Last Updated on December 4, 2025 by Masha Eretnova
Hey! Are you ready to make some fun winter art with your little one? When the weather gets cold and kids stay indoors more, painting becomes a great way to keep toddlers and preschoolers excited and busy. These winter painting ideas are easy, colorful and perfect for small hands that love to tap, swirl and make simple shapes on paper.
You’ll find easy projects like snowflakes, snowmen, Christmas trees and bright holiday pictures that children can paint with their fingers, brushes, sponges or even a fork. Every idea is simple and gentle for beginners, so kids can explore colors, try new tools and enjoy making art at their own pace.
A few basic art supplies, a small area to make art and a child who’s ready to paint are more than enough.
So let’s start painting together this winter, little kids!
Snowflake Drawing
Simple cartoon-style snowflake you can draw and color with your kids at home or in a classroom.
Get the steps: Snowflake drawing
Salt and Watercolor Snowflake Art
This painting idea is great for kids who enjoy sprinkling and brushing. First, draw simple snowflake lines with a white crayon, then let your child paint over the whole page with watercolor.
When the colors touch the crayon, the snowflake shows up right away. While the paint is still wet, kids can lightly sprinkle salt to make soft, snowy spots across the paper.
It’s an easy way for toddlers and preschoolers to explore color and texture while making winter art.
Christmas Ornaments
These colorful ornaments are full of personality with zigzags, dots, stars, and swirls. The bright colors make everything feel festive. Tiny yellow bows on top bring the whole design together.
Perfect activity for big families and classrooms as you can task kids with coming up with unique ideas!
Tip: Try using a small brush for the tiny dots and lines so your patterns come out nice and clear. You can also mix a little white into your colors to make lighter shades for extra decoration. Most of all, just have fun creating your own colorful holiday ornaments.
Christmas Stocking
This Christmas stocking looks like it came straight from a fun holiday story.
It has bright patterns, swirling shapes, and glowing stars popping out of the top like little bits of magic. Snowflakes floating in the background make it even more festive.
The best part? There is no rule in HOW to color and decorate it so kids can go wild!
Watercolor Crayon Resist Painting
This activity is perfect for kids who like surprises in their art.
You can have any color as the base of your project and then your kids can scrape down patterns, their names – anything! No drawing skills required.
Grinch
A good excuse to rewatch the movie and do some coloring or practice drawing Grinch face! With a Santa hat and his signature grim, this drawing or painting idea will be a hit at any classroom and at home.
Get the tutorial: How to Draw Grinch
Reindeer Drawing
Adorable cartoon reindeer that kids can draw and color for a fun Christmas craft. This simple holiday drawing project is perfect for beginners and works great at home or in the classroom. A great way to help kids practice basic shapes, coloring skills, and Christmas creativity.
Get the tutorial: How to draw a reindeer
Easy Winter Scene For Kids
A quiet snowy day with bare trees and a tiny frozen pond makes this painting simple and relaxing for kids.
The dark branches stand out against the bright snow, and the white flakes falling from the deep blue sky create a peaceful winter feeling. Big brushstrokes and simple shapes make this easy to follow.
If you use blue cardstock, you will only need black and white paint!
Finger Painting (Christmas Trees)
Finger painting Christmas trees is such a fun project for kids. They just dip their fingers in paint and tap little colorful dots to form the shape of a tree.
One version leaves the middle blank and the other fills the whole tree with dots. Both turn into cute holiday cards full of bright colors.
Fork Painted Snowflakes Craft
If your little one loves pressing and tapping things, this snowflake idea is a great pick. Let them dip a plastic fork into white paint and stamp it onto blue paper to make long, thin lines to create simple snowflakes!
Fork Painted Christmas Tree
Painting a tree with a fork is such a cool trick.
You just dip the fork in green paint and press it down to make the branches. The red dots look like tiny ornaments (can make them with fingers), and the yellow star on top makes it extra festive.
Kids enjoy how fast and playful this method is because the tree appears with almost no effort.
Snowman Painting Idea
Making a snowman painting is always a fun Christmas idea. It feels like bringing your own little snow buddy to life! Kids love this because it’s simple, cute, and you can get creative with the scarf, hat, and smile.
A little white, a bit of blue, and a bright orange nose, and you’re all set!
Get this tutorial How To Draw A Snowman – Easy Tutorial and paint this snowman using this painting kit.
Potato Stamp Snowman
Here’s a fun winter idea if your child loves stamping. Take a cut potato, press it into white paint, and make round prints to build a snowman body.
Once the paint dries, kids can add a face, buttons, and arms. It’s a cute winter craft that feels playful and hands-on.
Decorated Christmas Tree
This Christmas tree lets children explore simple shapes and bright colors. They can brush loose green strokes to make soft branches, then add round ornaments with bold dabs of paint. A red or yellow star on top adds a final touch.
Preschoolers can try adding little presents at the bottom, while toddlers enjoy making the big, easy strokes that shape the tree.
Red House Winter Scene
Kids who enjoy painting simple houses will like this winter scene. They can start by brushing a red block for the house, add a yellow window, and place two easy tree shapes beside it.
A round moon and falling snow finish the picture. Toddlers enjoy filling large shapes with color, while preschoolers can try adding tiny dots for snow.
Rudolph
This idea works great for kids who love animals. They can paint a big round head, simple ears, and short antlers, then add a bright red nose in the center. Soft browns and whites make the face friendly and easy to paint.
Preschoolers can outline the eyes, while toddlers enjoy helping with the nose and head shape.
Winter Sunset
Kids who like color blending will enjoy this sunset. They can brush yellow, orange, pink, and purple in wide bands across the page.
A snowy hill and a few simple tree lines finish the picture. Toddlers love brushing the large sky, while preschoolers can experiment with making smooth color changes.
Christmas Bells Painting Idea
A bright Christmas bell with a big red bow is a fun and simple project for kids to color. The easy shapes make it beginner-friendly, and the soft yellow shading helps the bell look shiny and bright.
Get the steps: How to Draw A Christmas Bell
Winter Night
This night scene is easy for young artists because it uses just a few colors. Kids make a dark sky, add a bright white moon, and paint simple bare trees in front.
The snow can be added with quick taps of white paint. Toddlers enjoy the big sky area, and preschoolers can add little snow dots and thin branches.
Fun Christmas Painting with a Cow
If your child likes silly animals, this cow painting is a fun choice. They can paint a big round cow face with simple black spots, then add a colorful Christmas tree beside it. The bright red ornaments and green branches make the picture lively. Toddlers enjoy the big shapes, while preschoolers can add extra spots or small decorations.
Candy Cane Painting Idea
This candy cane is a fun pick for kids who enjoy bright holiday colors.
Super simple tutorial that comes with a video and a coloring page!
Grab this tutorial and follow along: How to Draw a Candy Cane.
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Masha Eretnova, born in 1991, is a Buenos Aires-based certified teacher, artist, and member of the Professional Artist Association with 20+ years of personal painting journey.
She started painting and drawing very early and is now an international abstract artist and educator passionate about acrylic painting, gouache, and crafts.
Her works are part of international exhibitions and contests, including ArtlyMix (Brazil), Al-Tiba 9 (Spain), Exhibizone (Canada), Italy, and many more.
Besides her artistic pursuits, Masha holds a post-grad diploma in Teaching Film Photography and 2 music school diplomas: piano and opera singing.