Winter craft ideas for Kids: How to Make Snow for Pretend Sensory Play in Ice Age and Christmas Village

Make Fake Snow with Wax Paper

This winter craft idea for kids focuses on how to make snow for your Ice Age Dinosaurs. In this DIY, you'll use wax paper. Enjoy!

Ice Age creative play with Dinosaurs, Diego, and
wax paper snow activity for kids.

We've shared many sensory activities for kids, but this winter one is the cat's meow! So, I've been saving a a bag of snow since my Grandmother passed away.  I inherited it with a few pieces of her snow village.  A few years ago, I used store bought snow for my village, as I wasn't ready to use hers or risk losing it around the cats and little ones. This year, I pulled it out and dumped it around my village.  It was as remarkable as I remembered. Enjoy!

 Winter Preschool Activity

And then, it wasn't... 

The cat kept climbing in it spreading it all over the floor. During the holidays, I brushed it under the table to clean up later. Later came, I began carefully picking up the pieces preparing to place them in a baggie for next year, when somehow the glistening bits of fake snow appeared more familiar than I'd ever known. This wasn't fake snow at all.  It was tiny pieces of shredded wax paper!  I made a collage with snowy scenes around my house so you can see how natural it looks.

Make Fake Snow out of Wax Paper.

Ice Age Dinosaurs, Sensory Snow Play.

Grandma's fake wax paper snow village versus real snow
covered pine trees in the landscape.

Sneaky Grandma, surprising me from the grave. I hadn't realized she was so creative. One year, on my parents twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, she volunteered to get SILVER vases for the table centerpieces.  She brought them just before the guests arrived, and I was astonished to see plastic glasses of some sort wrapped in aluminium foil. Not her crafty-ist moment. It felt a little tacky for what I had planned, but certainly creative. 

And now, the snow.

What an easy project for your snow globes, snowman in a jar, I -spy Christmas ornaments, or just for an ordinary day of creative play with plastic animals or Legos.  We decided to play Ice Age with ours.  I'll save Grandmas, just thinking how she took the time to craft it makes me smile.

So, grab your wax paper.  Do not cut it. Tear it into tiny shreds and store in a Ziploc bag for your kiddos. So easy, so fun and perfect for SENSORY PLAY!  Thanks, Grandma!

What will you pretend?


Recommended Reading:

National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Dinosaurs (National Geographic Little Kids First Big Books)*

Dinosaurs! by Gail Gibbons*

ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)

How to Craft a Snow Globe or I Spy New Year's Time Capsule Activity

Make a New Year's Time Capsule from a Christmas Ornament

A clear glass or plastic Christmas ornament makes a fun party favor and Mini Time Capsule for  New Year's Eve party celebrations with kids.

Festive New Year Decoration

I Spy Something,

How to make a New Year Time Capsule from a glass Christmas Ornament Decoration

You will need:

A clear ornament with a large opening.

Iridescent sparkle paint.

Glitter glue.

Cotton Balls or Fake Snow or Shredded Paper.

Miscellaneous items such as sparkly pipe-cleaners, star confetti, and mini-tree ornaments.

Remove the top and drip paint inside.  Let dry by standing on a toilet tube.  Once dry, insert snow. We tore cotton balls and stuffed them inside using a straw.  Add piece of sparkle (pipe-cleaners or confetti).  Insert surprises to "I Spy". We added a nutcracker soldier. Replace top. Using toilet tube as an easel paint "Happy" with glitter glue on outside.  Add glitter glue dots of varying colors. Attach shiny ribbon and hang from mantle.


Recommended Reading:

I Spy Fantasy: A Book of Picture Riddles*

Can you spy what's inside?  You can also make a real snow globe. 

Winter Day Play!: Activities, Crafts, and Games for Indoors and Out

Snowman Face

Fun Tip:  Fill with "Snow" and then paint or draw a snowman's face for an all-winter mantle decoration.