The time comes, and the yellow fallen leaves are covered with a white blanket. The most recognizable and expected signs of winter for children. Everyone knows that it's time for the New Year, Santa Claus, Christmas trees with colorful lights. But it's not just holidays and snow that characterize the coldest time of the year. In fact, winter is distinguished by many things: the behavior of animals and birds, the condition of plants, the weather, the length of daylight hours. But how can you talk about the signs of winter in an engaging way so that your child will show genuine interest? It’s worth arming yourself with a selection of games, riddles and folk signs, adding a bit of your own artistry.
Winter landscape pencil drawing
Winter is a fabulous time of year, associated with snow-white snow, small but very beautiful snowflakes falling from the sky, cold weather, as well as bright animated cartoon characters and also heroes of preschool children. The entire list of beauties and wonders of winter can be listed endlessly.
True, it is simply not possible to depict all aspects on a white sheet of paper!
Therefore, in today’s article we decided to show our readers a version of the work that can reflect all the beauty of December, January, February, and related holidays. Winter landscapes pencil drawing is a good idea for creating a thematic drawing. Due to the variety of proposals and master classes that are presented in today’s article, artistic sketches are suitable for beginners, children, and adults who prefer the fine art of sketching according to the principle of “step by step for beginners at home.”
The options in the photo selection below can even help students in grades 7, 2, 5 and 6 get an excellent grade at school.
What are the 15 signs to recognize winter?
Changes in nature in winter are the most profound and significant. All living things fall asleep, and non-living things freeze, becoming cold and hard.
15 signs that characterize the season:
- cold weather;
- trees without leaves, sometimes with a snow cap on the branches;
- short days and long nights;
- ice crust on puddles, sleet;
- snowdrifts and snow;
- low, gray, heavy clouds;
- bitter frosts;
- blizzard;
- winter fun - ice skating, sledding, snowball fights;
- smoke pours out of the chimneys of houses (in the modern world without stove heating - steam);
- traces of animals and birds in the snow are clearly visible;
- frosty air and steam from the mouth;
- winter holidays - New Year, Christmas, Epiphany;
- an abundance of tits, rooks, crows, the appearance of bullfinches, crossbills and other migratory birds;
- hibernation in insects, fish and some animals (bears, hedgehogs, marmots).
People have long considered frosts to be the first sign of winter, and its end was heralded by the melting of snow. When sub-zero temperatures are established, wildlife falls into suspended animation - trees and shrubs shed their remaining foliage, and fish, insects and individual animals hibernate. Other animals grow a warm undercoat, and the gray hare turns white to blend in with the snow and thus camouflage itself from predators.
Once upon a time, our ancestors gave names to the winter months based on their characteristic features. December used to be called “breasts” - from the word “breasts” or frozen clods of dirt. At the beginning of winter there is still little snow, but the ground has already begun to freeze. Its second name is jelly, from the word icy, cold. January was called the section. It was time to cut down trees. February is characterized by severe frosts, which is why it was called severe.
Winter landscape in a village (village) pencil drawing, photo
Untouched nature, covered as if with a snow carpet with a diamond shine, small but noble bullfinches sitting on the branches of trees, small houses with the lights on and fences between areas in the form of a wooden fence - no worse than a crowded city with high-rise buildings, illuminated streets , dressed up parkas and cheerful children sledding.
Master class step by step with photos:
1) On a landscape sheet, make a sketch of a house and a fluffy fir tree. This must be done on a horizontal plane, starting from the middle.
2) After the first part of the winter landscape is drawn in pencil, draw two more houses and one Christmas tree. On the left side there is a house with a spruce tree in the background, on the right there is just a house whose foundation is hidden under a mound of snow.
3) In the background, add a couple more trees and fir trees under the snow cover.
4) The last part of the sketch will be the fence.
5) The final stage is coloring. For it you will need colored pencils, felt-tip pens or paints - at the choice of the author of the work.
Pictures and tasks to consolidate knowledge
The story on the topic should be supported by illustrative examples. Pictures with signs of winter:
Game activities:
- Guess the riddles. Without planks, without axes, the bridge across the river is ready. The bridge is like blue glass - slippery, fun, light. (Ice). It stings the cheeks, stings the nose, but is not scary for us... (frost). Two sisters, two braids made of fine sheep yarn. How to go for a walk - wear it like that. So that five and five do not freeze. (Mittens).
- Find the mistake. For the game, you can use any drawing with characteristic signs of winter: birds, snowflakes, a snowman, figures of people on skates and simply in winter clothes. The adult draws several signs from another time of year (a hedgehog with an apple, an autumn leaf, a flower) and lets the children study the image. The point of the task is to find the catch.
- Draw. After discussing the signs, the children draw winter. At the end, the adult determines the winner. This is the one who uses as many details as possible characteristic of this time of year in the drawing.
On New Year's Eve, it is important to play “Frost Tasks” games with children. You can ask to help Grandfather Frost make snowflakes, name winter fun for him, decorate the Christmas tree, make crafts and cards for your family with your own hands.
Didactic game “Signs of Winter”
For children 5-6 years old, it is useful to play games that expand vocabulary and give ideas about the properties of living and inanimate nature.
A striking example is the didactic game “Signs of Winter”. To carry it out, you will need cards with natural objects: cloud, sky, earth, sun, air, precipitation. And also animals, plants, insects, trees, fish. The presenter distributes cards to the children; everyone must think and name 3 words that describe what this object is like in winter.
Winter time is the harshest and coldest. For 3 months, nature literally “falls asleep” to gain strength. Its main signs are shortening daylight hours, frost, snow and gloomy low skies. Winter can come regardless of the calendar. There are calendar and climatic winters. Observe changes in living and inanimate nature with your children - it’s very educational, exciting and interesting!
Master class: winter landscape in the suburbs, pencil drawing
This version of the winter landscape involves the outskirts of the city, the beginning of a forest belt, sledding hills and a distant suburb inhabited by people. In addition to the main aspects, the picture shows: the full moon, snowflakes falling to the ground, a finished snowman and the height of the heating season.
Step-by-step drawing for beginners:
1) Repeat several stripes that will become the basis of the design.
2) Draw a forest, a snowman and houses.
3) Complete the remaining parts of the winter picture, erasing unnecessary details.
4) Color the landscape drawn in pencil using watercolors.
Winter night pencil drawing, photo
A landscape that combines white, blue, indigo, brown, yellow and green is transformed into a very interesting picture. The most important thing is not to be afraid to combine several shades at the same time.
The following stationery supplies can be used as drawing tools: pencil, eraser, gouache.
The master class in the photo below will help you understand the technique of sketching and step-by-step depiction of each detail of the drawing. The most important thing is not to change the idea by painting extra parts of the winter landscape.
Winter landscape with a river and a bridge
A pencil drawing can be presented depicting not only snow and trees, but also structures built by people. We are talking about a bridge that helps you cross the river without swimming across it to get from one bank to the other, as well as a cozy house with all the amenities.
Drawing should begin with objects located in the foreground, gradually moving to the buildings and nature standing behind.
How to observe changes in nature with children?
To make the story about the distinctive features of winter interesting and memorable for children, it is important to use live examples, visuals, and various game tasks. As the season approaches, it can be helpful to visit familiar places and ask your child what they think has changed:
- How have the trees changed? (bared, foliage disappeared)
- How has the earth changed? (became cold, hard)
- How does the sun warm? (it lights up, but doesn’t heat up)
- What are the clouds like? (gray, low)
- What's missing? (insects, some birds, flowers)
- Have new birds appeared? Which? (yes, bullfinches, redpolls, crossbills, tits, crows, rooks).
- What clothes did you wear here before, and what clothes did you wear now (T-shirts, shorts, and now a jacket, hat, mittens)
It is useful to keep a winter calendar with preschoolers in the preparatory group. Every day you need to note new signs you see. For example, on December 4 the rivers froze, on December 10 snow fell, on December 13 there was ice, on December 17 the child noticed a tit, etc.
The lesson will seem doubly interesting if you talk about folk winter signs, which in the old days were of great importance and passed on from generation to generation. They helped determine what the weather would be like in the spring in order to successfully sow the fields and get a rich harvest.
- A clear day on Christmas Eve (January 6) means a good harvest. The paths are black - buckwheat will be born. The starry sky - a berry year awaits.
- A full month on the night of Epiphany (from January 18 to 19) means a large flood of rivers in the spring.
- Blizzard on January 19 - will occur in 3 months. The day is warm - the bread will be thick.
The beauty of the winter forest
The winter forest is no less beautiful than in spring, summer and autumn. It looks especially interesting and mysterious at night, when moonlight falls on the snow, giving the already luxurious landscape a special charm and shine. A marvelous ensemble combined with a palette of bright and rich colors is something that will surely attract the attention of not only a child, but also an adult.
For coloring, you can use gouache and watercolors that can convey all the naturalness of a winter night landscape.
