When the volume and energy levels coming from your little ones are mounting rapidly, and now it’s too cold to send them outside to play, PNA has the solution for you: a Cold Weather Crafternoon! Here are three mess-free crafts you can do to fill time with creativity and get those little minds abuzz with art.

From window snowflakes to fancy mugs, you can embrace the season with the sort of family DIY that keeps hands and minds busy until bedtime. By the way: you can get all these supplies at your nearest PNA!

Snowflake making

Cut out snowflakes from white paper, then decorate them with glitter, paint, or markers. Hang them up in the window to add some winter cheer.

What you need:

• White paper
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Glitter (optional)
• Markers (optional)
• Paint (optional)

How to do it:

1. Fold the paper in half diagonally to make a triangle.
2. Fold the triangle in half again to make a smaller triangle.
3. Fold the triangle one more time to make an even smaller triangle.
4. Cut off the excess paper at the bottom to make a straight edge.
5. Cut small shapes along the edges of the triangle. The shapes can be triangles, squares, or circles. Be careful not to cut all the way across, as you want to keep the paper connected.
6. Unfold the paper to reveal your snowflake. You can leave it plain or decorate it with glitter, markers, or paint.

Handprint Penguins

What you need:

• Black washable paint
• White paper
• Orange paper
• Googly eyes
• Scissors
• Glue

How to do it:

1. Pour some black paint onto a plate or shallow dish.
2. Have your child dip their hand into the paint, making sure to cover their palm and fingers.
3. Press their painted hand down onto the white paper, with their fingers spread apart. This will make the penguin’s body.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with the other hand, but this time only paint the fingers. Press the painted fingers down on the paper above the penguin’s body to make the penguin’s head.
5. Cut out a small triangle from the orange paper to make the penguin’s beak.
6. Glue the beak and googly eyes onto the penguin’s head.
7. Cut out two small feet from the orange paper and glue them onto the penguin’s body.

Hot Chocolate Mug Decorations

There’s no cold-weather staple quite like hot chocolate. Provide your child with a plain white mug, acrylic paint and some markers. Have them decorate the mug with snowflakes, winter scenes, or their own creative designs. Once the mug is dry, fill it with hot cocoa and marshmallows for a warm treat. Your little one will love sipping their morning treat from this mug the whole season long!

What you need:

• Plain white mugs
• Acrylic paint
• Paint brushes
• Permanent markers
• Optional: stickers, stencils, glitter glue, or other embellishments

How to do it:

1. Start by cleaning the mugs and making sure they are completely dry.
2. Using acrylic paint, your child can paint a design on the mug. They can paint snowflakes, a winter scene, or anything else they like. Let the paint dry completely.
3. Once the paint is dry, your child can use permanent markers to add more details to the design. They can outline the painted design, add more patterns, or write a message.
4. If desired, your child can add more embellishments such as stickers, stencils, or glitter glue. Let everything dry completely.
5. Once everything is dry, the mug is ready to use! Fill it with hot chocolate and marshmallows for a warm treat.

Where to get the gear for your Winter “crafternoon”

To find all these supplies, simply stop in at your nearest PNA outlet! You can find one close to you using our handy store locator. We know how important it is to keep little minds entertained productively when it’s icy outside.

That’s why we keep our outlets stocked with affordably priced, easyto-use craft supplies that will captivate and delight the inquisitive and curious young minds in your care. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, primary caretaker or an avid crafter yourself – you’re guaranteed to uncover endless possibilities for creativity at PNA. We can’t wait to say “hi” to you this winter!