When the weather is cold, and you can’t spend time outside, it’s good to have a craft or two available to do with your preschooler. Here are my favorite winter crafts and activities to do with 3-year-olds.
1. Winter Mittens
http://www.housingaforest.com/winter-mitten-craft-for-preschoolers/
Squeezing the Elmer’s glue bottle will help your kiddo strengthen their hand muscles, and peeling the backing off the foam stickers is excellent for fine motor skills.
2. Winter Tree Finger Painting
https://www.easypeasyandfun.com/winter-tree-finger-painting/
Tapping each branch with a little paint is great for working on fine motor skills.
3. Beaded Snowflake
https://earlylearningideas.com/snowflake-craft/
Counting the beads then stringing them on the pipe cleaner will help them with counting and fine motor skills.
4. Paper Plate Arctic Fox
https://iheartcraftythings.com/paper-plate-arctic-fox-craft-for-kids.html
Again, squeezing a glue bottle is great for strengthening hands. This also makes a great learning time, so be sure to teach your kiddo about where the parts of the fox’s body go as you’re gluing them on!
5. Bubble Wrap Snowy Tree
http://www.gluedtomycraftsblog.com/2016/01/bubble-wrap-snowy-tree-kid-craft.html
This craft is just plain FUN! And popping the bubble wrap afterward is even more fun!
6. Cotton Ball Penguin
http://www.gluedtomycraftsblog.com/2015/04/cotton-ball-penguin-kid-craft.html
This is a great craft you can use to teach your child how to properly use liquid glue. Teach them “Just a dot, not a lot!”
7. Hot Chocolate Buddy
https://www.itsalwaysautumn.com/marshmallow-snowman-make-hot-chocolate-buddy.html
What’s better than a fun craft? A fun craft and snack in one! The fact that it also helps with fine motor skills is an extra bonus.
8. Melted Snowman
https://mominspiredlife.com/melted-snowman-shape-craft-collage/
Teach your child about shapes while making this adorable craft. To work on scissor skills, cut the white paper into 1 inch strips then help your child snip squares and rectangles for the body. (They will likely need help with the triangle and circles.)
9. Play Snow
http://www.savvysassymoms.com/blog/diy-play-snow/
This isn’t a craft, but it’s SNOW much fun, I HAD to include it!
10. Peppermint Playdough
http://foodfunfamily.com/peppermint-playdough/
This one is also not a craft, but it is excellent for sensory free-play time. Use cookies cutters for fine motor skills, and squish it to help strengthen hand muscles.
By: Emily Bosma, Early 3’s Teacher, Faith Christian School
