a FUN paper craft project for Kids, that you can leave up ALL Winter

In the fifth grade art class, taught by Sister Mary Charles (nee Catherine Lily), I learned a number of easy to make / inexpensive projects to do with just white paper.

In one of my previous posts Cutting / Making Paper Snowflakes 10-27-2011, I went over the easy steps you do to make a snowflake. In this post I am covering how to take the snowflakes a bit further, and making them into a Snowman or Snowwoman.

Step 1 ..Make 3 snowflakes in descending sizes. The smallest will be the Snowman / Snowwoman’s head. The middle-sized one, his / her upper body, and the largest the snow person’s bottom. The sample for this post was made with paper in sizes 4″ x 4″ (head), 5″ x 5″ (body), and 6″ x 6″ (bottom). Assemble the snowflakes in that order on a flat surface.

Step 2 ..The snowman needs arms. Take a piece of paper and fold it in half lengthwise, then bring the bottom fold, up to the top, and fold it in half, lengthwise again. You are double folding it because you will be cutting out both arms at the same time.

Put the piece of folded paper up by the snowman’s shoulder, to figure out how long you want its arms to be. With the paper fold at the top, draw out one half of the arm’s width. (look at the shape of the arm I made on the sample snowman). With scissors, cut out design-shapes in the snowman’s arm, like you did, when you made the snowflakes for the snowman’s body. Cut your shapes within the line, that outlines the arm shape. After that cut on the drawn line. You should have the snowman’s two arms when you are done, and they are unfolded.

Step 3 ..It’s time to give your Snow person some Personality and Style. Using colored construction paper that you cut from, or white paper that you draw on and color with crayons, colored pencils, or markers, make a Top Hat for your Snowman, or Bonnet for your Snowwoman. Keep them Warm, and looking Stylish with a scarf and mittens. Put your paper up by, let’s say, the snowman’s head, so you can easily make his hat the right size. Lightly draw in pencil first, then go over it with a pen and add some color. Don’t forget the eyes, mouth, buttons, and a carrot nose. Give your Snowwoman some rag-mop looking hair and an apron, if you like. And Both your Snowman and Snowwoman would look smart with a broom in hand.

Make a Cut Paper Winter Wonderland

Step 4 ..After making your snow people, why not put them in a Winter Wonderland. When I was in grade school, we decorated classroom windows. You can do the same on a sliding glass door. We made things that said Winter, not Ho-Ho, so we could leave them up well into February.

Cut strips of white paper to represent rolling snow-covered hills. Cut out a few snowy mountain tops, and a forest of evergreen and deciduous trees. Maybe even some farm looking buildings. Another option could be a city scene with sky scrapers.

To make evergreen trees, fold paper lengthwise. Loosely and lightly draw 1/2 of a tree, starting at the top of the fold, and working down to its trunk. Cut it out from the top to bottom also. Do the same if you are making buildings. We cut out everything in white. We also filled the sky space around our snowflake snowmen and women with falling snowflakes.

Why not make your whole family as snowflake people, and even your pets. You can really personalize them and it would be such fun.

So again, another Winter art project to do with the kids. I think the creative process is wonderful, and you never know what you will come up with. Have fun making your Winter Wonderland!

Companion Post ..Cutting / Making Paper Snowflakes 1-27-2011, A paper craft project for kids..Making a Christmas Tree out of Your Name 11-18-2011, Make some Animals from Cut Paper Snowflakes 12-19-2011