DIY Snow Globes – Sick Day Kid’s Craft

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Kleenex, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #KleenexTarget http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO

One of the worst things about winter is cold and flu season.  My kids never get sick in the summer, but once everyone is back in school and the heat comes on, everyone gets sick.

This year has already been a little tough for us.  My son had a sinus infection and my daughter had strep throat.  Now, we’re armed with flu shots, loads of Kleenex tissues, and a stockpile of craft supplies.

We’re fighting the sick day blues by making snow globes.

Snow globes are a simple DIY project that your kids will love to make, even when they’re not feeling like themselves.

DIY Snow Globes – Collect Supplies

• Empty Clean Jars
• Glycerin
• Glue Gun
• Glitter
• Figurines
• Kleenex
• Water

Begin saving your jars – spaghetti sauce, salsa, gravy, even baby food.  Wash them and set them aside until your children have a sick day this winter.  You can give the outside of the lids a fresh coat of paint ahead of time, or even cover the bottom with a piece of scrap fabric or burlap.

TIP:  To remove glue residue on your jars, make a mixture of two parts oil to one part baking soda.  Mix it thoroughly and spread it on your jar.  Use your fingers to rub it in.  It will remove all the glue!

If your children are old enough to use a glue gun, they can glue a figurine or tree to the inside of the lid.  Just be careful.  Glue guns get extremely hot.  I burned two fingers making these snow globes with my daughter and she did most of the gluing.  In fact, I suspect she’s better with a glue gun than I am.

Glitter or synthetic snow can be used in your snow globes, but children adore glitter.  If you want to make them happy, hand them a bottle of glitter and let them make their world sparkle.

I’m sure they’ll feel just a little better after that.

All that glitters is gold.

We take that statement very seriously.  My daughter went crazy with the glitter, but that’s part of the charm.  This is a craft for the children, made by the children.  It’ll perk their sick little spirits right up.

Don’t forget to add a fair amount of glycerine.  It will keep the glitter from clumping.  The finer the glitter, the better, but definitely use what you have.  We used pretty chunky glitter and worked fine.

We went ahead and brought a little of the outdoors inside.  I snipped off a few small pieces of swirly vine and gave them a quick coat of gold spray paint.  I love how it adds a very whimsical touch to the glittery winter scene.

Turn Your Bad into Something Good

Share your snow globes.

Your child can give them to a teacher or a grandparent.  You can also make a collection and bring them by your local senior center or nursing home.

When my husband found out we were going to give them to some elderly folks, he said, “You can’t do that, not if she’s got the flu!”

Honestly, I never once thought about spreading germs, but my husband works in a hospital, so germs are on his mind.  I’d recommend wiping down your snow globes with a disinfectant wipe.  That should definitely kill any germs that may be lingering.

I can wait a long time for my children to get sick again, but when they do, we’ll be prepared with plenty of Kleenex and a fun DIY craft project to pass the time.

FYI:  My daughter, a tissue connoisseur, says Kleenex with Aloe are the absolute softest tissues she’s ever used.  I concur.

Please print this coupon –  $1.00 off Kleenex to be used at your local Target.

How do you entertain your children when they get sick?