Family fun in Alberta in 48 hours or less

Family fun in Alberta in 48 hours or less

Indoor Alberta-Inspired Craft Projects for Snow Days

Indigenous women showing kids how to make crafts at Metis Crossing. Credit: Indigenous Tourism Alberta / ROAM Creative

Let’s be real—Alberta winters can be long. And while snow-covered adventures outside are fun, sometimes the best way to survive a cold day is to stay warm indoors. If your kids are bouncing off the walls (because there’s only so much screen time you can allow before you go bonkers), it’s time to bust out some Alberta-inspired craft projects. These activities don’t just pass the time—they connect kids to Alberta’s unique landscapes, wildlife, and culture, even when the weather has them stuck inside.

Here are a few craft ideas that will keep kids entertained while giving them a creative way to explore our province from home.

1. Alberta Wildlife-Themed Snow Globes

Have your kids ever spotted a moose or bighorn sheep on a road trip? Bring that magic indoors by making wildlife-inspired snow globes.

What You’ll Need:

  • A small mason jar or old jam jar
  • Mini plastic animals (think bears, wolves, or even bison)
  • White glitter or fake snow
  • Hot glue gun (for grown-up use only)
  • Water and glycerin (optional, for a thicker snow effect)

How to Make It:

  1. Hot glue a plastic animal figure to the inside of the jar lid.
  2. Fill the jar with water, a dash of glycerin, and some glitter.
  3. Screw the lid back on tightly, flip it over, and voila—you’ve got yourself a snowy scene straight out of Jasper or Banff.

Tip: You can turn it into a geography lesson by talking about where these animals are commonly found in Alberta.

2. Paint Your Own Mountain Scene

Alberta is home to some of the most stunning mountains in the world. Why not let your kids recreate them through art?

What You’ll Need:

  • A canvas or thick paper
  • Acrylic paints in blues, greens, whites, and greys
  • Paintbrushes
  • Sponge (optional for texture)

How to Do It:

  1. Start with the background—paint the sky a soft blue.
  2. Add layers of mountains using darker shades for those farther away and lighter shades for closer ones.
  3. Use a sponge to dab on snowcaps, and don’t forget to include some trees.

Challenge: Can they paint a recognizable scene, like Mount Rundle or Pyramid Mountain?

3. Build a Mini Banff Gondola

If you’ve been to Banff, you know the gondola is one of the best ways to experience the Rockies. Recreate that iconic experience at home by building a mini gondola.

What You’ll Need:

  • Cardboard or cardstock paper
  • String or yarn
  • Markers or paint
  • Scissors
  • Tape or glue
  • Paper cups (optional, for the gondola cabin)

How to Build It:

  1. Cut out a gondola shape from cardboard or use paper cups for the cabins.
  2. Decorate the gondola with markers or paint.
  3. Attach the cabins to a string and create a pulley system between two chairs or bookshelves.

Extra Fun: Make tiny people to ride in your gondola. Or, take it up a notch and recreate the whole Banff townsite in LEGO.

4. Create Alberta Animal Tracks Art

Have your kids ever seen animal tracks in the snow? Now they can make their own animal tracks art.

What You’ll Need:

  • Sponges or potatoes (cut into animal track shapes)
  • Paint
  • Paper
  • Alberta wildlife track guide (there are lots of printable ones online)

How to Do It:

  1. Use a sponge or potato stamp to create animal tracks on paper.
  2. Use different colors for different animals.
  3. Match the tracks to Alberta animals and talk about where they live.

Educational Twist: Turn it into a guessing game. What animal made these tracks? Where might you see these tracks in Alberta?

5. Build a Pine Cone Banff-Inspired Forest

This craft is perfect if you’ve collected pine cones on a family hike (or even from your backyard).

What You’ll Need:

  • Pine cones
  • Green paint
  • Small star stickers or glitter
  • Paper or cardboard for a base

How to Do It:

  1. Paint your pine cones green to create “trees.”
  2. Add stars or glitter to mimic snow or twinkling lights.
  3. Arrange the trees to look like a miniature Alberta forest.

Fun Idea: Add mini wildlife figurines (or even toy dinosaurs, because why not?) to your forest for some imaginative play.

Why These Crafts Matter

These crafts aren’t just fun—they help kids feel connected to their Alberta surroundings, even when they’re stuck indoors. They’ll start seeing the wildlife, mountains, and landscapes in a new light. Plus, these activities might inspire your next real-life adventure once the weather improves.

So, whether you’re creating a snowy wildlife scene, painting a Rocky Mountain vista, or riding a mini gondola across your living room, remember—you’re bringing a bit of Alberta magic indoors. And that’s what makes a snow day truly special.

Happy crafting, and stay warm out there!

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