Short days, dark, cold nights – once the hustle and bustle of Christmas is over, it can be hard to find things to do in winter to keep busy, especially in that strange void of time between Christmas and New Years. But instead of overindulging on Christmas leftovers and vegging out on the sofa with the latest Netflix series, why not take the time to enjoy some winter art and craft activities? Get creative and you never know – you might just start a new tradition.
Just to make it a little easier, we’ve gathered some of the best winter craft ideas for kids and adults that will keep everyone occupied on chilly days and gloomy weekends in January.
Winter crafts for kids
Keep the kids occupied during winter weekends, or as a calm-down after hours playing in the snow on your next snow day with these cute winter crafts for kids.
Fingerprint winter tree painting
For super easy and cheap winter crafts for kids, you can’t go wrong with a little bit of old-fashioned finger painting. Add a wintry twist with this sweet fingerprint painting of a snowy tree from Easy Peasy and Fun – paint a bare tree and let the kids use their fingerprints to create a snowy scene, using a cotton bud to make the snow.
Image source: Easy Peasy and Fun
Glittery mason jar snow globes
If the weather has been more slush than snowman this year, don’t worry – you can create your own snowy scene with these sparkly mason jar snow globes! Find the full DIY at Hey, Let’s Make Stuff!. These jars are sometimes recommended as a ‘calm jar’ thanks to the slow drifting ‘snow’ as it falls to the bottom of the jar, so they would make great winter crafts for kids that need a bit of help settling down.
Image source: Hey, Let’s Make Stuff!
Crystal snowflake decorations
Inject a little bit of science into your winter craft activities with these cool crystal snowflake decorations from Little Bins for Little Hands. These cheap winter crafts are easy to make with pipecleaners, borax, and a little bit of patience. You’ll need to get your hands on some borax (and you’ll need to handle the hot water step of this DIY) but after leaving your snowflakes in the solution overnight, crystals will form, creating a frosted effect!
Image source: Little Bins for Little Hands
Winter crafts for adults
It’s not just kids who get to have all the fun – flex your creative muscles with some winter crafts for adults, creating slightly more sophisticated designs that you can enjoy year-round.
Minimal winter wreaths
You can bring some of the natural world into your home with winter crafts like these Instagram-worthy hanging wreaths. These wreaths from 91 Magazine might look daunting, but they’re actually surprisingly simple to put together using craft wire, pine sprays, and eucalyptus stems. As a bonus, they’ll also smell beautiful and wintry as they dry in your home! Who needs a Yankee Candle?
Image source: 91 Magazine
Winter luminaries
These pretty winter luminaries from Crafts by Amanda are simple and stylish, with a sweet rustic feel that would make great decoration for your home, or as wintry gifts to perk up your friends in January! Make a day of it by picking up the pinecones on a wintry morning walk, then head home to create the luminaries and light them around your living room for a cosy evening in.
Image source: Crafts by Amanda
Pinecone winter ornaments
Looking for a fun winter art and craft activity that you’ll still want to enjoy through spring and summer? Look no further than these cute pinecone decorations, created by One Little Project. Gather some pine cones on your next wintry walk (or buy some from the shop!); and stick tiny pom poms to the underside of the branches of the cones, using a hot glue gun.
To hang up, simply select a ribbon in your favourite colour and glue it to the top of the pinecone, before hanging up. Alternatively, if you prefer the more rustic look, you can use twine instead.
Image source: One Little Project
Foodie winter craft ideas
Don’t deny yourself this January – after all, sweet treats and indulging are needed when the nights are long and cold. These winter art and craft activities will mean you’ll end up with a tasty snack to enjoy!
DIY Hot chocolate stirrers
If you’ve spent all day crafting, you’ve earned yourself a treat – and these chocolate-coated candy canes will really upgrade an indulgent mug of hot chocolate. Crush a candy cane up into tiny pieces, then dip the ends of candy canes into melted chocolate and into your candy powder. Leave them to chill in the fridge – then when you next enjoy a hot chocolate, stir the candy cane through for an extra chocolatey, peppermint-y indulgence. (And if you have actually spent all day crafting with the kids, slip some Bailey’s into the hot chocolate, we won’t tell a soul).
Image source: Country Living
Healthy cucumber Christmas trees
Are you struggling to get your kids to eat their greens? These cute Christmas trees might just be the answer to your problems! Shared by Eats Amazing, all you need is a carrot, a cucumber, and a toothpick! Peel the carrot beforehand, and use a star-shaped cutter for the top, before getting your little ones to have a go at assembling the tree.
Image source: Eats Amazing
Snowball mug cake
Sometimes your sweet tooth comes out of nowhere, craving an instant sugary hit. Instead of reaching for a slab of chocolate, why not make your very own mug cake instead? The Monday Box adds a winter twist, with shredded coconut and melted marshmallow giving the illusion of a snowball; and adding a perfect sticky twist to the fluffy light cake. Simply mix the ingredients in a mug, put it in the microwave for a minute, and enjoy!
Image source: The Monday Box
We hope this has given you enough ideas to keep your next snow day full of fun things to do, and winter craft activities to keep the whole family occupied on dark winter weekends! For more inspiration on winter craft ideas, check out our guide to Christmas tree decorations you can make yourself, or tips on how to make a scrapbook.
