Craft Corner (Winter 2025)

January 2025

During my years teaching at a day care/preschool and teaching elementary Sunday school classes, I found that boys liked to create craft projects just as much as the girls. In the winter, many parts of the country have evenings that are too cold to venture outside. Other parts of the country have milder winters. Below are several craft ideas for your Ranger Kids and Discovery Rangers groups for those who aren’t able to be outside during winter months, giving boys a creative outlet. I even found a great craft that I think the Adventure and Expedition Rangers would enjoy.

RANGER KIDS

I tried to select craft projects that K–2^nd graders could complete with little individual supervision. If you are the only leader with several boys, you will need crafts that boys can work on with some independence, allowing you to focus on the younger boys in the class.

Paper Plate Penguin

The is a great craft that is very simple. You’ll need the basic supplies of paper plates, black paint, cardstock (black and orange), paintbrushes, white glue, scissors, pipe cleaners, white cotton balls, colored pompoms, and large googly eyes. Your Ranger Kids will enjoy making these penguins.

https://www.ourkidthings.com/cotton-ball-paper-plate-penguin-craft/

Newspaper Penguin

I’ve would recommend a few modifications to the linked article. You’ll need cardstock (black, blue, orange, and white), newspaper or white paper, white paint (optional), sponge dabber paintbrushes, paper plates, googly eyes, scissors, white glue, and snowflake stickers (optional). Don’t forget those paint shirts. I suggest making your own templates instead of purchasing as the article suggests. The shapes are easy to make. If you want the penguins to look like the image showing below, I suggest using white paint to dab onto the black penguin. Every penguin the boys make will look different. This project could be worked on for two weeks.

https://iheartcraftythings.com/penguin-newspaper-craft.html

DISCOVERY RANGERS

I tried to select craft projects that 3^rd–5^th graders could complete with little supervision. If you are the only leader with several boys, you will need crafts that boys can work on with some independence, allowing you to focus on the boys who may need extra help.

Spoon Penguins

The basic supplies of plastic spoons (white), felt (black and orange), googly eyes, white glue or cold temp glue gun, and scissors will allow your Discovery Rangers to create some unique penguins. Remember, if you choose to use a glue gun, you will need to glue everything instead of the boys. I low temp glue gun can still burn fingers.

https://iheartcraftythings.com/plastic-spoon-penguin-craft.html

Egg Carton Penguins

This could be a one or two-week project. You’ll need eggs cartons, black paint, paintbrushes, cardstock (white and orange), googly eyes, white glue, and small paper plates. Don’t forget those paint shirts. Before class, you’ll need to cut the egg carton into individual cups, or you could leave two or three links so the boys can make multiple penguins.

https://onelittleproject.com/egg-carton-penguins/

RANGER KIDS & DISCOVERY RANGERS

This section was too good not to show again this year. These are great activities the Ranger Kids and Discovery Rangers can do together, especially for a Christmas party.

Snowflake Marshmallow

If you are having a Christmas party in class one night, these snowflakes will be the perfect complement to some hot chocolate. You need toothpicks and large and small marshmallows. The boys can make them while one leader is heating the hot chocolate.

https://www.messylittlemonster.com/2019/01/snowflake-marshmallows.html

Snow Paint

You might consider doing this activity as a combined class or on the same night. The materials are few: shaving cream, white glue, peppermint extract (optional), glitter or buffalo snow, brushes, scissors, googly eyes, and cardstock. You need to remember two important things. First, chill the glue overnight then let it warm up for about ten minutes before mixing it with the shaving cream. Second, let the painting dry for the week before sending them home. The paint will dry puffy. You don’t have to feel limited to the snowman that the website shows. The boys can paint any winter scene or animal (think polar bear or arctic fox). The boys could cut a basic penguin shape from black cardstock and paint the belly with the snow paint.

https://www.growingajeweledrose.com/2013/11/shivery-snow-paint-recipe.html?m=1

Borax Snowflakes

This is a great experiment for Ranger Kids or Discovery Rangers. The resulting snowflake will make a great ornament to gift. Use pipe cleaners and wire cutters to make the basic snowflake shape. Then, add borax laundry soap to water in glass bowls or individual wide-mouth mason jars. Attach the snowflake to a wooden dowel with fishing line or ribbon. Don’t limit the boys to just snowflakes, you could just as easily create stars or trees with this method.

https://growingupgabel.com/borax-snowflake-crafts-for-kids/

RANGER KIDS & DISCOVERY RANGERS & ADVENTURE RANGERS & EXPEDITION RANGERS

Sugar Cube Igloo

I think this is a great craft for all ages, so I wanted to include it again this year. With simple supplies of sugar cubes and white glue, this craft project will keep any boy entertained. This could be worked on over the course of one to three weeks. This is a great craft for boys in each age group to compete for the best design. You don’t have to limit them to igloos. What if the older boys created winter castles? If you don’t want to have the boys paint a cardboard base, you could cover it in cotton balls or batting, which will resemble snow.

https://thecraftyclassroom.com/crafts/native-american-crafts-for-kids/inuit-crafts-for-kids/sugar-cube-igloo-project/