Winter brings those chilly mornings, darker afternoons and plenty of days when staying warm indoors sounds much more appealing than heading outside.
And when the children start asking, “What can we do today?”, having a few simple activities ready can certainly come in handy!
That’s where printable winter crafts can help.
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You don’t always need a cupboard overflowing with craft supplies or an elaborate plan to keep little hands entertained. Sometimes, all you need is a printer, some paper, colouring pencils, paint, glue and a little imagination.
From building a snowman without having to brave the cold to creating beautiful paper snowflakes, these winter crafts can bring some of the magic of the season indoors.
So, make yourself a warm drink, gather the children around the table and have a look through these fun winter craft ideas together.
Why Printable Winter Crafts Are Great for Kids
One of the lovely things about printables is their simplicity.
Instead of spending ages preparing an activity, you can print out a template, gather a few basic supplies and let the children get creative.
Printable crafts can also give children a starting point without taking away their imagination. Two children could begin with exactly the same printable snowman and end up with completely different creations!
One might give theirs a bright pink scarf, while another might decide their snowman needs three hats and purple buttons.
And why not? Crafting is supposed to be fun.
These activities can also be useful for quiet afternoons at home, family craft sessions, playdates or those winter days when the weather has changed your outdoor plans.
What You’ll Need for Your Winter Crafts
You won’t necessarily need everything on this list. What you use will depend on the individual craft, but it can be helpful to keep a few basics nearby.
You may want:
- Printable templates
- White and coloured paper or card
- Child-friendly scissors
- Glue or a glue stick
- Colouring pencils, crayons or felt-tip pens
- Child-friendly paint
- Cotton wool
- String or ribbon
- Craft sticks
- Pom-poms
- Glitter or other decorations
Use whatever you already have at home where possible. There’s no need to buy lots of new supplies simply to make a winter craft.
Now, let’s get creating!
15 Printable Winter Crafts and Activities
1. Build a Snowman Printable
Who says you need real snow to build a snowman?
Print a simple snowman template with separate arms, buttons, hats, scarves and facial features. Children can colour everything in before cutting out the pieces and assembling their own snowy character.
Let them mix and match the accessories and create a snowman with plenty of personality.
2. Printable Snowflake Colouring Sheets
Every snowflake is beautifully unique, which makes them wonderful inspiration for a creative activity.
Print several snowflake designs and let the children decorate them with crayons, pencils or paint.
Once finished, cut them out and display the snowflakes on a window or wall to create your own indoor winter scene.
3. Build a Penguin Printable
A little penguin craft can make a cute addition to your winter activities.
Use a printable template containing the penguin’s body, wings, feet and features. Children can colour and assemble the pieces before adding their own finishing touches.
Perhaps their penguin needs a colourful scarf or a very fancy winter hat!
4. Winter Colouring Pages
Sometimes the simplest ideas are just what we need.
Print colouring pages featuring snowy landscapes, mittens, hats, woodland animals, snowmen and other seasonal pictures.
Set out the colouring pencils and allow the children to choose their favourite.
This can be a lovely quiet activity for a slower winter afternoon.
5. Printable Winter Scene
Give children the pieces they need to design their own snowy world.
A printable winter scene could include trees, snowmen, houses, clouds, animals and falling snow. Children can cut out the different pieces and stick them onto a larger sheet of paper.
There doesn’t need to be a correct layout. Let their imagination decide where everything belongs.
6. Snowman Face Craft
Instead of creating an entire snowman, focus on that cheerful face!
Use a large printable circle as the base, then add eyes, a carrot nose, a smile and a winter hat.
Cotton wool can add texture around the outside, while paint, crayons and craft supplies can make every snowman look different.
7. Printable Winter Matching Game
Print two copies of several winter pictures — perhaps a snowflake, snowman, penguin, mitten, hat and snowy tree.
Cut the pictures into individual cards, turn them face down and challenge the children to find the matching pairs.
It’s a simple way to combine a winter theme with a game everyone can enjoy.
8. Snowflake Cutting Templates
Fold paper and use printable guides to experiment with different snowflake patterns.
Opening up the paper afterwards and discovering the finished design is part of the fun.
Try making several patterns and hanging your finished snowflakes together to create a beautiful winter display.
Adult supervision will be important for younger children using scissors.
9. Printable Penguin Puppets
Turn a simple penguin template into a little puppet.
Once the penguin has been coloured and cut out, attach it to a wooden craft stick.
Children could then make several characters and put on their own winter puppet show.
What adventure will their penguins go on?
10. Winter Finger-Painting Printable
Print a bare winter tree, snowman or another simple seasonal outline and bring out the paints.
Children can use their fingertips to add falling snow, colourful decorations or other details. A little messy? Probably. But that’s all part of the fun!
11. Salt-Painted Snowflakes
This activity combines a printable design with something a little different.
Start with a simple snowflake outline, trace the design with glue and sprinkle salt over the top. Once it has dried, children can carefully add colour to create a textured piece of winter artwork.
Place something underneath the paper to catch the excess salt and make tidying up a little easier.
12. Printable Winter Bingo
Create or download winter bingo cards filled with seasonal pictures.
You could include snow, scarves, mittens, penguins, snowmen and snowflakes.
This is an easy activity for family time, a playdate or a winter afternoon when everyone wants something fun to do together.
13. Dress the Snowman Printable
Give your snowman a winter wardrobe!
Print a basic snowman alongside different hats, scarves, mittens and accessories. Children can colour and cut out each item before deciding what their snowman should wear.
You could even print a few copies and create different outfits.
14. Winter Nature Scavenger Hunt
Not every printable activity needs to keep you indoors.
Create a winter scavenger hunt sheet featuring things children might spot outside, such as bare trees, pinecones, birds, frost, puddles or fallen leaves.
Wrap up warm, head outdoors and tick each item off as you find it.
Just remember that what you’ll find will depend on where you live and the weather that day — snow certainly isn’t guaranteed!
15. My Favourite Things About Winter Printable
Finish with something a little more reflective.
Create a printable sheet where children can draw or write some of their favourite things about winter.
It might be warm chocolate, family film nights, wearing their favourite jumper, jumping in puddles or spending more time together at home.
It’s a simple way to encourage children to think about the little moments they enjoy during the season.
Where to Find Free Winter Printables
You don’t necessarily have to design every template yourself.
There are plenty of free printables available online, including colouring pages, snowman templates, penguin crafts, winter games and snowflake designs.
Before printing, check whether the printable is intended for personal or classroom use and follow the creator’s usage terms.
You could also make a small folder of your favourite free printable activities so they’re ready whenever you need an easy craft idea.
That way, the next rainy or frosty afternoon doesn’t have to begin with wondering how you’re going to keep everyone entertained!
Turn It Into a Winter Craft Afternoon
Rather than completing every activity at once, why not choose one or two and make an afternoon of it?
Clear a little space at the table, bring out the craft supplies and perhaps put on some music in the background.
You could prepare some snacks and warm drinks too.
The children can choose their own crafts, while the adults can join in or simply enjoy watching their imaginations take over.
And don’t worry about everything looking perfect.
A snowman with mismatched buttons, a rainbow-coloured penguin or a snowflake covered in far too much glitter might end up being the creation everyone remembers most.
Making Winter Memories at Home
Winter doesn’t always have to be about planning big days out.
Some of our loveliest memories can come from the ordinary afternoons spent together at home — cutting out pieces of paper, getting paint on our fingers, laughing at our creations and watching the children’s imaginations come to life.
These printable winter crafts are simply a starting point.
Let the children change the colours. Add their own decorations. Combine different ideas. Make something completely unexpected.
Because creativity doesn’t need to be perfect or complicated.
Sometimes all we need is a simple printable, a few craft supplies and some time together to turn an ordinary winter afternoon into a lovely little memory.
Which printable winter craft will you be trying first?
