WINTER

CRAFTS AND GAMES

WINTERCRAFTS
WINTER CRAFTS
AND GAMES
AND GAMES

Nature Tic-Tac-Toe 1
Ice Balloons 3
Ice Ornament 5
Snow Paint 6
Blue Parfait 8
Cookie Puzzle 9
Feather Pin 11
Frogs in Winter 12
Life Cycle of A Frog 14
Window Painting 16
Winter Puzzle 18
Picture Memory Games 19
Make A Crossword Puzzle 23
Worksheets I Nature Tic-Tac-Toe

NATURE TIC-TAC-TOE
By Beth Levin

Use sticks and stones to create a game of tic-tac-toe! This twist on a

usually-indoor activity is a great way to get your kids moving outside
as they hunt for materials to make the game.

What You Need:

Collection of twigs and pebbles from outside
Scissors
Twist ties (the kind that come with garbage bags)
Optional: Acrylic paint and paintbrushes or permanent markers

What You Do:

1. Have your child go outside to collect twigs, sticks, driftwood and
small round pebbles or stones. He will need at least four big sticks
of about the same length, 10 smaller sticks (about three inches
in length), and around ten pebbles or stones. The stones should
be smooth and somewhat round in shape.

2. After he has collected materials, help him create an outdoorsy

tic-tac-toe game. He can arrange the four long sticks in a tic-tac-toe
grid pattern.

3. Have him use the twist ties to bind the sticks together at the four
points where they meet in the grid. He should wrap one twist tie
around each intersection point.

4. For the tic-tac-toe Xs, he can cross two smaller sticks in an X shape and attach them
together with a twist tie; have him repeat to create several more Xs. He could also use
some pebbles and paint (or write with permanent marker) an X on five of the pebbles.

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Worksheets I Nature Tic-Tac-Toe

5. If he used sticks as Xs, have him use plain pebbles as Os. If he used pebbles as Xs, hell
want to label some other pebbles as Os by painting or writing an O on them.

6. Now he can play tic-tac-toe with a parent or friend! Most kids know the rules for this game,
but a parent can review them if needed. He may wish to store his game in a plastic zipper
bag, perfect for bringing the game along on outdoor picnics or camping trips. Or, even as a
way to bring the outdoors in!

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Worksheets I Ice Balloons

ICE BALLOONS
By Sue Bradford Edwards

Capture a bit of magic with these mesmerizing ice balloons! Made from
just water and food coloring, these colorful creations are simple, cheap,
and absolutely beautiful.

What You Need:

Water balloons
Food coloring
Old towels
Cookie sheet
Freezer
Bucket
Scissors
Old clothes
Watering can with a narrow spout (optional)

What You Do:

1. Make sure both you and your child are wearing old clothes. This
project can get messy!

2. Carefully help your child put one drop of food coloring into her first balloon. Work the food
coloring as far into the balloon as possible.

3. Have her fill the balloon with water; a watering can or a small funnel might help. Watch for
any leaks. Any leaky balloons need to be thrown away.

4. Once the balloon is filled, let your child tie the end into a knot.

5. Have her place the filled balloon on the cookie sheet.

6. Help her repeat this process with more balloons.

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Worksheets I Ice Balloons

7. When she's satisfied with the number of balloons she has, have her place the filled cookie
sheet in the freezer.

8. Wait for the balloons to freeze.

9. Have your child slip the frozen balloons into a bucket.

10. Move the project outdoors. That way when her frozen balloons start melting, dyed water
wont seep into your carpets or floors.

11. Discard any balloon that ruptured inside the freezer.

12. Let your child use scissors to cut off the knot from each balloon.

13. Gently help her roll off the balloon material, revealing the beautiful, frozen orbs beneath!

14. Have your child decide what she wants to do with her icy creations. She can set them up as
temporary decorations, or make patterns and structures with the colored spheres.

If it gets down to freezing overnight where you live the ice balloons can last for a couple
of days. Help your child find a safe spot outside to place her colorful balloons.

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Worksheets I Ice Balloons

ICE ORNAMENT
By Beth Levin

You decorate the tree inside your house during the holidays; why not
decorate the trees outside as well? Help your child make an attractive
frozen holiday ornament to hang outside during the winter months.

What You Need:

Pie tin Yarn, twine, ribbon, or pipe cleaner
Water and freezer Collection of wintry evergreens, flowers,
Scissors berries, holly, ivy, twigs, and other items
from nature

What You Do:

1. Set out with your child to collect some pretty pieces of nature to put
in the ornament such as evergreen leaves, wintry flowers, holly and
berries, ivy, and twigs.

2. After he has collected his pieces, bring them inside. Have him
arrange the pieces inside of the pie tin.

3. Help him slowly fill the pie tin with water, almost to the top. The
pieces may float and move a bit.

4. Help him cut a piece of yarn or ribbon to a length of about 12 inches; long enough that when
doubled over it will hold the ornament up after its frozen. You can also use a long pipe cleaner.
Put this hanger into the filled pie tin at one edge, with just about 2 inches of each end of the
ribbon, or one end of the pipe cleaner, sticking into the water.

5. Now the ornament is ready to be frozen. Carefully place the pie tin in the freezer and leave
it overnight.

6. After it is frozen, the ornament can be wiggled out of the pie tin. Run warm water on the back
of the pan to help your ornament slide out. Hang it outside on a tree in winter. If the outside
weather is cold enough, your ornament may last for a while, or you can store the
ornament in a plastic bag in the freezer during warmer weather. Remember to take
a photo before it melts!

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Worksheets I Snow Paint

SNOW PAINT
By Liana Mahoney

Winter brings with it cold, snow, and sometimes, cabin fever. Despite
the frigid temperatures, its important for children of all ages to stay
active and get lots of exercise and fresh air.

As early as first grade, children are introduced to fractions. This is a

new concept for them, and one that takes practice to fully absorb.
Following recipes with simple fractions is a good way to get kids to
practice the concept.

Heres an idea that combines fraction practice with winter fun!

What You Need:

Plastic spray bottles, one for each color
Dry erase marker
Water
Food coloring

What You Do:

1. Fill each spray bottle full of water: Have your child complete this
step, and review the concept of fourths in the process. Have him
use the dry erase marker to mark lines on the spray bottle so that
its divided into four approximately equal parts. Then, remind him
that the fraction means three out of four parts. Ask him to point
to the line that represents before filling the bottle with water.

2. Add drops of food coloring to tint as desired. The darker the color, the better the effect in
the snow. Make one color of water for each bottle.

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Worksheets I Snow Paint

3. Bundle up for some outdoor fun! Take the spray bottles outside and test them to be sure
they are working well. Then have your child use the snow paint in a variety of different ways
for some great exercise and fun. While you are playing, have your child keep an eye on
how much water is left in the spray bottle. When does it get down to full? What about
full? To get started, here are some wintry day activities to try with your snow paint:

Dress the Snowmen Relay: (for two groups of players) Make two plain snowmen,
side by side. Divide into two groups, and line up opposite the snowmen, the spray
bottles at the front of the line. Race to see who can dress the snowman (paint him
from head to toe) first!

Springtime Wishes: Anxious for spring to arrive? Why wait? Paint a spring scene
on the snow bank, complete with a warm yellow sun, green grass, and red and
blue flowers.

Pattern Block Snow Fort: Pack containers full of snow to make snow bricks. As you
stack each brick, spray its side with paint. Challenge your child to create a pattern of
colored bricks as she builds a wall in her snow fort.

Frozen Painted Butterflies: Lay in the snow with your hands at your sides and your
feet together. Fan your arms up over your head to create butterfly wing imprints in
the snow. Stand up, and decorate your butterfly with paint!

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Worksheets I Blue Parfait

BLUE PARFAIT
By M.L. Gordon

Are long, gray days dragging your kids down? Try whipping up this sky
parfait together. It looks just as good as it tastes!

What You Need:

2 cups of whipped cream
2 packages blue gelatin dessert
cup sugar
2 cups boiling water
2 cups of ice
Parfait or other clear glasses
Beaters

What You Do:

1. Begin with the whipped cream, your clouds, for this yummy treat.
Whip it into stiff peaks by beating the cream on high speed and
slowly adding your cup of sugar. Make sure it holds its shape
before storing it in the fridge.

2. To make the blue sky, simply follow the directions for making the gelatin by adding
2 cups of boiling water to your 2 packages of powdered gelatin. Once the powder
dissolves, add the two cups of icethis will help your gelatin set quickly.

3. Stir the ice until the gelatin thickens and youre left with gelatin thats not fully set, but
solidified enough that you can scoop it without it running.

4. Spoon alternate layers of gelatin and whipped cream into your parfait glass. To make
clouds, press a spoonful of whipped cream against the side of the glass, being careful
not to smear it. Keep adding layers until you reach the top and youll have a yummy
concoction sure to brighten your day!

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Worksheets I Cookie Puzzle

COOKIE PUZZLE
By M.L. Gordon

Celebrate the winter by creating and eating a giant snow globe

made from cookie dough. Kids can use their favorite cookie recipe
and cut out a scene to create a sweet jigsaw puzzle. After the cookie
cools, kids get to decorate it with icing, sprinkles and other festive
treats. A crafty twist on a delicious dessert!

What You Need:

Pencil
Large bowl
Large sheet of paper
Sugar cookie dough
Rolling pin
Frosting
Gel icing
Paintbrushes
Sprinkles or tinted sugar
Cookie cutters

What You Do:

1. Have your child turn the large bowl upside down and trace it on a piece of large paper
to draw a perfect circle.

2. Now he can sketch the holiday scene he wants to see in the snow globe. If youre
using cookie cutters, see what kind of objects you can create with the shapes you
have. Good examples include triangles for trees, gingerbread men and wild animals.

3. Now its time to head to the kitchen and prepare a favorite sugar cookie recipe. Make
sure the recipe yields fairly dry cookie doughif using a drop cookie recipe, youll need
to add additional flour.

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Worksheets I Cookie Puzzle

4. Your child can now flour a work surface and a rolling pin and roll out the dough so that its
about thick.

5. Flour the rim of the large bowl, turn it upside down and press it into the sheet of dough.
You can remove excess dough from around the bowl to make more cookies later.

6. Now your child can use cookie cutters to mark the puzzle pieces he wants to use for the
snow globe. Flour the cookie cutters and then press them into the circle of dough to make
an indentation. Dont remove the shapes from the doughthey will make up the pieces of
the puzzle.

7. Bake the cookie according to the recipe or directions on the packaging, then remove it from
the oven and let it cool completely.

8. Slide the cookie onto a flat surface, and press the cookie cutters into their corresponding
shapes again so the puzzle pieces will come out easily when the cookie is ready to serve.

9. Let your child decorate the cookie to his hearts content! He can squeeze colored icing
around each shape, and fill shapes in by spreading icing around with a paintbrush. Sprinkle
sugar and other candies on it to create a beautiful snow globe.

The best way to serve this cookie is to ask friends if they can spot the puzzle pieces, and
lift them out of the snow globe!

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Worksheets I Blue Parfait

FEATHER PIN
By Beth Levin

This pretty homemade feather pin will tickle your childs fashion fancy!
Make this fluffy, fun jewelry as a unique fashion statement or a trendy
gift for a lucky recipient.

What You Need:

2-4 colorful feathers Fabric pieces
Invisible tape Scissors
Jewelry pin backing Sewing needle and thread

What You Do:

1. Let your child choose some craft feathers in any colors she likes.
She should also choose a small piece of fabric to match the feathers.

2. Help her group the feathers together so that the bases of the
feathers are touching. The tops should fan out from one another.

3. Next, have her wrap a piece of invisible tape around the bases of
the feathers to hold them together.

4. Have her cut a rectangular piece from the fabric, long enough to wrap around the feather
base one or more times, but not so wide so that it covers the feathers. A piece around 8
inches long and 1 inch wide may work best.

5. Next, she should wrap the fabric around the feather base until the end of the fabric
meets at the back of the base. She can use invisible tape to secure the fabric while she
prepares a needle and thread.

6. You may wish to help your child prepare the needle and thread, and then she can sew
the loose end of fabric to the base.

7. If her jewelry pin backing has a sticker attachment, she can peel the sticker and attach
it to the back of the piece of fabric. If not, she can sew the pin directly to the fabric
through holes in the back of the pin. Help her knot the thread and cut off any loose ends.

8. Now, she can wear and enjoy her feathery festive pin. She can also make pins
in various feather and fabric colors for herself or to give to friends!

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Worksheets I Frogs in Winter

FROGS IN WINTER
By Suzanne Johnson

Have you ever wondered what happens to frogs in winter? Where do they go when the
temperatures drop and the snow flies? In late autumn, frogs will settle into the mud at
the bottom of a pond. They don't freeze solid because frogs have a way to increase the
amount of glucose in their bodies. Glucose is a form of sugar, and it creates a sort of
antifreeze that keeps the frogs cells from freezing while they hibernate. Frogs also
change the way they breathe! They take in oxygen from the pond water right through their
skin, so they never need to come to the surface until spring. In this activity, you and your
child will create a tasty treat that will illustrate exactly how frogs survive a freezing season.

What You Need:

A clear plastic cup
A gummy frog (the edible candy kind)
Instant chocolate pudding, made according to pudding box instructions
Blue or green gelatin, made according to gelatin box instructions
Spoon
Whipped topping

What You Do:

1. Begin by talking with your child about how different
animals survive during the coldest months. Some
animals, like dogs and wolves, grow thicker fur. Birds
fly away to warmer climates. Bears find a cozy cave
to hibernate the winter months away. People add
layers of clothing to stay warm. But frogs have no fur,
and cannot fly away or put on a coat. They hibernate
instead!

2. Add about 3-4 spoonfuls of chocolate pudding to your

clear plastic cup to represent the mud.

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Worksheets I Frogs in Winter

3. Place the gummy frog on the pudding. Don't push it too deep; frogs like to stay mostly
on top of the mud!

4. Spoon the gelatin on top of the frog and the mud, until the plastic cup is full. This
represents the pond water.

5. Add the whipped topping, which represents snow on top of the gelatin.

Your frog in winter treat is ready to enjoy! Here are some questions to discuss with
your child as you are eating:

How would the bottom of a muddy pond be a safe place for the frog to spend
the winter? Think about animals that might hunt the frogs, or how the weather
might change above the pond surface.

Not all frogs live near ponds. Where do you think these frogs might go to spend
the winter?

How do you think frogs know when to "wake up" in the spring? What might be
a signal that winter is over?

FOR EXTRA FROG FACTS, CHECK

OUT THE LIFE CYCLE OF A FROG
ON THE NEXT PAGE.

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Worksheets I Life Cycle of a Frog
This is your bleed line.

Life Cycle of a Frog

Amphibians are animals that live on both land and water. They are cold-
blooded, and have mostly smooth skin with no hair or fur. Amphibians
are usually born in the water breathing with gills, but then they change
into air-breathing adults. Frogs, toads and salamanders are examples of
amphibians.

2.
1.
3.
Cut out the pictures on
page 2 and paste them
in the correct order in
the life cycle.

5.
4.

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Worksheets I Life Cycle of a Frog
This is your bleed line.

Life Cycle of a Frog

Frogs are born as eggs in the water. When the egg hatches it turns into a
tadpole that has gills to breathe. After 6-9 weeks the tadpole's legs start
to sprout. After 12 weeks the little tadpole becomes a froglet -- its legs
get bigger and it begins to breathe with lungs instead of gills. The froglet
becomes an adult frog when its tail disappears completely. Soon the frog
will be ready to lay eggs of its own.

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Worksheets I Window Painting

WINDOW PAINTING
By Korey Marquez

Who says walls are the only places to display your child's art? Try windows! Here's an
activity to help your child create his own window mural. This activity is sure to brighten
any season.

What You Need:

Washable paint, window markers, or window crayons
Paintbrushes
Jar of water
Rags
Blue painters tape
Old newspapers

What You Do:

1. Before you begin, choose a window to paint, making sure it is clean and easily
accessible for your child. You may need a step stool so he can reach the upper
part of the window.
2. Protect the window frame with
painter's tape. You may also want
to secure a thick layer of paper
around the sill and on the floor to
protect them from any accidental
drips or smudges. Make sure you
have wet rags to mop up spills, and
a jar of water if using paintbrushes.

3. Brainstorm with your child things

you can paint in the mural, like
winter and holiday images (snow,
reindeer, stars, trees, candles, etc.),
or a tropical island, or any kind
of scene.

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Worksheets I Window Painting

4. Set out the paint and paintbrushes, and invite him to start painting.

5. If he wants to paint a new color on top of the first one, have him wait until the first color is
dry before he starts the new color.

When your child is finished painting, step outside and admire his handiwork from the
other side!

NOTE
If youre nervous about painting on glass, paint a test square and let it dry completely,
then clean it off to see how easy or hard it is to remove. Try first to remove the paint
or window crayon with a dry cloth. Later, when you want to clean the mural off the
window use warm soapy water and lay down a towel on the floor just in case. The
cleaning up can be just as colorful and fun as the painting, so make sure the kids
get in on this part, too.

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 JIGSAW PUZZLE
Cut along the black lines of this picture with the help of a parent to create your very own jigsaw puzzle pieces. Then mix the pieces and try to put
them together to form the picture.
Worksheets I Winter Puzzle

Tip: Puzzle pieces work better when printed on thicker paper.

18
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 Worksheets I Picture Memory Games

Travel Games : Remember And Draw

How to Play: Fold the paper in half or cut it on the dotted lines. Then ask the child to look at the colored
pictures for a few minutes. Next ask him to complete the pictures by drawing the missing parts from memory.

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 Worksheets I Picture Memory Games

Travel Games : Remember And Draw

How to Play: Fold the paper in half or cut it on the dotted lines. Then ask the child to look at the colored
pictures for a few minutes. Next ask him to complete the pictures by drawing the missing parts from memory.

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 Worksheets I Picture Memory Games

Travel Games : Remember And Draw

How to Play: Fold the paper in half or cut it on the dotted lines. Then ask the child to look at the colored
pictures for a few minutes. Next ask him to complete the pictures by drawing the missing parts from memory.

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 Worksheets I Picture Memory Games

Travel Games : Remember And Draw

How to Play: Fold the paper in half or cut it on the dotted lines. Then ask the child to look at the colored
pictures for a few minutes. Next ask him to complete the pictures by drawing the missing parts from memory.

Parent Tip: If your child is playing this game for the first time, ask him to look at one picture at a time, then try from memory to
find out whats missing.
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Worksheets I Make A Crossword Puzzle

How To Make A Crossword Puzzle

1. Print out two copies of the

blank grid. One will be filled in,
and the other will be a empty
G I R A F
E
F E
L

crossword puzzle ready for S Q U I R R E L

someone to try. R P
E H
Decide on a theme. This one
will be about animals. T A G
N O
With a pencil (there might be a
T I G E R
lot of erasing!) begin filling in
the squares with words relevant I
to your theme. Cross each word L
with another, sharing common
E A G L E
letters. Fill in as many words as
you can think of. A

HINT: Use longer words first so

there is plenty of room to cross
over, then fill in with smaller
words.

G I R A F F E D B
Q E L O W R E N

2. Once youve written in as many

words as you can, color in the
empty boxes with black.
S Q U
A
I R
R
R E
P
L
I G
G
S
H
A
A
R
I E H O G L
E E L T A N T G E C K O
G N O E
R A V E N T I G E R A S P
E I T
T O U C A N R L R
A E A G L E A
P A N T H E R T A L

23

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Worksheets I Make A Crossword Puzzle

How To Make A Crossword Puzzle

3.
1 2 3 4 5
Write numbers (1, 2, 3 and so G I R A F F E D B
6 7
on) right to left in the boxes of Q E L O W R E N
the first letter of each word. 8 9
S Q U I R R E L G H A
10
Keep this page. It will be your A R P I G S A R
answer sheet. I E
11
H O G L
12 13 14 15
E E L T A N T G E C K O
G N O E
16 17 18
R A V E N T I G E R A S P
E I T
19 20 21
T O U C A N R L R
22
A E A G L E A
23
P A N T H E R T A L

4.
1 2 3 4 5
Take the second blank grid
that you printed out and fill 6 7

in the numbers and the black 8 9

squares, but leave the white
10
squares blank.
11

12 13 14 15

16 17 18

19 20 21

22

23

24

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Worksheets I Make A Crossword Puzzle

How To Make A Crossword Puzzle

5. Now write in the clues at the Across Down

bottom of the page, matching 1. Long-necked African mammal. 2. Weasly mammal.
the vertical words numbers
under Down and the 7. When will you guess this bird? 3. Never forgets.
horizontal words numbers 10. More than one in a trough. 4. Mans best friends.
under Across.
8. Nutty guy with fluffy tail. 5. Grizzly or polar.

Clues can be as difficult or easy 12. EEK this fish is slimy!

as you want them to be. They 13. Not your uncle.
can be tricky, or silly. Have fun
with them! 14. Insurance lizard.

6. Give your crossword puzzle a

name, and youre done!
1
Wonderful World of Animals!
2 3 4 5

6 7

8 9

10

11

12 13 14 15

16 17 18

19 20 21

22

23

Down Across
1. Long-necked African mammal. 2. Weasly mammal.
7. When will you guess this bird? 3. Never forgets.
10. More than one in a trough. 4. Mans best friends.
8. Nutty guy with fluffy tail. 5. Grizzly or polar.
12. EEK this fish is slimy! 6. Similar to partridge.
13. Not your uncle. 7. Largest sea animal.
14. Insurance lizard. 9. Part of a pride.
16. Poes bird. 12 White shore bird.
17. Striped feline 14. Largest primate.
18. Poisoned Cleopatra. 15. Small hawk.
19. Colorful tropical bird. 20. House pet.
22. Americas symbol 2. You dirty ___!
23. Can be black. Predatory wild cat.

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 Worksheets I Make A Crossword Puzzle

Down Across

26
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