Winter Art Lesson Ideas for Elementary Art - Grades K-5
The Winter Wonders Elementary Art Bundle brings cozy winter vibes into the art room with six skill-building lessons designed for grades K–5. Each project mixes seasonal fun with meaningful art learning as students explore depth, pattern, space, movement, and shading while creating penguins, moose, cardinals, scarf-wearing cats, snowy cabins, and birch forests. It’s the perfect way to keep students engaged during the winter months while still building important art skills, and it gives teachers lessons that are approachable, low-stress, and fun to teach.
What are some fun winter art lessons for elementary art?
This set includes six complete elementary art lessons, each featuring a step-by-step PDF presentation, a full video demonstration for modeling or guided instruction, printable student handouts to support vocabulary and concepts, and exit tickets for quick assessment and student reflection.
Penguin Pile-Up (Grades K–1)
In this adorable winter lesson, younger students create a stack of playful penguins while learning how overlapping shapes can create depth. By layering simple shapes, students begin to understand that objects placed in front appear closer than those behind. This lesson is a fun, approachable way to introduce space and depth, and it always results in charming artwork perfect for winter displays.
Moose on the Loose (Grades 1–2)
This bold and fun lesson has students building a moose using big shapes and strong lines. By breaking the animal into simple parts, students learn how shapes work together to form recognizable images. The project encourages confidence, creativity, and expressive drawing while keeping things simple and manageable for younger artists. It’s a great winter lesson that feels playful but still builds important foundational skills.
Charley Harper Cardinal in the Snow (Grades 2–3)
Inspired by the style of Charley Harper, this lesson teaches students how to simplify forms using geometric shapes and paper collage. Students create a bright cardinal against a snowy background while learning how less detail can still make a strong visual impact. This project is a favorite for helping students think differently about shapes, composition, and design while creating eye-catching winter artwork.
Purr-fectly Patterned (Grades 2–4)
In this student-favorite lesson, students design cozy winter cats covered in bold, repeating patterns. As they decorate their cats, students explore the principle of pattern and see how repetition can make artwork more interesting. This lesson gives students lots of creative freedom while reinforcing an important design concept, and it always fills the art room with personality and color.
Footprints in the Snow: Cabin on a Hill (Grades 4–5)
This winter landscape lesson helps older students explore space and movement as they create a snowy cabin scene complete with footprints in the snow. By considering placement, direction, and scale, students learn to guide the viewer’s eye through a composition. It’s a thoughtful but approachable project that encourages storytelling and creates beautiful winter artwork with depth and motion.
Winter Birch Forest: Positive & Negative Space (Grades 4–6)
In this striking winter lesson, students create a birch forest while exploring positive and negative space, shading, and composition. By layering light and dark areas, students see how contrast and value can create depth in a winter scene. This project feels sophisticated yet is broken down into clear steps, making it a great confidence builder for upper elementary students and a standout for winter displays.
Designed for Kindergarten–5th Grade
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Ready-to-teach Elements of Art lessons with zero prep
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Clear focus on winter-themed lessons across grades K–5
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Perfect for substitute plans, art centers, homeschool, or early finishers
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Builds creativity, fine motor skills, and art vocabulary
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High value at a low price, giving you multiple lessons for less than the cost of a single project
If you want affordable, classroom-tested elementary art lessons for teaching the Element of Shape this bundle delivers flexibility, skill-building, and creativity—all in one place.