When it’s too cold to play outside and children need something to do, why not explore the world of winter crafts? Snowflake crafts really catch children’s imagination. The natural beauty and symmetry of a snowflake can be reproduced easily with these simple, fun projects.
Stained Glass Snowflakes
Stained glass snowflakes are easy winter crafts to complete, require few materials to make, and look great taped to a bright sunny window. To make your snowflakes, you’ll need:
- Construction paper
- Safety scissors
- Tissue paper
- Glue sticks
First, you need to cut some paper snowflakes. To do so, fold squares of construction paper into triangles, and cut small geometric shapes out of the paper before unfolding it. You can find printable snowflake patterns online.
Glue tissue paper over the holes in the snowflake. The glued side will be the back of the snowflake. Let dry, then tape to windows to catch sunlight.
Q-Tip Snowflakes
These sweet little snowflakes are easy to make, and if handled gently can last for years. You’ll need:
- Q-tips
- Scissors
- Air-drying craft clay
- Small beads (optional).
Using the scissors, cut three Q-tips in half. Roll a small amount of crafting clay into a ball, and stick the Q-tips halves into the ball to form the arms of the snowflake. You can thread small beads onto the Q-tips first for added color. Set aside to let the clay dry.
Craft stick Snowflakes
These easy-to-make winter crafts are popular with elementary school classrooms, but just as much fun to make at home. You’ll need:
- Four craft sticks per snowflake
- Glue
- Glitter glue
Glue two craft sticks crosswise. Repeat with the other two sticks and let dry. Glue the two crosses together to form an eight-armed snowflake. Once the glue dries, the snowflake can be decorated with glitter glue or paint.
Cotton Ball Snowflake
Appropriate for very young crafters, these snowflakes only require cotton balls, glue, and some construction paper. Children glue the cotton onto the construction paper to make snowflake shapes. For very young children, give them a guide by drawing simple snowflake designs in the paper first.
Tape Resist Snowflake Crafts
Simple tape resist crafts fascinate children, who love the moment when they remove the tape to finish their creation. You’ll need:
- Painters’ tape
- Construction paper
Using strips of painters’ tape to create snowflake shapes on the construction paper. Paint and let dry (older children can paint winter scenes; young kids can just paint over the tape). When the paint is dry, carefully peel off the painters’ tape to reveal the snowflake-shaped paper beneath.
