If you need a quick winter art activity that feels cozy, colorful, and actually keeps little hands busy, this winter mitten craft is such a good one. It is simple enough for preschoolers and toddlers with a little help, but still looks adorable when it is finished. Because kids are cutting, snipping, sprinkling, and decorating, it also sneaks in a ton of fine motor practice while they play and create.
This is a paper mitten craft, so you can make it with basic supplies you probably already have at home or in the classroom. There is no printable mitten or mitten template for this one, but I do have a video showing the process, and you can easily trace a mitten craft template by drawing around your child’s hand and turning it into a winter mitten shape.
Winter Mitten Craft Supplies
To make this mitten craft, you will need paper for the mitten shapes and a background, glue, and small paper pieces for the collage effect. Stickers are great for extra details, and a marker (or pen) is helpful for drawing the mitten threads that make it look like real mittens stitched together.
If you want to add more winter art options, you can also include paint for the background or add a little painting on the mittens before decorating. If you are missing anything, you can shop your craft stash first, then grab extras as needed. If you use affiliate links in your posts, this is a great spot to add them for glue, kid scissors, sticker packs, and paper bundles.
How to Make a Winter Mitten Craft with Paper
Start by placing your child’s hand on a sheet of paper and drawing around it, then round it out into a mitten type shape so it looks like a winter mitten instead of a hand. Cut out the mitten shape, then use it as a guide to cut out a second one so you have two matching mittens.
Glue the two mittens onto your background paper, leaving a small gap between them if you want the “stitched” look to show clearly. Next, have your child make snipped pieces of paper. This is a fun scissor skill moment for preschool and a great way to build strength for preschoolers who are still learning to cut. If you are doing this as a winter mitten craft for toddlers, you can pre-sn ip a pile of paper pieces and let them focus on the sticking and sprinkling.
Once you have a pile of little paper bits, cover one mitten shape in glue, then sprinkle the pieces on top and gently press them down. Repeat for the second mitten. This turns it into a mitten craft collage and gives that cozy, colorful “paper mittens” look.
After the glue has set for a minute, use a marker to draw the mitten threads that look like stitches holding the two together. Then finish by adding stickers and any extra details you like, such as a cuff line, tiny shapes, or winter patterns. It is easy, cute, and a perfect winter mitten craft for kids that you can adapt to any theme, including Christmas.
How to make your winter mitten paper craft
A quick and cozy winter mitten craft that kids love. Using simple paper scraps, glue, and stickers, children create bright, textured mittens while practicing fine motor skills. Easy enough for toddlers and preschoolers, this sweet paper mitten craft is perfect for winter art time, classroom activities, or a fun afternoon craft at home.
Materials
- Construction Paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Pencil
- Marker
- Stickers
Instructions
- Draw around your child’s hand on paper, then round it out into a mitten shape.
- Cut out the mitten, then use it as a template to cut out a second matching mitten.
- Glue both mitten shapes onto a sheet of background paper.
- Snip lots of tiny pieces of paper (like confetti).
- Cover one mitten in glue, then sprinkle the paper pieces on top and press them down.
- Repeat for the second mitten, and add extra colors and details until you're happy with the design
- Use a marker to draw “mitten threads” the string that makes it look like the mittens are held together.
You can do a little loop here to make it more cute. - Add stickers and any extra details to decorate your winter mittens.
If you prefer, you can use real yarn to attach the two handprint mittens together, and then you don’t even need to use a piece of backing paper. It’s up to you!
You don’t need a winter mitten template for this, because your child’s hand is the template! But if you do want a mitten template for preschoolers we have one over here in another mitten craft post.
This winter mitten craft easy enough for a quick afternoon, but it checks so many boxes for learning through play. Kids get to practice fine motor skills by snipping paper, pinching tiny pieces, sprinkling them onto glue, and pressing details into place. It also encourages creativity because every set of mittens turns out different, and even young children feel proud because they are making something that looks like real mittens they would wear in winter.
It also works well as a group activity because the steps are straightforward, the supplies are flexible, and you can easily scale it up for a preschool classroom or keep it simple at home.
Winter mitten craft ideas and variations
You can make this into “the mitten craft” inspired by the classic story by decorating the mittens with animal stickers or drawing tiny animal faces.
For a Christmas mitten template feel without using free printables, you can use red and green paper pieces and add star stickers, or create a candy cane stripe effect with snipped paper.
If you want to connect it to other winter crafts for preschoolers, you can pair it with a winter hat craft. A winter hat craft preschool version can be made the same way by tracing a simple hat shape, gluing it onto paper, and covering it with the paper collage pieces.
If you don’t already have a winter hat craft template you can use one from our winter clothing coloring set, it fits nicely alongside these winter mitten crafts for preschoolers as a winter bulletin board display.
Watch the Mitten Craft Video
We have a video showing this winter mitten craft with paper from start to finish, which is really helpful if you are doing it with a group of preschoolers or you want to see the pace for toddlers. Watch it over on our Facebook page.
This winter mitten craft is one of those reliable crafts you will come back to again and again because it is simple, flexible, and always turns out sweet. Whether you are doing mitten crafts for preschoolers, planning toddler crafts winter themes, or just looking for easy winter crafts for preschoolers that do not require a printable mitten, this one is a winner.
More mitten crafts: Pom Pom Winter Mitten Craft
More Winter Crafts and Preschool Winter Activities
If you are building out a month of preschool winter activities and crafts, this pairs nicely with easy preschool winter crafts like snowflake painting, simple penguin crafts, or any kids crafts for winter that use cutting and sticking.
It is also a nice option for January crafts for preschool because it feels seasonal without needing a specific holiday, but you also do it earlier in December for Christmas if that fits your plans.
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We hope you enjoyed this mitten craft for preschool. If you make these paper mittens, I would love to see how yours turn out. Please share this post with a friend, save it for later, or share a photo and tag us so we can admire your winter mitten craft ideas.