Make · Occasion
Winter projects
71 things to make for Winter, sorted by who is making them.
10 projects
Toddlers
Painted pine cone trees
Pine cones dabbed green that stand up like a tiny forest on the windowsill.
Gingerbread playdough
Warm brown dough that smells like cookies, for rolling and cutting gingerbread people.
Snow spray painting
Spray bottles of colored water turn a patch of snow into a rainbow.
Paper plate snowman
A 2 plate snowman with torn white paper and a paper hat, and a fine first collage.
Tape resist snowflake
A crisp white snowflake that appears when you peel the tape off your toddler's blue painting.
Snow cloud dough
Soft white dough that packs like snow and crumbles like powder, made from flour and oil.
Frozen toy rescue
Toys frozen in a block of ice, and a toddler armed with warm water to set them free.
Pine cone roll painting
Pine cones roll through paint in a box and leave wild tracks all over the paper.
Indoor snow bin
A bin of real snow on the kitchen floor with cups and spoons, for snow play without the snowsuit.
Paper snowball toss
A soft snowball fight inside with crumpled white paper, so nobody gets cold.
13 projects
Preschoolers
Homemade cloud dough
A 2-ingredient soft, crumbly, moldable sensory dough that feels like powdery snow and packs like wet sand.
Gingerbread play dough
A soft, warm-smelling homemade play dough that's perfect for rolling and cutting gingerbread people.
Paper plate snowman
2 paper plates stacked into a chubby snowman with a paper hat, a cozy scarf and button eyes.
Craft stick snowflakes
Glue craft sticks into a star, paint them white and add sparkles for a snowflake that hangs on the tree or window.
Cut paper snowflakes
Fold a coffee filter, snip little shapes, and unfold a lacy snowflake that's different every time.
Toilet roll penguin
An empty paper tube turns into a waddly little penguin with flippers, feet and a tiny orange beak.
Indoor sock snowball fight
Rolled-up white socks become soft snowballs for throwing, catching and target games on a cold day inside.
Cotton swab snowflakes
Arrange cotton swabs into star patterns on dark paper for snowflakes that build counting and pattern skills.
Frozen toy rescue
Freeze small toys in a block of ice and let your preschooler free them with warm water, salt and droppers.
Cotton ball polar bear
A soft, fluffy polar bear made by gluing cotton balls inside a bear outline on blue paper.
Handprint reindeer
A brown handprint turned upside down becomes a reindeer with finger antlers and a shiny red nose.
Mitten lacing card
A cardboard mitten with holes around the edge that your child laces with yarn, over and over.
Salt watercolor snow painting
Sprinkle salt on wet blue watercolor and watch frosty snowflake patterns bloom across the paper.
13 projects
Kids
Popsicle stick snowflake ornament
Glue 4 craft sticks into a star, then cover it in glitter, buttons or sequins for a snowflake that never melts.
Overnight Epsom salt crystals
Dissolve Epsom salt in hot water, chill it, and wake up to a cup full of spiky crystals.
Handprint paper plate wreath
A green wreath made of traced and cut-out handprints from everyone in the family.
Paper chain advent countdown
A paper chain with 1 link for every day until Christmas, each one hiding a small fun thing to do.
Folded paper snowflakes
Fold, snip and unfold a 6-sided paper snowflake, the same shape real snowflakes have.
Salt dough Christmas ornaments
Cookie-cutter ornaments made from flour, salt and water that your kid paints and hangs on the tree for years.
3D paper star ornament
Fold and cut 2 paper stars, glue them back to back, and you get a pointy star that pops out from the tree.
Static electricity butterfly
Rub a balloon on your hair and make tissue paper butterfly wings flap without touching them.
Cardboard loom weaving
Notch a piece of cardboard into a loom and weave a small yarn wall hanging, over and under, row by row.
Cinnamon applesauce ornaments
Brown dough ornaments from 2 pantry ingredients that make the whole house smell like cinnamon for weeks.
Pine cone Christmas trees
Paint a pine cone green, dot it with tiny pom-pom ornaments, and stand it on a cork for a mini tabletop tree.
Pine cone bird feeders
Roll a pine cone in nut butter and birdseed, hang it outside, and watch who comes to lunch.
Puffy paint snowman
Mix shaving cream and glue into a fluffy paint that dries puffy and soft, then paint a snowman you can touch.
10 projects
Teens and students
Ice dye hoodie
Powdered dye sprinkled over ice melts into soft watercolor patterns on a white hoodie.
3D paper snowflakes
Big, layered snowflakes made from 6 rolled paper arms, hanging from your ceiling or window.
Chunky knit blanket
A huge, cozy blanket knit with your hands and chunky chenille yarn, done in 1 afternoon.
Yarn wrapped desk trees
Mini Christmas trees made by wrapping paper cones in yarn, a holiday forest for your desk or windowsill.
Stamped clay ornaments
White clay ornaments pressed with lace, leaves or letters, simple and pretty on a tree or a gift.
Pom-pom rug
A thick, squishy rug made of dozens of yarn pom-poms tied to a grid, the softest thing your feet will ever land on.
Rolled beeswax candles
Honey-scented candles rolled from beeswax sheets, no melting and no stove needed.
Dried orange garland
Glowing slices of dried orange strung on twine, a cozy holiday garland that smells like the season.
Paper star lantern
A folded 3D paper star that glows when you slip a light inside, a holiday centerpiece for your room.
Fairy light jar lantern
A frosted glass jar packed with tiny lights, a soft night light for your shelf or nightstand.
9 projects
Grown-ups
Chunky hand-knit blanket
A squishy oversized throw knit with your hands, no needles, in one long movie night.
Rolled beeswax candles
Honey-scented candles rolled from honeycomb beeswax sheets, no melting, no heat and no mess.
Hand-dipped beeswax tapers
A pair of tall honey-gold taper candles built up one dip at a time, the old way, slow and oddly calming.
Paper bag star lanterns
Big, glowing Scandinavian-style paper stars made from white lunch bags, the cheapest dramatic Christmas decor there is.
Hot cocoa mix gift jars
Layered jars of rich homemade cocoa mix and mini marshmallows, with a tag that says exactly how to make a mug.
Peppermint bark
Layers of dark and white chocolate topped with crushed candy canes, a holiday gift that tastes like the expensive tins.
Dried orange slice garland
Glowing, stained-glass orange slices strung with cinnamon sticks and bay leaves, the classic old-fashioned Christmas garland.
Rustic blanket ladder
A 6 ft leaning ladder with dowel rungs for throws and quilts, with real drilled joints that stay tight.
Fresh evergreen wreath
A full, fragrant wreath built from bundles of real fir, cedar and pine, better than store wreaths at a fraction of the price.
16 projects
Seniors and grandkids
Dried orange slice garland
Glowing, stained-glass orange slices dried low and slow and strung with bay leaves for a natural holiday garland.
Big paper snowflakes
Large, lacy snowflakes cut from folded paper, a winter classic that's fun to unfold and never looks the same twice.
Clove orange pomanders
Oranges studded with cloves in swirls and stripes, an old-fashioned holiday decoration that smells wonderful for weeks.
Graham cracker gingerbread houses
Little candy-covered houses built from graham crackers and frosting, with no baking and plenty of decorating.
Knitted twiddle muff
A chunky knitted hand muff with buttons, ribbons and beads stitched inside and out to keep restless hands warm and busy.
No-sew felt ornaments
Soft felt stars, trees and mittens decorated with buttons and glue, a calm, chatty project for a group table.
Hot cocoa gift jars
Layered jars of homemade cocoa mix and mini marshmallows, a warm gift for neighbors, staff and family.
No-sew tied fleece blanket
A warm, snuggly blanket made by cutting and tying fringe along 2 layers of fleece, with no sewing machine needed.
Cinnamon applesauce ornaments
Dark, sweet-smelling ornaments made from 2 pantry ingredients that make the whole house smell like the holidays.
Pine cone mini Christmas trees
Tiny tabletop Christmas trees made from pine cones dabbed with green paint, snow and bead ornaments.
Pine cone bird feeder
A pine cone packed with seed and hung where you can watch the birds come to it from your chair.
Mason jar snow globes
Snow globes made from small jars with a tiny tree or figure inside, that swirl with glitter when you turn them over.
Rice sock snowman
A chubby, no-sew snowman made from a white sock filled with rice, with a little scarf and button eyes.
Yarn pom-pom garland
A soft, fluffy garland of yarn pom-poms in wintry colors for a mantel, tree or headboard.
Round loom knit hat
A warm, chunky hat knitted on a plastic round loom with a hook, a good way to knit when needles are hard on the hands.
Hand massage lotion bars
Solid lotion bars of beeswax and shea butter that melt on warm skin, made for dry hands and lovely to give.