Snow globes fascinate children—and adults too for that matter. There’s something deeply relaxing about watching glittery snow swirl around inside the globe on a cold winter’s night.
DIY snow globes are even better. With a little supervision, children can make these winter crafts as gifts for grandparents, friends, and school teachers. Just remember to make one the child can keep as well!
To make DIY snow globes, you’ll need:
- Glass jars with sealable lids (old baby food, pickle, and olive jars work well).
- Plastic or ceramic trees or figurines (avoid metal, as it will rust)
- Oil-based enamel paint
- Rough grade sandpaper
- Epoxy glue
- Distilled water
- Glitter
- Glycerin (available at most drug stores).
Clean the glass jars carefully and remove any labels, then paint the jar lids in cheerful colors and let dry. Have the child choose the figurine he wants to use in the globe. Possible choices include plastic pine trees, reindeer, small ceramic cottages, Santa, or angels. And if he insists on using a plastic dinosaur or green army man, well, that just makes his snow globe even more special!
Sand the inside of the jar lid until it feels rough to the touch, then use clear-drying epoxy to stick your figurine to the inside of the lid and let dry. When the epoxy is dry, fill the jar almost to the top with distilled water and add in a pinch of glitter.
Add a dash of glycerin to the water. The glycerin prevents the glitter from settling to the bottom of the snow globe too quickly. Don’t use too much glycerin, however, or the glitter will just stick to the bottom of the globe when it’s flipped. It’s best to add just a tiny bit at a time.
Taking care not to dislodge the figurine, screw the lid on tightly. Turn your DIY snow globes once or twice to stir up the glitter and watch your snow swirl! If the glitter settles too quickly, reopen the jar and add a tiny pinch more glycerin.
