If your kids are older, you can say goodbye to crafts that only require paper and glue to complete. Since older children usually have the patience and fine motor skills to create more intricate winter crafts, craft projects can include cutting, beading and sanding. Creating a winter craft with your older child provides an opportunity for you to bond and to express your creativity together.
Winter-Themed Wreath
Using a 4-inch metal ring and strips of fabric that measure ¾-by-4 ½ inches, your older child can create a winter-themed wreath. Select winter-themed fabrics, like blue fabric with white snowflakes or red fabric with green Christmas trees. Your child may even opt to create a Valentine’s Day-themed wreath by choosing red fabric with white hearts on it. Tying the fabric strips around the metal ring and pushing the knots together creates the wreath. Adding more fabric knots will make the wreath fuller. After completing the wreath, adding a beaded loop for hanging will complete the craft.
Snow Globe
Creating a snow globe provides an opportunity for your older child to create something she has likely admired and wondered about. Using a recycled baby food jar, glitter and glycerin, your child can learn about how snow globes work and create her own. Painting the cap of the baby food jar with oil-based enamel paint will make it more seasonal. Blue, red and green are appropriate seasonal color choices. Have your child select a favorite childhood plastic or ceramic figurine to add to the inside of the jar lid. Sanding it first and sticking it on, using clear-drying epoxy, will ensure that it stays put. Filling the jar almost to the top, adding some glitter and carefully screwing on the lid will complete the craft. Adding a dash of glycerin will prevent the glitter from falling to the bottom of the jar too quickly.
Beaded Snowflake
If you are stuck in the house on a snowy day and your older child is experiencing cabin fever, making a beaded snowflake decoration can provide something creative for your older child to do. Twisting six equal length chenille stems or pipe cleaners together in their centers and spreading them out creates the shape of the snowflake. Adding an assortment of beads to the stems fills out the snowflake design. Paddlewheel beads, faceted beads and tri-beads work well for this project. Adding a drop of hot glue or craft glue after the last bead is added to each stem will prevent it from falling off. Fishing line can be used to make an invisible loop to hang the snowflake.
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