We’re learning how to build a snowman using fun wooden spools.Also, grab more ideas and a free lapbook for winter fun on my page Winter Season Unit Study.
Besides, some of the best lessons come wrapped in creativity with a little bit of craft paint. And this wooden spool snowmen craft is just that adorable. And later you can use it for decor in your learning area or home.
Building a snowman using wooden spools is the perfect blend of art, fine motor skills, and educational connection.

Wooden spools leftover from sewing projects or craft kits make a fun base for building snowmen.
And painting tiny wooden spools, gluing buttons, and tying miniature scarves all help develop fine motor control for your littles. It’s such a fun family project, your oldest child can do it alongside your littlest.
And you can make it it a mini art lesson because you decide how to decorate. You can see the list of materials we used at the bottom.
BOOKS ABOUT WINTER FOR KIDS
Next, look at some of these books about winter and snowmen for kids.
I prefer living books when we can find them.
13 Snow, Snowman, Animals, and Winter Books
Add one or more of these books to your learning day if you're learning about snow, snowflakes, winter or just for fun.
Immerse Yourself in This Story of Love and Companionship Amidst Deprivation
It is the fall of 1930, and America has plunged into the Great Depression. On a remote dirt road deep in the snowy woods of northern Wisconsin, misfortune forces the impoverished Sparkes family to take desperate measures.
A wayfaring quartet consisting of thirteen-year-old Araminta (nicknamed Minty), her recently unemployed father-a poetry-quoting widower called Pops-and her younger sister, Eglantine (known as Eggs-a dreamer like Pops), and their dog, Buster, are on their way to Minneapolis to live with the curmudgeonly Aunt Amy. When their car breaks down and they are unable to fix it, the homeless four stumble upon a vacant summer cottage by a lake. In desperate straits, they decide to settle in.
How do snow crystals form? What shapes can they take? Are no two snow crystals alike? These questions and more are answered inside this exploration of the science of snow, featuring photos of real snow crystals in all their beautiful diversity. Perfect for reading on winter days, this book by a nature photographer and a snow scientist will inspire wonder and curiosity about the marvels of snow.
B-R-R-R-R! AH-CHOO! Sneezy the Snowman is cold, cold, cold. To warm up, he drinks cocoa, sits in a hot tub, stands near a warm fire–and melts! But the children know just what to do to build him up again–and make him feel “just right”.
Have you ever built a snowman and discovered the next day that his grin has gotten a little crooked, or his tree-branch arms have moved? And you've wondered . . . what do snowmen do at night? This delightful wintertime tale reveals all!
When the mayor of Mouseville announces the town snowman contest, Clayton and Desmond claim that they will each make the biggest snowman ever. But building a huge snowman alone is hard! They work and work, but their snowmen just aren't big enough. Soon they have an idea. As the day of the contest approaches, Clayton and Desmond join forces to build the biggest snowman ever.
Over the snow, the world is hushed and white. But under the snow lies a secret world of squirrels and snow hares, bears and bullfrogs, and many other animals making their winter home under the snow. This beloved nonfiction picture book exploring the subnivean zone reveals the tunnels and caves formed beneath the snow but over the ground, where many kinds of animals live through the winter, safe and warm, awake and busy, but hidden beneath the snow.
"Stoeke's second book about that intrepid screwball, Minerva Louise, is a rare find."—The Horn Book, starred review. The other chickens hate snowy mornings. But not Minerva Louise! To her a snowy day—like everything else—is an adventure. But this chilly, chipper hen needs something to keep her warm. What she finds—and how she finds it—will keep young readers cackling.
Our heroes' entry for the snowman contest has magically come to life―and ran away! Can YOU help catch it? Get ready for snow much fun as you travel through a winter wonderland with running, skating, and bouncing through trap after trap to catch the snowman and claim the winning prize. Will the snowman teach our heroes a lesson they'll never forget?
When the geese begin to fly south, the leaves flutter down from the trees and the cold winds begin to blow from the north, the animals of the woods and meadows, big and small, prepare for the long, cold winter ahead when the countryside is hidden under a deep blanket of snow. They gather food and look for warm, snug places in the ground, trees, caves or thickets, where they can find protection against the icy winds.It might have been hard for the birds and animals of the hillside to survive when the Big Snow came if their good friends, who lived in the little stone house, had not remembered to put food out for them.Here, in many beautiful pictures, the Haders show how winter comes to the woodland as the busy animals make their preparations.
The Smithsonian does things right and this Curious About Snow book is a
great introduction for curious kiddos with real images and simple explanations.
This is a clear and appealing book for early elementary age kids, both at home and in the classroom. Introduce kids to basic science ideas as part of discussions about the seasons and animals.
SET OF 10 FUN AND FRIGID FIGURES – It’s hard to stay warm at the North Pole, but you can discover its wonders in your home with these frigid friends. This TOOB includes a Harp Seal, Husky, Caribou, Arctic Rabbit, Killer Whale, Walrus, Arctic Fox, Beluga Whale, Igloo, and Polar Bear.
See the world in a whole new way! Acclaimed illustrator Julia Rothman combines art and science in this exciting and educational guide to the structure, function, and personality of the natural world. Explore the anatomy of a jellyfish, the inside of a volcano, monarch butterfly migration, how sunsets work, and much more. Rothman’s whimsical illustrations are paired with interactive activities that encourage curiosity and inspire you to look more closely at the world all around you.
And then look at more activities about snowmen to include in your winter learning unit studies.
MORE SNOWMAN ACTIVITIES AND IDEAS
- How to Make an Easy Build a Snowman Kid’s Game (free printable cube)
- W Is For Winter Craft Easy Snowman Oobleck Activity
- Fun Paper Cup Snowman Game Matching Upper and Lowercase Alphabet Letters
- Cute and Simple Snowman Story Stones Winter Art Activities For Preschoolers
- How to Make an Adorable Q Tip Painting Snowman
- 8 Cool Winter Crafts for Middle School | Craft a Snowman Bead Necklace
- Fun Styrofoam Snowman Art Activity & 5 Facts About The Wonders of Winter
- How to Make an Adorable Toilet Roll Snowman for Winter Crafts
- Snow and Snowflake Facts for Kids and Fun Hands-on Exploding Snowman

Finally, look at how to make this adorable wooden spool snowman.
WOODEN SPOOL SNOWMEN CRAFT
Three wooden spools from the craft store transform into cute snowman with craft paint, fabric, and twine to create snowy home decor.
This snowman goes together in just about 30 minutes with limited supplies.
Look at this list of supplies:
- Wooden Craft Spools
- Buttons, Black – Dollar Store
- Fabric, Plaid – Dollar Store
- Craft Felt – Orange
- Craft Paint – White, Black, Pink
- Glue Gun and Glue Sticks – Dollar Store
- Paintbrush
- Scissors

STEP ONE
Gather all supplies.
Basecoat the three wooden spools with white acrylic craft paint. Let the paint dry, and apply a second coat, if necessary.

STEP TWO
Using scissors, cut out a carrot shape from orange craft felt.
Colored cardstock, heavy fabric, or craft foam would work for this project as well.

STEP THREE
Attach the craft felt carrot nose with a glue gun and glue sticks

STEP FOUR
Create a cheek by dotting with the end of a paintbrush and pink acrylic craft paint.

HOW TO BUILD A SNOWMAN
Stamp two eyes and a mouth onto the snowman by dipping the end of a paintbrush black acrylic craft paint. Let dry.
STEP FIVE
Select three small black buttons, and attach to the second and third spools with a glue gun and glue sticks.

STEP SIX
Snip and rip plaid fabric into one strip that is approximately 1” wide by 8” long. Cut into the edge of the fabric ½” with scissors, then tear the fabric into strips.
This will produce a frayed edge.

STEP SEVEN
Tie the fabric in a knot about 1” from the end.
Gather the opposite end of the fabric strip and thread the spool with one button on first.

STEP EIGHT
Tie the fabric in a knot above the first spool. Thread on the spool with two buttons on second.
Tie the fabric in a knot above the second spool and thread on the snowman’s head third.
Secure all three spools with an additional knot.

STEP NINE
Measure and cut a 12” length of natural jute twine and tie around the snowman’s neck to create a scarf.
To finish secure the twine in a bow and trim any long ends with scissors.

Your family and friends will never know how quick and easy this trendy wooden spool snowman was to create.
Perfect for your snowy home décor or your winter tiered tray.

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