All Activities
Create a Winter Wonderland!

Create a Winter Wonderland!
Green highlight

Make a miniature winter wonderland diorama with paper trees, cotton snow, and LED lights while learning about scale, texture, and seasonal changes.

Orange shooting star
Download Guide
Collect Badge
Background blob
Challenge Image
Skill Badge
Table of contents

Step-by-step guide to create a winter wonderland diorama

0:00/0:00

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

4 Easy D.I.Y. Winter Paper Crafts for Kids! | The Paper Girls Show

What you need
Adult supervision required, battery-powered led string lights or led tea light, colouring materials such as crayons markers or paint, construction paper or cardstock, cotton balls, glue stick or white glue, pencil, ruler, scissors, shoebox or small cardboard box

Step 1

Place the shoebox on its side so the open face is your winter stage.

Step 2

Use the ruler and pencil to draw a horizon line and a ground line inside the box.

Step 3

Cut a sheet of construction paper slightly larger than the back and floor of the box.

Step 4

Glue the cut paper into the box so it covers the back and the floor as your snowy background.

Step 5

Draw several tree shapes of different sizes on cardstock making sure each tree includes a trunk to show scale.

Step 6

Carefully cut out each tree shape with scissors.

Step 7

Make branch texture on each tree by lightly snipping or folding along the edges.

Step 8

Pull apart cotton balls until they are fluffy to make soft snow texture.

Step 9

Glue the fluffy cotton onto the floor of the diorama to form a snowy ground.

Step 10

Glue the paper trees onto the snowy ground where you want your forest to be.

Step 11

Place the battery-powered LED lights inside the diorama among the trees for twinkling light.

Step 12

Make a small notch in the edge of the box to allow the LED battery pack to sit outside the scene.

Step 13

Tuck the battery pack through the notch so the pack stays outside and the lights stay hidden inside.

Step 14

Write or draw one thing you noticed about scale texture and seasonal changes in your winter diorama.

Step 15

Share your finished winter wonderland on DIY.org

Final steps

You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!

Complete & Share
Challenge badge placeholder
Challenge badge

Help!?

What can I use if I don't have a shoebox, construction paper, or battery-powered LED lights?

Use a cereal box or small shipping box on its side instead of the shoebox, substitute poster board or printer paper cut slightly larger than the back and floor for the construction-paper background, and replace the battery-powered LED lights with a small string of Christmas micro-lights or a flashlight tucked behind the trees with the cord or switch fed through the notch.

My trees keep falling over and the cotton snow won't stay glued — how can I fix that?

Fold small tabs at the base of each cardstock tree trunk and glue or tape them under the cotton snow to anchor the trees, press pulled-apart cotton balls firmly with glue and let them dry fully, and if the battery pack shifts the scene make the notch a bit wider so the pack sits outside as instructed.

How can I adapt this activity for a 3–5 year old versus a 10–12 year old?

For ages 3–5, pre-draw the horizon and tree shapes and pre-cut the cardstock trees so they can glue cotton and place trees with supervision, while ages 10–12 can use the ruler and pencil to draw precise horizon and ground lines, carefully snip branch texture, arrange scale-accurate tree sizes, and tuck the LED battery pack through the notch themselves before writing their observations.

What are some creative ways to enhance or personalize our winter diorama once it's finished?

Paint a twilight gradient on the construction-paper background, sprinkle glitter or torn tissue over the glued cotton for sparkling snow, add small paper animals or a sled among the cardstock trees to show seasonal details, and hide extra LED lights between trees for layered twinkling while keeping the battery pack outside through the notch.

Watch videos on how to create a winter wonderland diorama

0:00/0:00

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

Paper Snowflake Friends! ❄️ Easy Craft for Kids | Smart Start with Miss Daisy

4 Videos

Facts about diorama-making and seasonal changes

❄️ No two snowflakes are exactly alike — snow crystals usually form six-sided (hexagonal) patterns as they grow.

🎨 Folded paper can be surprisingly strong — origami and papercraft use creases to add rigidity so tiny trees and buildings hold their shapes.

💡 LEDs last a very long time (often 25,000–50,000 hours) and stay cool, which is why they’re perfect for mini diorama lighting.

📏 Model makers use common scales like 1:12 or 1:24 so everything (trees, houses, figures) looks right together in a miniature scene.

🏛️ The modern diorama display was popularized in the 1820s by artists Louis Daguerre and Charles‑Marie Bouton to create realistic scenes.

How do I make a miniature Winter Wonderland diorama with paper trees, cotton snow, and LED lights?

To make a Winter Wonderland diorama, start with a shoebox or shadow box and paint a sky background. Build the ground from white craft foam or painted cardboard, then make paper trees from folded cardstock cones or cut-and-layered branches. Add cotton batting for snow, sprinkle glitter for sparkle, and tuck battery-operated LED string lights behind trees. Secure pieces with craft glue or hot glue (adult supervision). Discuss scale by varying tree sizes and add labels about seasonal changes.

What materials do I need to create a Winter Wonderland diorama?

You'll need a shoebox or shadow box, cardstock or construction paper, scissors, craft glue and tape, white paint or paper for snow, cotton batting, battery-operated LED string lights with fresh batteries, pencils and ruler for measuring scale, markers or paints, small figurines or pom-poms, glitter or sequins (optional), and a hot glue gun for stronger bonds (adult use only). Basic household items like cardboard scraps and craft sticks work great.

What ages is the Winter Wonderland diorama suitable for?

This diorama suits different ages: preschoolers (3–5) can glue cotton snow and press simple trees with close adult help; elementary kids (6–9) can cut paper trees, arrange scale, and safely use battery LEDs; tweens and teens (10+) can design more detailed scenes, wire tiny lights, and learn about seasonal science. Supervise hot glue, sharp scissors, and small parts for younger children to prevent choking and burns.

What are some creative variations and benefits of making a Winter Wonderland diorama?

Making a Winter Wonderland builds creativity, spatial reasoning, and fine motor skills while teaching scale and seasonal changes. Variations include a snowy village, northern lights using glow-in-the-dark paint, a forest with animal figurines, or a recycled-materials eco version. Safety tips: use battery LEDs (not mains), secure batteries from toddlers, choose non-toxic glue and paints, and supervise hot glue or wire work. Display in a cool dry spot to preserve materials.
DIY Yeti Character
Join Frame
Flying Text Box

One subscription, many ways to play and learn.

Try for free

Only $6.99 after trial. No credit card required

To create a safe space for kid creators worldwide!

Discovery Tools

DIY Wiki

DIY TV

Creativity Tools

How to draw

Teacher Tools

SafeTube

DIY Blog

2025, URSOR LIMITED. All rights reserved. DIY is in no way affiliated with Minecraft™, Mojang, Microsoft, Roblox™ or YouTube. LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO® Group which does not sponsor, endorse or authorize this website or event. Made with love in San Francisco.

Create a Winter Wonderland. Activities for Kids.