Ideas for Winter-Themed Crafts and Bulletin Board Projects for 5-Year-Olds
By the time children are five, they handle scissors and glue more smoothly, and the range of craft activities expands dramatically.
Why not enjoy some winter-themed crafts together with your five-year-olds?
We’ve gathered plenty of ideas inspired by events like Christmas, New Year’s, and Setsubun, as well as winter-specific items like snowmen and mittens.
Encourage projects that let children freely express the worlds they imagine and experience a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.
Since we treat what the children make as works (art pieces), we refer to them as “seisaku” (creations) in the main text.
[For 5-year-olds] A collection of craft play and wall display ideas that capture the feeling of winter (1–10)
Easy! Origami Snowman
This is an origami snowman you can make with simple steps.
Choose the color of your origami paper based on the hat you want the snowman to wear.
Once you’ve decided, place the paper with the colored side facing up and fold it in half by bringing the left and right edges together.
Next, fold it again by matching the top and bottom edges.
Then, using the second crease, make a step fold (accordion fold), and fold the two ends of the stepped section inward, opening them into triangles.
This creates a waist, giving you a two-tiered snowman.
Finally, tuck the remaining corners at the top and bottom inward to round the shape, and you’re done.
One corner will become the hat, so fold only one layer inward so that a triangle of the colored side appears on the snowman’s surface.
stylish scarf
Here’s a recommended winter craft for five-year-olds! It’s a very cute paper scarf made with construction paper.
You’ll need A3 construction paper in your favorite color, yarn, and masking tape.
First, cut the paper lengthwise into four equal strips.
Punch five holes along both ends of each strip.
Next, cut pieces of yarn—20 cm each—for the number of holes, and attach them from the edge using masking tape.
Using various colors will make it extra cute.
Flip it over and place a long strip of masking tape horizontally.
Finally, fold each piece of yarn in half and thread the loop through the holes.
Shape it like a scarf, and you’re done!
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.
Oni’s Den-den Daiko (Demon’s Pellet Drum)
Here’s a craft perfect for Setsubun and recommended for five-year-olds: making an ogre-themed den-den daiko (hand drum).
You will need colored construction paper, cardboard, buttons, stickers, a pencil, chopsticks, thread, glue, crayons or pens, and clear tape.
For prep, cut the cardboard and construction paper into matching circles.
Attach thread to the buttons and stick them onto the cardboard.
Also attach a chopstick handle and the horns made from construction paper.
Prepare facial parts in advance too, such as round stickers and eyebrows.
Let the children add hair using their favorite yarn and stick on the facial parts.
Drawing with crayons, etc., also looks cute.
That’s it—finished! Any prep steps that five-year-olds can handle are great opportunities to have them do the making themselves!
Make a stylish snowman!
We usually imagine snowmen as pure white, but let’s get creative and turn them into stylish art.
First, fold a sheet of white origami paper and make several cuts.
The key is to cut it so that when you unfold the paper, it forms a round shape.
You’ll get a circular shape with beautiful patterns.
Children will be excited to see how the snowman’s pattern changes depending on where they cut.
Use the patterned cutouts to make the snowman.
If you stick it onto black cardstock, you’ll have a lovely winter craft.
Sparkling 3D Snow Dome Suncatcher
Let’s make a 3D snow globe that you’ll want to peek into when it’s displayed by the window.
Prepare two slightly deep paper plates, draw a large circle on the inside of each, and cut them both out.
Keep the cut-out circles neat, as you’ll use them for the base.
Attach a piece of clear plastic bag cut into a circle to the inside of the first paper plate.
On the second paper plate, stick on a clear protective sheet and use its adhesive side to attach colored film or cotton to create a snowy landscape.
Then, add paper parts like trees made from construction paper on top.
Fold one of the cut-out circular pieces in half, trim it into a base shape, and glue it to the bottom.
Decorate the base with ribbon, and place the first paper plate over it to finish.
Using rhinestones to represent snow also looks adorable!
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.
