For this activity, you will use your imagination to create your own snowflakes. You can make them look like the classic white snowflakes, or decorate them to be any color and shape you like. The world is your snow globe! This hands-on activity can be performed with children ages 5 and up. Preschool-aged children should have complete assistance while doing the activity, whereas school-aged children may only need minimal assistance.
Once you are finished making your snowflakes, you can hang them in your window so it looks like it is always snowing. This interactive activity can improve children’s fine motor skills while also stimulating their creativity.
Supplies:
Newspaper
Coffee Filters
Washable Markers
1 cup of Water
Child-friendly scissors
Paper/Cloth Towel
Activity Steps:
To begin, place sheets of newspaper and paper towels on top of your workspace. Then, flatten however many coffee filters you plan to use. Also, have paper or cloth towels nearby in case any water spills.
Step One: First, use your markers to draw anywhere on the coffee filters. You can use as many colors as you want during this step!
Tip: You do not have to fill in the entire coffee filter with color. Small scribbles around the filter will be perfect!
Step Two: Next, dip your fingers into the cup of water and allow drops of water from your wet fingers to drip onto the coffee filters. Look at the picture to see how much water I put on my fingers!
Fun Tip: Watch how the water blends the colors together! Can you guess what new colors you can create on your coffee filter?
Step Three: Now, give the coffee filters time to dry. You can check on them every half hour by touching the filters with your fingers. Please wait to move to the next step until the coffee filters are completely dry.
While you wait for your coffee filters to dry, you can go outside and play in the snow or read a book or two with your caregiver!
Step Four: Once the coffee filters feel dry, you can begin folding them. First, fold the filter in half (the filter will go from a circle to a semicircle). Then, fold it in half again (to make a quarter slice) and in half one more time after that. You should end up with a small triangle in your hand.
Tip: If you are not seeing a triangle at the end of the folding process, ask an adult to help you! The final shape of the folded coffee filter will look like a piece of pizza or pie.
Step Five: Now, cut small shapes along the edges of the folded coffee filters. Choose any shapes you want! They can be squares, triangles, rectangles and more! Be sure to leave space between each shape you cut.
Remember: Scissors are sharp, and can pinch your fingers so please be careful! It may be safer for an adult to assist you during this step. The hand-over-hand method could work great throughout this step (this is done by an adult placing their hand on top of the child participant’s while also guiding the child during the cutting motion).
Step Six: Finally, unfold your coffee filters and discover what your snowflakes look like! Ask your guardian if you can use your snowflake as a decoration in winter time!
