45+ Winter Crafts for Preschoolers Based on Common Preschool Themes

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When I think about preschool, I think about fun themes and tons of arts and crafts. There really is nothing quite like hands-on learning, especially at the preschool level. These Winter crafts for preschoolers all fit within some common themes for this age: arctic animals, hibernation, snow/cold and Chinese New Year. Whether you are a teacher of a mom with a little one at home, creating crafts with your preschoolers is a wonderful way to engage imagination and creativity, all while working on fine motor skills.

For tips on how to make the most of crafting with little ones, to contain the mess and allow kids the freedom to express themselves, scroll to the bottom of this post (but you will want to check out some of these crafts in between!).

Winter Crafts for Preschoolers by Common Preschool Themes

Arctic Animals/Hibernation

Salt Dough Footprint Penguin // Messy Little Monster (pictured)

Cardboard Tube Polar Bear // Crafts by Amanda (pictured)

Polar Bear Craft // Sparkling Buds (pictured)

Paper Tube Penguins // Clare’s Little Tots (pictured)

Wet Felted Wool Hibernation Mat // Rainy Day Mum (pictured)

Hibernating Bears in Preschool // Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds (pictured)

Snowy Owl Craft // Crafts on Sea (pictured)

Walrus Craft for Kids // Crafts on Sea (pictured)

Lost and Found Penguin Craft // Red Ted Art (pictured)

Arctic Animals and Forest Animals: Comparing Habitats // Edventures with Kids

Mosaic Penguin Craft for Kids // Easy Crafts for Kids

Snow

Snowman Crafts

Invitation to Build a Bottle Cap Snowman // Simple Fun for Kids (pictured)

Puffy Paint Melted Snowman // Messy Little Monster (pictured)

Snowman Cutting Collage // Crafty Kids at Home (pictured)

Salt Dough Snowman // Crafty Kids at Home (pictured)

Cotton Pad Snowman // Simple Fun for Kids (pictured)

Sparkly Puffy Paint Snowman // Emma Owl (pictured)

Playdough Snowman Factory // Buggy and Buddy (pictured)

Pom Pom Snowman // Crafts by Amanda (pictured)

Do You Want to Build a Snowman? // Fun with Mama (pictured)

Cottonball Snowman Craft for Preschool // Preschool Powol Packets (pictured)

3D Cottonball Snowman Craft // Kids Craft Room (pictured)

Snowman Skittles // Chloe Me Just Me (pictured)

Snowflake Crafts

Bleeding Tissue Snowflake Art // The Pinterested Parent (pictured)

Newspaper and Watercolor Snowflake Art // The Pinterested Parent (pictured)

Winter Bubble Wrap Tree Craft // Arty Crafty Kids (pictured)

Stunning Sparkly Icicle Craft // Kids Craft Room (pictured)

Paper Snowflakes // Little Worlds Big Adventures (pictured)

Paper Plate Snowflakes // Crafts on Sea

Snowflake Painted Stones // Non Toy Gifts (pictured)

DIY Snowflake Crown // Me Plus 3 Today (pictured)

Snow Painting // Sparkling Bud (pictured)

Symmetrical Snowflake Craft for Kids // Buggy and Buddy (pictured)

Millions of Snowflakes Book Craft // Syncopated Mama (pictured)

Frozen Inspired Art Project // The Weaving Ideas (pictured)

Instant Snow // Adventures in Wunderland

Bubble Wrap Snowflakes // Crafty Kids at Home

Chinese New Year

Horned Chinese Dragon Art Ideas // The Wise Owl Factory (pictured)

Paper Plate Dragon Puppet // Messy Little Monster (pictured)

Egg Box Dragon Puppet // Messy Little Monster (pictured)

Chinese New Year Craft: Dragon Puppet // Red Ted Art (pictured)

Chinese New Year Story // Adventures of Adam (pictured)

Mini Lanterns for Chinese New Year // Play and Learn Every Day (pictured)

Paper Plate Hand Fans // The Pinterested Parent (pictured)

Chinese New Year Dragon // Rubber Boots and Elf Shoes (pictured)

Tips for Crafting with Preschoolers

Setting out glue, paint, scissors and glitter (gasp!) for preschoolers can be quite the scary process. Let’s be honest, one never knows what will really happen when a 3 year old gets their hands on a giant squirt bottle of glue. These tips will help keep some of the mess at bay, all while allowing the kids to engage with the materials and have freedom to create as they please.

When crafting with preschoolers, try to limit the micromanaging. Giving them the freedom to create, and focusing more on the process rather than the end product, will result in independence and pride for the little ones.

If using watercolors, keep a spray bottle handy and wet the paints rather than keeping cups of water on the table.

With glue, pour some into an old plastic container lid and let the children use a paintbrush to apply glue, rather than squeezing a bottle.

Keep some old ratty t-shirts handy as smocks!

Messy is ok. Throw a plastic table cloth on the ground so that you can just clean up the mess in one swoop.

Use q-tips as a paintbrush alternative that is disposable with a large group of children.

“Thumbs up” when using scissors to help with proper scissor grasp!

Pre-cut tape and keep pieces hanging off the edge of the table.