Inside: Transform your home into a winter wonderland with these glittery snowflakes. No real snow required.

According to some estimates, half of the people in the world have never seen a snowflake. But here in Chicago, snowflakes are an essential part of winter and an endless source of inspiration. I think snowflakes are pretty and festive and are perfect winter decor for a home in any part of the world.

Have you ever taken time off your busy life to paint snowflakes? If you have, you already know how relaxing it is. I don’t know if the secret is in the repetitive nature of the snowflake designs or the enigmatic shape of the feathery crystals. Scientists tell us that the shape of things can “dramatically” impact our mental states, moods, and interactions.

Our favorite way to make snowflakes is to paint them with white tempera paints on blue cardstock and sprinkle with glitter. You can stop right there or use them in another project. These pretty snowflakes are perfect as part of a wall collage, banner, or some other winter decor idea in your home.

You can also use these snowflakes to embellish a postcard. (Do your kids still need to write a few thank you cards for all of the gifts they received this past Christmas?)

What you need

Blue cardstock paper

White tempera paint

A paintbrush or Q-tip for painting

Glitter (optional)

What to do

This is the simplest project in the world. Just dip your brush (or Q-tip) into the paint and make a straight line. Add an x on top.

Add short Vs on each line. Voila!

Glitter? Yes, please!

The only thing you need to remember about snowflakes is that the molecules of water arrange themselves into a hexagonal (six-sided) structure.

How many different designs can you come up with?

If you need some extra snowflake inspiration, this article on the Smithsonian blog has a great photograph halfway down the page. 

For this art project, it might be easiest for little kids just to fill the page with different snowflake designs. Or take it a step further with older kids and turn it into a Snowflake Banner.

Once kids get started they want to keep going. Bring out more paints, mom! 

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