Winter art projects for kids range from simple, quick ideas such as cutting up lots of snowflakes to more complex art projects that can be wrapped and given as holiday gifts. Take advantage of the winter weather to create icy artworks or bird feeders that rely on cold temperatures. If you live in a warmer climate, have fun making mock snowmen and snowflakes to emulate what winter is like elsewhere. With the right craft supplies you can create a winter art project that inspires your class or kids.

Let It Snow!

Making snowmen is a fun activity for kids. The round shapes are easy to manage, and kids can still add a lot of individual flair to each art project. Rounding up craft supplies for this art project should be pretty simple. Create a little snowman banner by cutting out circles of white felt and gluing them on to a square or rectangle of blue felt. Have the kids use scraps of fabric or felt to create the snowman's face, hat, muffler and buttons. You can even add stars by cutting shapes out of paper or felt or creating them with glitter. Use glue at the end of the felt banner, paste around a wooden dowel and add braided cord to hang it.

If you're looking for a more ambitious art project, you can also create snowmen out of clay by making clay balls of varying sizes and stacking them. Poke holes with a stick for the buttons and eyes, and then let the clay dry and paint the snowmen white.

Another simple, snow-oriented winter art project for kids is making snowflakes. All you need is paper, string and scissors for this art project. Fold up a piece of white paper many times, and then take scissors and start snipping out pieces at random. When you unfold the paper, you have a beautiful snowflake you can hang from the ceiling. Just like real snowflakes, no two flakes you make this way will be exactly alike.

Outdoor Crafts

Animals often have a tough time making it through a long winter. You can help your kids create crafts to help animals cope with the harsh weather. You'll probably find many of these craft supplies around the house. Mix corn flakes, oatmeal and rice to make bird feeders. Spread peanut butter on a few pine cones. Cover your bird feeders with the bird feed, and hang them outside. Have the kids watch with joy as the birds come home to feed.

Another art to enjoy and celebrate the winter season involves creating outdoor ornaments from ice. Pour water into a shallow dish, and add a string so you can hang the ornament when it freezes. Set decorative objects, such as holly, glitter, flowers or pine needles inside the water. Set the dish outside to freeze solid, and then hang the ornaments from a tree or the eave of your house to enjoy as they slowly melt, reminding you that spring is on its way. If you prefer not to wait for winter weather, use the freezer to create your winter art before placing your outdoor crafts outside.

Homemade Gifts and Party Favors

Create homemade snow globes using glass jars. Give the snow globes as special holiday gifts or as gifts for any other special occasion. Gather small, winter-themed figurines, such as holiday ornaments, and glue them to the inside of the jar lid. Fill the jar with distilled water, then add a touch of glitter and glycerin. Close the lid tightly, flip the jar over and watch the snow fall.

As party favors or decorations for a fun wintertime party, make little creatures out of candy. Turn gumdrops of all sizes into brightly colored mushrooms by adding sprinkles and standing them up on peppermint stick stems. Peppermint candies can serve as the shell for tiny snails. Add gumdrops to the front as the snail's head, and attach tiny shreds of licorice as the snail's antennae. Display your art projects on a table for a special wintertime tea or party.

Winter art projects offer great fun for those days when the weather keeps you and your kids indoors. Be sure to have plenty of craft supplies on hand so you can tap into your kids' creativity on a moment's notice.