Easy Winter Craft Ideas
The key to getting crafty in winter is to be prepared. When you can’t go outside (where you are more inclined to let your little ones make a mess) you are going to want to do fun craft ideas indoors which means preparing an area where messy play can happen, without fuss.
Before starting any DIY winter craft ideas indoors, make sure you clear an area on the floor or at the dining room table and cover it with a layer or two of a newspaper. For extra protection, lay down a waterproof cloth first and then put your newspaper layer on top.
Paper Plate Snow Globe
It may not snow in South Africa (well in most places anyway) but you can still create a snow globe that will make you feel like it’s snowing outside. Let the kids get as creative as they want with the design of their snow globe picture, they can make it Christmassy or decorate it in whatever style they want.
You’ll need:
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2 x plastic paper plates
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Paints
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Small Polystyrene balls or snow
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Contact Paper & Glue
Method:
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Take the first paper plate as is. Allow your kids to paint whatever kind of picture or mural they would like on the plate. You can cut out a variety of pictures or characters if they want to stick them on, or use any other kind of crafting supplies like stickers, glitter, bobbles etc.
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Pour the small polystyrene balls onto the paper plate so that the balls cover the bottom of the plate.
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Cut a sheet of contact paper to cover the entire plate.
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Cut out the rim of the second paper plate and use it as a frame to stick onto the first paper plate, over the contact paper.
No-Sew Sock Bunny
Everyone has a few random lonely socks lying around the house, right? Collect these socks and make good use of them by turning them into cute sock bunnies with the kids. This is an awesome winter craft idea that requires no sewing too, which is great for busy, tired mums.
You’ll need:
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Socks (choose ones with a bit of ankle)
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Rice
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String or ribbon
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Pom poms
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Scissors, a marker and glue
Method:
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Fill a sock with rice until it’s half full. Then tie a ribbon or string around it.
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Fill the next level with rice but be sure to make it slightly less than the first one. Tie with ribbon or string at the top again.
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You should now be left with the ankle of the sock. Cut the ankle area into two long pieces and shape them into rounded bunny ears.
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Use your marker to draw eyes, and a mouth on the little bunny and stick a pompom on the bottom of the bunny for its little tail.
Decorating Pinecones
This one is a favourite for the kids, in winter and summer for that matter. There is always a whack of pinecones lying around the garden or in your neighbourhood because pine trees are plenty in South Africa. Turn them into creative, glittery balls of fun and let the kids’ imaginations go wild when painting them. You’ll need:
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Pinecones (dusted off and cleaned of any dirt)
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Paint and paint brushes or spray paint
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Glitter and any other crafting decorations
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Cold glue
Method:
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Paint the pinecones in whatever colours or layers your kids would like. Spray painting is also a fun way of letting the kids learn a new painting method and also to get deep down into the core of the pinecone.
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Using cold glue and any crafting decorations your kids want to, decorate the ends of the pinecones as magically as they want to.
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You can keep these as Christmas decorations for later in the year or hang them from trees outside and show off your kids’ artwork in the garden.
Never let the fear of stains or dirty clothes stop you from allowing your kids to have fun doing DIY winter crafts. At OMO we believe that dirt is good. Every stain represents an experience. Encourage your kids to get messy and have fun and help them become happy, healthy, confident kids.