I love celebrating all of the seasons, but my favorite is winter. The winter season brings a variety of fun activities for families to enjoy. While playing outside in the snow or taking a winter hike can be fun, it’s important to find a few indoor activities for when it’s too cold. One great way to explore your child’s creativity and spend time together is through arts and crafts. Crafting also allows young children to use their imaginations and take a break from screen-time.

Throughout my experience in education, I’ve worked with children on a variety of craft projects and here are two of my winter favorites:

1. Pinecone Trees

Materials needed:
• Pinecones
• Acrylic or tempera paints
• Dark brown marker
• Paper
• Tacky glue

Directions:
1. Collect pinecones from your yard and dust off any dirt or snow that may have settled into the crevices of the pinecone.
2. Paint your pinecones green (or any color of your choosing) to resemble the leaves and branches of a tree.
3. Color your paper brown with the marker and role into a tube-shape for the tree’s trunk. Glue each end together with tacky glue.
4. When your pinecone is dry, attach your brown stem to the bottom of the pinecone with tacky glue.

These mini trees are an easy way to add wintry-décor to your space. You can also dust a bit of glitter onto the trees before the paint dries or add sequins for a whimsical look. Make a plan to create a tree each winter with your child and create a pine forest display that you can add to each year as the temperature dips.

2. Birdfeeder

Materials needed:
1. Corrugated cardboard
2. Scissors
3. Peanut butter
4. Birdseed
5. Twine
6. Baking dish

Directions:
• Cut your piece of cardboard into a shape of your choosing (stars, hearts and squares work well!).
• Poke a hole in the top and string twine through.
• Spread peanut butter on both sides of the cardboard.
• Fill your baking dish with birdseed and place peanut butter-covered cardboard into the birdseed, covering both sides entirely.
• Hang your bird feeder outside on a branch for your bird friends to enjoy!

In addition to these crafts, there are many more to create with your children! Choosing a craft that involves coloring, cutting and working with a variety of materials is a great way to introduce your child to different textures and develop fine motor skills.

What fun winter crafts do you enjoy working on with your child?

References:
parents.com/fun/arts-crafts/kid/fun-winter-kids-crafts
http://www.allkidsnetwork.com/crafts/winter/