Winter may seem like a season to endure—but with a little imagination, it becomes a time of wonder, warmth, and togetherness. These art projects offer more than just fun—they invite stillness, spark joy, and foster a deep sense of connection with both nature and each other.
1. Cosy Collage Creations: Crafting from the Heart
Collage is a tactile, expressive activity perfect for winter days spent indoors. It allows kids to mix and match textures and colours to express how they feel—and offers plenty of scope for imagination.
What You’ll Need:
• Old magazines, newspapers, wrapping paper, fabric scraps
• Glue sticks, scissors, cardboard backing or large paper
• Optional: wintery elements like cotton balls, glitter, dried leaves, pressed flowers
How to Create Your Cosy Collages:
Set up a warm, inviting creative space with music or fairy lights, and let the children begin cutting or tearing images that appeal to them. You might set a theme—“What winter feels like,” “My dream winter hideaway,” or “Things that make me feel warm inside.” Encourage layering, texture, and storytelling in their work. Add tactile materials like cotton wool to make snowy scenes or warm jumpers.
Mindfulness Tip:
Encourage your child to work slowly and intentionally—feeling the textures, focusing on each choice, and breathing slowly as they glue each piece. This slow, hands-on process can be deeply grounding.
Memory-Making Idea:
Once finished, have a “gallery moment” where everyone presents their artwork. Talk about what each person chose and why. You might even hang the collages around the house to create a winter wonder-wall!
2. Winter Warm-Up Clay Creations
Invite the kids to think about things that bring them comfort in winter. A cup of tea?(that’s me!), A favourite pet? A beanie? A fire? Then sculpt mini versions of these items from clay. Younger kids might make wintery animals like penguins or wombats in scarves!
Once dry, the pieces can be painted and turned into keepsakes or used in storytelling games.
What You’ll Need:
• Air-dry clay or playdough
• Tools like toothpicks, old butter knives, cookie cutters
• Paint and paintbrushes (optional)
• A table mat or tray to contain the mess
My favourite Mindful Play-dough recipe
Mix 1 cup corn flour and ¼ cup hair conditioner in a bowl adding a drop of lavender essential oil and purple food dye. Knead and add more flour or conditioner to suit your perfect texture.
Mindfulness Tip:
Clay is a great sensory material. Encourage slow rolling, shaping, and sculpting. Talk about how it feels, how it responds to their fingers, and the transformation from lump to form.
Memory-Making Idea:
Create a “Winter Comfort Sculpture Set” where each family member adds something to a shared collection. Place it on the mantel or a shelf as a symbol of family warmth through winter.
Creating Winter Magic Through Art
As an artist, winter is one of my favourite times for reflection and creativity. The slower pace offers us all a chance to reconnect—with ourselves, with family, and with our creativity. So grab a warm drink, light a candle, and gather your little ones. Whether it’s through collage, clay, or journaling, the winter holidays can be a time of calm, creativity, and connection that stays in your heart long after the season ends.
Here’s to a winter holiday filled with warmth, art, and beautiful memories.
Keep Creating!
– Written by Kerry Evitts
What's on for Winter School Holidays
Take the stress out of the school holidays with Rocketeers this Winter. Featuring over 200 wonderfully unique experiences that will ensure your child’s winter school holidays are extraordinary!
From our Winter Ninja Showdown experience, brought to you by Proactivity and featuring special guests from a certain Ninja obstacle TV show, to creating a DIY winter-themed mini golf course right here at Rocketeers – and everything in between! There’s something for everyone at Rocketeers.
Plus, a Big Art Day double feature – 2 massive days of creative and social fun!
Discover all the fun waiting at Rocketeers!
Kerry Evitts
Kerry is one of our key partners undertaking the judging of our Big Art Comp! Kerry is a British-born, Melbourne-based painter, psychotherapist and mum of three. She has a vibrant art studio in Melbourne where you’ll find her running group art activities to being up on a ladder painting murals!
As we celebrate 30 years of Camp Australia, we invite you to join us in looking back at our journey and imagining the future through the eyes of our young artists in the Big Art Comp.
