This shows how to make fake snow for crafts or mini snowmen. There are six basic fake snow recipes plus step-by-step instructions perfect for winter crafts, snow globes, and tablescapes. The easiest recipes use just two household ingredients to create your little winter wonderland.
Also, see DIY Snowman Hot Chocolate Gift Kits for another winter-themed craft idea.
Make Fake Snow for Crafts
There are all sorts of fake snow recipes and the one you’ll need depends entirely on what you want to do with it. I have listed 6 Recipes for Fake Snow (below).
The tutorial (below) uses a snow recipe perfect for crafting little snowmen or snow animals. They make really sweet place markers for a dinner table as you will see below.
Also, if you use the recipe here, when you are done with your snowmen, just remove the embellishments, and use the ‘snow’ to clean sinks or your bathtub. It works very nicely. No waste!
If you just want something that looks like snow for an indoor, winter fairy garden, but do not wish to make snowmen, coarse table salt looks really pretty, especially with fairy lights shining through the salt crystals. Just add some fairy garden accessories and you’re done.
Now let’s make some snow.
6 Ways to Make Fake Snow
Fake Snow You Can Shape and Mold
1 Combine baking soda and hair conditioner | click for instructions (below)
2 Combine baking soda and shaving cream | click for instructions (below)
3 Combine flour or corn starch, baking soda, and water | instructions
Purely Decorative Fake Snow
4 Combine coarse salt and table salt. | Salt sparkles like snow
5 Shred white paper towels into tiny pieces
6 Cotton balls or makeup pads | Tear them into pieces and arrange
Other Options for Creating Snowmen
- Modelling clay | See product at Amazon
- Polymer clay | See product at Amazon
- Styrofoam balls | See product at Amazon
- Marshmallows| See product at Amazon
Watch the Video
More Ideas for Kids
35 Playful & Practical Garden Ideas for Kids
Sow, grow, garden art & crafts, and outdoor imaginary play.
How to Make Fake Snow Instructions
This fake snow recipe requires two ingredients: baking soda and hair conditioner. With the right proportions, they bind together to form a snow-like material. And no, it’s not cold to touch, but, oddly enough, it does resemble snow both by looks and feel.
This is what I would call a temporary craft. While the snowmen will last indefinitely, this is only if they are left alone. The ‘snow’ is fairly crumbly so they can’t be played with or knocked about.
If you plan to do this with children, be sure to make some ahead of time so you can understand what it’s like first. A child who enjoys fine motor skills and has a steady hand will enjoy it. One who is accustomed to Play-Doh, which is quite stretchy and forgiving, will probably not enjoy it.
You can also use shaving cream instead of hair conditioner. I find the shaving cream does make a firmer snow ball (one you can throw), but it tends to have a stinky scent (to me). Other people say they just use baking soda and water. I’ve never found it binds as well as hair conditioner.
Recipe
- 1 part Hair conditioner* (white, not colored or it might tint your snow)
The exact amount needed varies depending on how watery the hair conditioner is. Add it gradually, as instructed below. - 6 parts Baking soda (bicarbonate soda)
Examples
Make 4 snowmen (3″ tall) and a critter
- ¼ cup Hair conditioner
- 1 ½ cups Baking soda
Make 8 snowmen (3″ tall) and a critter
- ½ cup Hair conditioner
- 3 cups Baking soda
Make 12 snowmen (3″ tall) and a critter
- ¾ cup Hair conditioner
- 4 ½ cups Baking soda
Steps
1 Measure the ingredients
For the snowman scene you see pictured in this article, I used ¼ cup Hair conditioner and 1 ½ cups Baking soda.
2Combine Ingredients
Combine the baking soda and hair conditioner in a mixing dish or bowl.
Some brands of hair conditioner are quite watery and you’ll need less of it. Some are quite thick and you’ll need more.
Add the hair conditioner gradually. Mix it with the baking soda and check for it to become clumpy. You want to be able to form the snow into balls.
3Form a Snow Ball
When you can form a snow ball that doesn’t crumble, it’s ready.
Congratulations, you are now a snow maker.
Related: Make Snowman Hot Chocolate Kits in Jars
How to Make Snowmen
Here’s some tips for making snowmen like these ones.
I used small beads like the ones you see here for the faces. If you like the classic look, you could also make a carrot nose with polymer clay. This post shares how to make little charms and more.
The arms are twigs from a lilac bush. Anything will do.
The snowmen are in a glass pie dish which is sitting on a silver serving tray.
I added ‘snow’ on the ground using more baking soda, as well as glitter pinecones, and mini twinkle lights which are battery powered. I love the micro lights on thin copper wires.
Create a Tabletop Winter Scene
Another fun idea is to put the snowman in a champagne glass. You can get the little blackboard signs here on Amazon or at a dollar store. This is a fun idea for place cards at a holiday table.
I hope you enjoyed this project. As mentioned, it really is super simple. The snowman won’t last forever, but it’s a fun project to do with kids.
~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛
Fake Snow for Winter Scenes and Mini Snowmen
Supplies & Materials
- ½ cup Hair conditioner white only
- 3 cups Baking soda bicarbonate soda
Equipment
Instructions
Mixing Snow
- Measure the ingredients.
- Pour Baking soda into mixing bowl.
- Gradually add and combine hair conditioner until you can form balls that do not crumble.
- Adjust amounts as needed.
Make a Snowman
- For traditional snowmen, form 3 small snowballs (large, medium, small).
- Use small beads (black and red) to form eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Use twigs for arms.
- Don't forget to make a reindeer dog!
- Create little winter wonderland scene. I used a glass pie plate, mini twinkle lights, pinecones, and pine tree greens.
- You could also create placecards for a holiday table using little snowmen in champagne glasses with tiny chalkboards.
Notes
- There are many ways to make fake snow and each has different qualities.
- See other recipes in this article for more recipes.
