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All you need are two simple ingredients to make your own fake snow that feels cold to the touch just like the real thing!
Playing in the snow on cold winter days is something most small children enjoy. If you don’t live where it snows or you miss real snow, you can make fake snow to give your kids the benefits of sensory play without having to brave the cold weather.
The best thing is you only need 2 ingredients to make this simple recipe for play snow. It’s light and fluffy but makes the best snowballs out of the different methods I’ve tried.
If you’re looking for simple ideas for winter activities and science experiments, my DIY snow recipe is a great activity for the winter season. It’s super easy to make and it’s a whole lot of fun!
Supplies and Tools
- 32 ounces of cornstarch
- 12-ounce can of shaving cream
- 1 tablespoon of blue glitter or confetti
- Large mixing bowl
- Mixing spoon
- Apron
- Paper towels
- Storage container
By the Numbers: How to Make Fake Snow
Follow these simple step by step instructions to learn how to make your own fake snow that kids love to play with.
Step 1: Add Cornstarch to Bowl
Slowly pour 32 ounces of cornstarch into a large mixing bowl so it doesn’t blow everywhere.
Step 2: Combine Shaving Cream with Cornstarch
Add one 12-ounce can of shaving cream to the bowl, a little at a time, working it in with your hands. You can use a mixing spoon, but ultimately you’re going to need to get your hands dirty. I like to get the kids involved here because they also love how it starts to feel cold when the ingredients combine.
Keep adding a little more shaving cream at a time, until you’ve used the entire can. When it’s done, the consistency should feel dry when you touch it, it shouldn’t stick to your hands and you should be able to mold it together into snowballs.
Step 3: Add Glitter or Confetti
When you’ve achieved your desired consistency, add about a tablespoon of blue glitter or confetti (if desired) and mix until it’s evenly distributed throughout the snow.
Step 4: Play with Fake Snow
You can now play with your DIY fake snow. It’s fun to play with the sensory material on its own, or it makes a great base for winter sensory bins.
Tips for Making the Best Fake Snow
Answers to all of your questions about making fake snow with 2 simple ingredients, including some great tips and suggestions.
Shaving cream vs shaving gel
You want to choose shaving cream/foam, not shaving gel, for making this sensory material. I have tried making it with both types and the gel tends to make a very dense snow that crumbles too easily. You don’t get the light fluffy texture when you break up the material like you do when you use the foam.
Sensory bin ideas
A fun way to use your homemade snow is to make a sensory bin by creating a fun winter scene. Add your pretend snow to a large plastic container along with some small toys and you have a great winter sensory activity.
You can use Christmas themed toys or arctic animals like polar bears and penguins can also be fun! I also love to add shovels, spoons or scoops and other items that are great for developing fine motor skills. Just keep in mind that this recipe doesn’t use edible ingredients, so younger children will need to be supervised.
Storage tips
Store your faux snow in an airtight container like a zip lock bag. I find that it does dry out pretty quickly compared to some of the other play materials we make like Moon Sand.
More sensory activities
Kids of all ages love sensory materials. You can get hours of sensory play from these other recipes:
Fake Snow Recipe
Supplies
- 32 ounces cornstarch
- 1 can shaving cream - 12 ounces
- 1 tablespoon blue glitter - or confetti
Tools
- Large mixing bowl
- Mixing spoon
- Apron
- Paper towels
- Storage container
Instructions
- Dump the corn starch into a large bowl slowly so it doesn’t blow everywhere.
- Add the shaving foam, a little at a time, working it in with your hands, until you’ve used the entire can. It will feel dry to the touch, it won’t be sticky and you’ll be able to mold it together.
- Add the glitter and stir mixture until well combined.
- Now you can play with your homemade faux snow!
