Looking for ideas for winter art.

[iamama]

I am trying to think of fun art projects for grade school kids. The art community I am involved in is going to invite grade school classes from our public schools to come to our center and do art projects so I need a variety of things. So far I have 3-d snowflakes and drawing stars on big pieces of blue paper to cover the hallway ceiling and walls.

I want this to be an opportunity for kids to do things that maybe messy or involved and give them something cool to take home.

Art created can be on displayed during holiday craft fair at the same center.

Any ideas?

[wombatclay]

So this is "indoor art"? I'll admit the first things that come to mind when I hear winter and art together are all the different snow and ice crafts. But that wouldn't work indoors or in a warmer climate!

Papermachie snowmen (wrapped around balloons of different sizes to create the base)? "Snow" lanterns (more papermachie and a balloon... cover two thirds of the balloon, let dry, pull out balloon, poke holes in the lantern to make patterns like snowflakes or spirals, add a small candle or glow stick, pretty!)? Punched tin can be fun and not something they'd do at home if the kiddos are a bit older (basically hammering or nailing through sheets of tin, or metal objects like recycled garden pots or cans).

Less messy, but small weaving projects can be simple to learn but produce interesting results... a patchwork scarf, ornaments, snowflakes, small pieces gathered together to make a "group project" tree.

[astermeadow]

make evergreen tree landscapes with glue and pine needles.
Big white paper with glue poured on in shapes of trees and pine needles put on that to make trees...areas of white left for snow covered fields, perhaps a lihjt wash of blue watercolor for sky area.
Could use blue paper and paint white (acrylic or tempra) for snow

twig based mobiles with bits of wool or cotton as snow clouds hanging from them.
Using a small twig, find physical hanging center and tie a piece of embroidery thread for hanging, have students work in pairs, one hold thread and other ties on snow clouds and is helpful in the aesthetics of the mobile, then switch. Could sprinkle glitter on as well.

snow globes. Use oil based clay, like plasticine or certain modeling clay (works best with scupley/fimo clay that is baked in oven for a few minutes), make a winter sculpture (snowmen, pine tree, gingerbread house, etc) glue to the bottom of a baby food jar (use crazy glue, let dry), add glitter and water to the baby food jar, put adhesive on top where jar meets it, insert sculpture top and screw closed (glued tight).

Finger puppet gloves. Use scrap fabric, fabric glue (or sew em up) and gloves to decorate into holiday cheer.

Holiday napkin rings. Toilet paper/ paper towel cardboard tubes, sliced into rings, rolled into glue and rolled into glitter..voila

I am not sure of your age range but I am a NYS cert. art teacher and presently a waldorf K teacher and have loads of ideas and lessons. Hit me up, I love to share.

You could also check my archives, I may have more ideas hidden in there.
LittleLeaf Schoolhttp://www.littleleafhome.org/

[LaughingHyena]

I;ve done these with our toddler group

snowmen - I cut out cardboard shapes and the children glues on cotton wool and features (orange triangle carrots etc) One year we stuck the snowmen onto toilet roll tubes so they would stand up.

Snowy pictures, we found that powdered baby rice cereal made great snow and is much less mess than glitter. Since we have little ones it also doesn't matter if they eat it

saltdough ornaments, cut shapes from salt dough and decorate. We used some glitter paint on star shapes and they turned out well. It does take quite a long time for the dough to dry out and I ended up putting them back in the oven for another couple of hours after some "enthusiastic" paining.

For older children I have done tea light holders form air drying clay and Gods eyes made from cocktail sticks make nice Christmas tree decorations.