Winter brings chilly weather that often keeps families bundled up indoors. When the temperature drops, you need engaging activities to keep little hands busy and creative minds flowing.
If you want a joyful, budget-friendly project to brighten up a dreary afternoon, we have the perfect solution. This paper plate and handprint reindeer snow globe craft transforms basic household supplies into a magical winter scene.
Materials You Need for Your Snow Globe
Gathering your supplies beforehand ensures a smooth and enjoyable crafting session for everyone involved. Having everything within reach minimizes frustration and keeps the creative energy flowing. For this paper plate and handprint reindeer snow globe, you will need the following items:
- Blue paper plates: A standard light blue paper plate serves as the chilly night sky background for the snow globe. If you only have white plates, you can easily paint them blue before you start.
- Brown construction paper: You will use this sturdy paper to trace your child’s handprint. This brown cut-out will serve as the reindeer’s head and body.
- Silver glitter cardstock: You need a small piece of sparkly silver paper to create the sturdy base of the snow globe.
- Cotton balls: These soft, fluffy spheres will become the textured snow resting at the bottom of your globe.
- Rhinestones and snowflake stickers: Small, sparkling gems and white snowflake stickers act as twinkling stars or falling snow in the background.
- Googly eyes: A single small googly eye gives your reindeer a fun, expressive face.
- Red pom-poms or glitter stickers: You need a bright red nose to make your reindeer look just like Rudolph.
- A pencil or pen: You need this for tracing those adorable little hands.
- Black marker: Grab a black marker to draw the reindeer’s antlers.
- Kid-friendly scissors: Keep safety scissors nearby for the kids to use, ensuring they can safely participate in the cutting steps.
- Craft glue and a stapler: Liquid school glue works best for the cotton balls and rhinestones. A stapler securely attaches the heavy base to the paper plate.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these simple steps to bring your reindeer snow globe to life. Before you begin, cover your table with a piece of newspaper or a plastic mat. This catches any stray glue and makes cleanup a breeze.
Step 1: Prepare the Snow Globe Base
Take your piece of silver glitter cardstock and cut out a trapezoid shape. This shape should have a wide flat bottom, angled sides, and a slightly narrower flat top. This piece represents the wooden or metal base of a traditional snow globe.
Line up the top edge of the silver trapezoid with the bottom rim of your blue paper plate. Use your stapler to secure the two pieces together. Two staples—one on the left and one on the right – should hold the base firmly in place.
Step 2: Create the Reindeer Handprint
Grab your brown construction paper and your pencil. Have your child place their hand flat on the paper, keeping their fingers spread out naturally. Carefully trace around their entire hand.
Use your scissors to cut out the handprint. Position the handprint horizontally so the thumb points to the right or left. The thumb represents the reindeer’s head and snout, while the other four fingers point upward to form the base for the antlers.
Step 3: Add the Reindeer Details
Now it is time to give your reindeer a festive personality! Take your small googly eye and glue it right onto the thumb portion of the handprint.
Next, grab your red glitter sticker or red pom-pom. Glue it to the very tip of the thumb to create a glowing red nose. Finally, use your black marker to draw tiny, branching lines above the four fingers. These lines create the look of majestic reindeer antlers.
Step 4: Build the Snowy Ground
Now you need to build the frosty terrain inside the globe. Squeeze a generous line of liquid craft glue across the bottom inside edge of the blue paper plate. Apply the glue just above where you attached the silver base.
Take your cotton balls and gently pull them apart to make them look fluffy and cloud-like. Press the stretched cotton balls directly into the glue line. Layer them up slightly to create a deep, textured snowbank for your reindeer to stand behind.
Step 5: Assemble the Scene
Take your completed reindeer handprint and apply glue to the back. Press the reindeer firmly into the center of the blue paper plate.
Position the reindeer so the bottom edge of the hand slightly overlaps the fluffy cotton ball snowbank. This makes it look like the reindeer is peeking out from behind a deep snowdrift. Hold the paper in place for a few seconds to ensure the glue sets properly.
Step 6: Decorate with Winter Magic
To finish your magical winter scene, you need to add some festive sparkle. Scatter a few white snowflake stickers around the blue background to simulate a fresh snowfall.
Next, squeeze tiny dots of glue in the empty blue spaces around the reindeer. Have your child carefully place a clear or silver rhinestone onto each dot of glue. These shiny gems catch the light beautifully, mimicking the look of sparkling magic inside a real glass snow globe. Let the entire project sit flat on the table until the glue dries completely.
RELATED —> Santa Snow Globe Ornament
Crafting offers a wonderful way to slow down, disconnect from screens, and connect with your family. The holiday season flies by quickly, but taking the time to make art together grounds you in the present moment. This paper plate and handprint reindeer snow globe requires minimal supplies but delivers maximum joy.
Gather your materials, clear off the kitchen table, and invite your family to make their very own Christmas scenes today. Happy crafting, my friends!
Paper Plate & Handprint Reindeer Snow Globe Craft
Here’s your checklist of supplies to bring this craft to life:
- Cardstock Paper
- Large Paper Plate
- White Cotton Balls
- Embellishments
- School Glue
Prepare your creative haven by laying down a protective cover before the crafting magic begins!
Directions:
- Take your piece of silver glitter cardstock and cut out a trapezoid shape. This shape should have a wide flat bottom, angled sides, and a slightly narrower flat top. This piece represents the wooden or metal base of a traditional snow globe.
- Line up the top edge of the silver trapezoid with the bottom rim of your blue paper plate. Use your stapler to secure the two pieces together. Two staples—one on the left and one on the right - should hold the base firmly in place.
- Grab your brown construction paper and your pencil. Have your child place their hand flat on the paper, keeping their fingers spread out naturally. Carefully trace around their entire hand.
- Use your scissors to cut out the handprint. Position the handprint horizontally so the thumb points to the right or left. The thumb represents the reindeer's head and snout, while the other four fingers point upward to form the base for the antlers.
- Now it is time to give your reindeer a festive personality! Take your small googly eye and glue it right onto the thumb portion of the handprint.
- Next, grab your red glitter sticker or red pom-pom. Glue it to the very tip of the thumb to create a glowing red nose. Finally, use your black marker to draw tiny, branching lines above the four fingers. These lines create the look of majestic reindeer antlers.
- Now you need to build the frosty terrain inside the globe. Squeeze a generous line of liquid craft glue across the bottom inside edge of the blue paper plate. Apply the glue just above where you attached the silver base.
- Take your cotton balls and gently pull them apart to make them look fluffy and cloud-like. Press the stretched cotton balls directly into the glue line. Layer them up slightly to create a deep, textured snowbank for your reindeer to stand behind.
- Take your completed reindeer handprint and apply glue to the back. Press the reindeer firmly into the center of the blue paper plate.
- Position the reindeer so the bottom edge of the hand slightly overlaps the fluffy cotton ball snowbank. This makes it look like the reindeer is peeking out from behind a deep snowdrift. Hold the paper in place for a few seconds to ensure the glue sets properly.
- To finish your magical winter scene, you need to add some festive sparkle. Scatter a few white snowflake stickers around the blue background to simulate a fresh snowfall.
- Next, squeeze tiny dots of glue in the empty blue spaces around the reindeer. Have your child carefully place a clear or silver rhinestone onto each dot of glue. These shiny gems catch the light beautifully, mimicking the look of sparkling magic inside a real glass snow globe. Let the entire project sit flat on the table until the glue dries completely.
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