Winter’s biggest problem is that it is just too cold to be outside with small children for long periods of time.
So are we to sit back as the kids literally jump off the walls and relocate every toy they own to the living room floor?
Nay! We have some wonderful winter activities for busy minds and curious hands for those chilly winter mornings.
Salt paint
Salt paint can create a winter wonderland scene that reminds us of a beautiful snowy morning.
All you need is some Epsom salt and craft glue, mix the two ingredients together for a sensory craft that every child is sure to enjoy.
Use various objects to put the mixture on construction paper, such as spaghetti, paintbrush, or use little sticky fingers.
Puffy Snowman
Craft time with shaving cream supplies endless entertainment. Perfect for the winter theme is making a snowman out of shaving cream and Elmer’s glue.
Mix equal parts of the two ingredients and have the kids draw a snowman on blue card stock.
Use ribbon to make a scarf, as Oopsie daisy blog suggests, and various cutouts for the eyes, nose, and mouth.
The picture actually dries puffy, making a cool addition to the art collection on the wall.
Paper plate snowflake
Messes are a big deterrent for many moms when it comes to crafts, but this snowflake by Messy Little Monster is the perfect option for a clean, fun craft.
You will need a paper plate, freezer bag, glitter, and silver and blue paint. Begin by folding the plate in half and having the kids cut out little half-triangles and half-circles to open it up into a snowflake design.
Put the open plate in the freezer bag and squirt the paint and glitter in the bag and then seal it.
Have the kids move the paint and glitter around in the bag and then lay it out to dry when they are done.
Cotton ball snowman
Of course, winter crafts are going to be based around nature’s best sensory activity- snow!
To make a cotton ball snowman you will need construction paper, craft glue, markers, cotton balls, and pom poms.
Draw the outline of the snowman on the construction paper for the kids to glue cotton balls inside of, then use the pom-poms for the snowman’s accessories.
Potato flakes sensory bin
Sensory bins are a great educational tool for toddlers, but you always have to be careful about what they put in their mouths.
Use potato flakes for fake snow, so that way if a little bit makes its way to a curious little mouth then no harm, no foul.
Put a mat under the bin for easy cleanup, and add little cars, trains, or kitchen utensils to have the perfect winter sensory activity.
Contact paper winter window
Some chilly mornings can look bleak, with the bare trees and lack of snow.
Jazz the view up by putting some contact paper on the window, along with some cotton swabs, cotton balls, and any other craft supplies that will make a fun, colorful environment.
The cotton swabs can be put in the shape of snowflakes, or they can use pom-poms to trace images they see outside.
It is easy to resort to using screens to tame boundless energy when you are stuck indoors, but as Mommy Underground has previously reported, giving toddlers screens for long periods of time can change your little one’s behavior for the worst.
Even doing one of these winter activities can break up the day to make it more productive.
(h/t Mommy Underground)