonderful winter shapes for paint stamping. The material required is paint, paper and the cookie cutters. This activity can be done as a group activity with toddlers on a large piece of paper taped to a table. The paper can then be used for wrapping paper or card making.

Final Thoughts

Toddlers love to be introduced to new material and fun hands-on activities. They may try to place the material into their mouths, but through the learning experience of cause and effect will soon realize it's better for paint to be used on the paper! Parents and grandparents truly appreciate these first time holiday creations.

Snowflake Preschool Songs

Learning about seasons is a steadfast component of most early childhood environments, whether at home, preschool or daycare. If children experience winter with hands on experiences, then songs contribute to the learning process. Music helps with language development and concepts. Throughout the winter, most of the songs we are familiar with fall under Christmas tunes. But, including winter songs about the season helps create an inclusive program for all. In preschool and daycare settings, snowflakes are a common theme for crafts and books. Following are some song and poem suggestions.

Snowflakes are Falling Down

(To the tune of London Bridge is Falling Down)

Snowflakes are falling down,

Falling down, falling down.

Snowflakes are falling down

Quietly without a sound.

Snowflake Poem

This poem is very lyrical and could be used with a piggyback song. It works well with felt snowflakes props to use on a flannel board.

One little snowflake with nothing to do,

Along came another and then there were two.

Two little snowflakes playing in a tree,

Along came another and then there were three.

Three little snowflakes looking for some more,

Along came another and then there were four.

Four little snowflakes that finally did arrive,

Along came another, and then there were five.

Five little snowflakes having so much fun,

Out came the sun and then there were none.

Snowflake Action Song

The next song is a great action song for circle time or a group of children together. When running a circle time with a group of young children, it is essential to find songs that allow them to stand up and move their bodies around.

(To the tune of Are you Sleeping)

Dance like snowflakes

Dance like snowflakes

In the air

In the air

Whirling, twirling snowflakes

Whirling, twirling snowflakes

Here and there,

Here and there.

Snowflake Teaching Song

One of the lessons to teach young children about snowflakes is how each one is different when observed closely. Just like people, we are the same, but different. Snowflakes are created when water droplets freeze on small ice particles. For young children, this song will help with this early introduction of winter weather concepts.

To the tune of I'm a Little Teapot.

I'm a little snowflake, falling down,

With so many all around.

We are not the same as you will see,

No other snowflake looks like me!

FURTHER RESOURCES: Snow and Ice Preschool Activities

                                           Winter Felt Board Ideas

Online Early Childhood Workshops with Circle of Ideas