January is the perfect time to stay indoors, unwind from the hustle and bustle of the previous festive season and make some super cute winter craft projects with your child. Crafting in January with children is a nice change from the Christmas crafts that dominated December, because there is still a lot of winter left after the holidays. Which idea will you do first?
Creative winter craft ideas for January crafts with children
Indoor activities that keep little ones busy and fun can be hard to find in the winter, but don't worry! These craft ideas are perfect for weekends or snowy afternoons at home.
Marshmallow Snowflake – a delicious addition to the hot chocolate
This fun and engaging activity is great for young children who can design their own snowflakes to practice their fine motor skills. For extra fun, you can find some pictures of real snowflakes and ask the kids to copy the designs.
To do this you need:
- Jumbo-Marshmallows
- Mini-Marshmallows
- toothpick
Step-by-step instructions:
- Start by sticking 2 mini marshmallows onto each of the 8 toothpicks, leaving a space between them.
- Next, insert the toothpicks into the sides of a jumbo marshmallow.
- Repeat the process for as many marshmallow snowflakes as you want to make.
Make paper cup penguins with children in January
These paper cup penguins are so cute and fun to play with or use in a little puppet show and story telling.
Materials required:
- 1 black paper cup
- 2 googly eyes
- Black, white and orange paper
- Glue
How to make the penguin:
- Cut out 2 orange feet and 1 orange beak from the paper.
- Trace the opening of the cup on the white paper and cut out the perfectly shaped penguin belly.
- Also trace the oval bottom of the glue bottle to create the wings.
- Glue the googly eyes, wings, beak, feet and belly to the cup.
Winter crafts: Make your own Olaf out of cardboard rolls
Not only have you probably seen the movie “Frozen,” but you’ve also played the DVD over and over again. And you knowdefinitely the cute oneOlaf!
Necessary materials:
- cardboard tube
- White paper
- Black pom poms
- Bommel Orange Tree
- 2 googly eyes
- Fine black felt-tip pen
- 2 branches for the arms
- 3 small branches or leaf stalks for hair
- Glue, scissors, pin, toothpick
This is how it's done:
- Cover the cardboard tube with white paper.
- Cut 2 circles from the remaining white paper and glue them to the bottom of the tube as Olaf's feet.
- Glue 3 black pom-poms to the front of the cardboard tube.
- Roll the orange pom-pom between your palms to flatten it a bit and glue it to the front as a nose, with the googly eyes on top.
- Using a black pen, draw the eyebrows, smile and tooth.
- The easiest way to poke a hole in the side of the cardboard tube (for the arms) is to first poke a pin through it, then remove it and insert a toothpick into the hole to enlarge it. Now you can put the branches through the hole.
- Glue the small twigs or leaf stems into the top front of the roll.
Also read:Crafting with children in January: 5 ideas for home and daycare
Make winter stone paintings with the children in January
Show off your artistic skills and invite your little ones to create this enchanting winter stone painting.
To do this you need:
- Stones (collect or buy some)
- Pencil with eraser
- Acrylic pens or acrylic paint
- Paint brush
- Clear varnish
Design your stone painting:
- First, clean all the stones you will be using. Remove any dirt and debris by washing with soap, water and a brush. If you have dark colored stones, you can paint them with white paint before you start designing.
- Once the stones are clean and dry, draw your designs with a pencil and then carefully color in the areas with acrylic paint or acrylic pens. Acrylic paint is better for larger areas and acrylic pens are easier to use for the more detailed areas. Wait for each color to dry before using the next color so they don't mix.
- Using a marker or acrylic pen, trace the outline to highlight your design. CompleteYour painted stoneswith clear coat so they last longer and can be used outdoors.
Snowy owl image stamped with pompom
While you are making this beautiful winter picture with the children, you can also tell them something about itthe arctic animals, who live in colder climates.
Necessary materials:
- Big pompom
- White acrylic paint
- Black, brown, green, yellow and orange paper
- Scissors
- Marker
- Glue stick
- Small bowl or paper plate to catch the paint
Directions:
- Pour a generous amount of white paint into a small bowl.
- Attach the black paper to a flat surface or workspace.
- Dip a large pom-pom into the paint and dab three small owl structures on one end of the paper, resembling an “8.” Allow them to dry completely.
- Once the stamp art is dry, tear a structure that resembles a tree branch out of a brown paper bag. Join two or more pieces together if your torn paper is too small. Crumple the paper by rolling it between your palms to structure it. Glue the brown paper in the shape of a branch with a glue stick. Make sure there is a branch right under the owls. Encourage children to create their own design.
- Cut out eyes, beaks, claws and leaves from the papers. Use markers to add more details such as the veins on the leaves and the irises.
English version:January crafts for kids: Easy and fun winter crafts to keep little ones busy indoors.
