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[For 3-year-olds] Winter craft activities and bulletin board decoration ideas for use in childcare
In winter, there are many ways to have fun with children—big events like Christmas, New Year’s, and Setsubun, as well as chances to experience the changing climate and nature through snow and ice.
Many teachers may be thinking about incorporating that wintry feeling into their art and craft activities as well.
So this time, we’re introducing craft ideas to make in winter with three-year-olds.
We’ve gathered a wide range of ideas, from those related to winter events to themes unique to the season—like snowmen and mittens.
We’ve selected activities that will spark children’s interest and curiosity, so please try using them in your childcare setting.
Because the children’s creations are treated as works, we use the term “制作” (seisaku, ‘creation/work’) in the text.
[For 3-Year-Olds] Winter Craft Activities and Bulletin Board/Wall Display Ideas for Childcare (1–10)
How to make a fluffy, fuzzy snowman
Stick double-sided tape onto a strip-cut piece of white construction paper, then place cotton on top.
Roll it into a ring and secure it! Connect two of these, add a hat and facial features, and you’ll have a fluffy snowman! Since attaching the hat on top of the cotton is tricky, it’s best to glue it to the paper base before adding the cotton.
For the facial features, bend and twist pipe cleaners to make them.
Depending on the child who makes it, each snowman will have a different expression, resulting in a set of unique, characterful creations.
Snow fairy! Adorable long-tailed tit (Shima-enaga)
Why not try making the popular long-tailed tit as a “snow fairy” with origami? All you need is a single sheet of your favorite origami paper and a black pen, so preparation is super easy.
Fold by creasing and flipping the paper as you go: use the white front side to represent the body and the colored back side for the wings.
Finish by drawing the eyes and beak with a black pen to enjoy different expressions.
With few steps, it’s easy even for a 3-year-old, so it’s highly recommended.
After it’s done, you can show them to each other or line them up on the wall to create a cute atmosphere.
Easy with just one sheet! Snowman
The charm of this origami is how easy it is—you can make a snowman with just one sheet of white paper.
There are many small, detailed folds, so try tackling it together with your child.
Each step is simple, but because it involves lots of precise finger work, staying focused is important.
As you go, guide them with prompts like “This part is next,” or demonstrate each step so they can work with confidence.
At the end, draw the face with a pen or add patterns, and each snowman will have its own unique expression.
When you line up the finished pieces for display, you can clearly see how different their expressions are—even though they’re all snowmen—making them even more fun to look at.
Origami snow rabbit
This is a craft for making a snow bunny with a cute, rounded white shape and tiny leaves.
You’ll need one sheet of white origami paper, two small pieces of green origami paper, a red dot sticker, and a crayon.
Fold the white origami into a triangle, then tuck the corners inward to form the snow bunny’s round body.
The shape becomes clear quickly, so even three-year-olds can feel, “It’s coming together!” Add a little touch of color to the wintry look by attaching small folded green-paper leaves to the head.
Use the sticker for the eyes and draw the mouth with a crayon.
It’s also fun to talk together about what kind of face to make.
With only a few steps, this idea lets kids fully enjoy the fun of creating.
Mittens made by threading yarn
Gloves are familiar, everyday items for three-year-olds that keep their hands warm on cold days.
They’re often told, “Let’s put them on before we go outside,” so they easily evoke a winter image.
In this activity, we make playful gloves using construction paper and yarn.
Threading yarn through holes is simple, and even just choosing colors is satisfying.
You can clearly see the pattern forming bit by bit, and if you line up everyone’s gloves and put them on the wall, the display becomes lively.
It’s a perfect winter wall decoration idea that sparks conversations like, “Whose is this?” as children look at the gloves lined up together.
Valentine’s chocolate wall decoration
February brings Valentine’s Day, a time to share your feelings with someone special.
So this time, we’re introducing an idea for a “Valentine’s Chocolate Wall Decoration.” All you need are heart-shaped construction paper, white stickers, and crayons.
The time spent drawing on the heart-shaped paper is a moment when individual feelings tend to come through.
Some may draw spirals, others may use lots of favorite colors—each heart turns out differently.
Add a white sticker and write the name of the person you want to give it to, and it becomes a one-of-a-kind piece.
The time spent thinking, “Who should I choose?” is heartwarming, and this idea naturally invites Valentine-like exchanges.
Knitting a sweater with the yarn-wrapping panda
Crafting with yarn has a warm, cozy feel—perfect for winter.
This time, let’s make a panda using yarn and a paper cup.
Tape the end of the yarn to the paper cup and wrap it around.
When you finish wrapping, secure the end with glue, then attach a panda face made from construction paper to complete it.
You can also make other animals or change the yarn colors for a cute, colorful look.
It’s a hands-on project that stimulates the senses while letting you feel the warmth of the yarn, so give it a try!
