Holiday characters such as Santa Claus, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman are familiar to most preschoolers. These themes are easy for children to visualize, since the characters' images are found in books, stores and decorations in their schools and homes. It is important to check school guidelines to make sure that overtly religious winter themes, such as a creches and angels, are acceptable for school projects.
When using an Indoor theme, encourage children to paint a scene about their own experiences. Ask them questions about their favorite winter activities. Do they play games by the Christmas tree? Do they eat a special dinner after lighting the menorah? Perhaps they help their grandparents bake cookies. Indoor themes allow kids to put themselves in their paintings and tell a story about their favorite wintertime activities.
Painting scenes set outdoors can either incorporate people or focus on nature. As with the Indoor theme, scenes that focus on outdoor activities draw on experiences the children have had and allow them to tell a story about their understanding of the world. Popular outdoor winter scenes include building a snowman, carolling, winter festivals and scenes with animals.
Wintertime stories can provide inspiration for paintings, especially those written for a preschool audience, as they tend to have vibrant illustrations. Book themes avoid any potential issues that holiday themes may present. They also provide an opportunity to expose children to different cultures and winter traditions.