January is the perfect time to slow things down and get creative with kids. After the excitement of the holidays, simple, cozy crafts give kids something fun to focus on while encouraging creativity and imagination. From winter-themed projects to easy activities that use everyday supplies, January crafts for kids are a great way to stay busy indoors, spark creativity, and make the most of the quieter days of the season. And although my kids are pre-teen/teenage they both still like to do fun crafts. I rounded up three different crafts to do with kids of varying ages with basic craft supplies for the winter season.
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Supplies for Coffee Filter Garland Snowflake Crafts
- coffee filters
- yarn (I used cotton yarn for stringing the garland and homespun yarn for the tassels)
- lace ribbon
- sharp scissors (these from Arteza are my favorite)
Whenever the calendar turns to January I always think about snow. In the Pacific Northwest if we get any snow at all during the winter it usually happens in the colder months of January or February. I wanted to make a snowflake garland as I was missing the garland I had hanging up in the opening that is between our kitchen and dining room.
I happened to have a handful of coffee filters available as we no longer use them due to having a Nespresso machine now. I folded each filter and then using scissors and freehanded cutting out shapes to create a handful of snowflakes for the garland.
This would be a great project for older elementary school kids or pre-teens. If doing this project with kids ages 8 and younger make sure there is adult supervision if they are using sharp scissors. This is also a great cutting activity for kids who are just learning to use scissors.
If you don’t happen to have any coffee filters you could also make the snowflakes with plain white paper or construction paper. I am a big fan of using what you have on hand.
Once I had all the snowflakes cut out I grabbed a piece of yarn and strung on the snowflakes leaving a little gap between each one. The reason I left the gap is because I wanted to add some more visual interest so I took pieces of lace and ribbon and tied them onto the string in between each snowflake.
This snowflake winter craft garland was so fun and turned out so cute!
This second craft is a fun winter craft project that can be done by kids of all ages. I’m sure you have seen variations of this craft on Pinterest or have even done this craft before although this is my first time! This craft involves taking pinecones and covering them in peanut butter and then dipping in bird seed. This is an easy craft that uses simple supplies that you may already have available.
This is a fun winter activity that is a great way to spend a rainy afternoon and a fun activity for young kids that doesn’t require any prep time.
Supplies Needed for Pine Cone Bird Feeders
- large pine cones
- peanut butter (natural is the best for the birds)
- bird seed
I had a small stash of pine cones from a hiking trip and decided to use these for my bird feeder. I ended up tying four of the pine cones together with some cotton yarn so that they hung in a line.
After this I spread peanut butter as liberally as possibly on each pine cone and then dipped them into a tray that I had poured birdseed. After this I tied a loop in the top so that the pine cone bird feeder could hang easily on our porch.
Now the birds have the perfect little snack for cold winter days and kids will have so much fun watching the birds that come to the feeder.
The last craft for kids to do in January isn’t related to Winter but is a fun indoor activity that only requires a couple of supplies. All you need is to grab a blank canvas tote bag in any color and some fabric paint and a paintbrush.
Supplies Needed for Painted Tote Bags
- canvas tote bag
- piece of cardboard
- fabric paint
- paint brush
I grabbed an off-white canvas bag that I already had and put a piece of cardboard inside so that the paint would not bleed to the other side.
I decided to create a bag to carry books in that I get from the library so I started with black and writing. The nice thing about these Tulip paints is that they come with screw on tips so if you want to do fine writing like I did with the cursive you can.
I used fabric paint I already had however there are many brands available, Tulip is my favorite brand. I used all the colors I had and mixed several to create a bunch of different colors for my bag.
This fun craft could also be done with acrylic paint but just keep in mind that acrylic paints will dry with a harder “crunch” feeling on the bag. The canvas bag could also be another color, I would just use whichever color canvas bag that suites your fancy.
All these crafts and many more can be completed with a little imagination and a few basic supplies. January crafts can keep young hands busy, minds engaged, and spirits bright all month long. So grab the paint brushes, clear off the table, and make January a season of creativity your kids will remember.
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