Paper Snowflakes

Paper snowflakes are easy to make. With a bit of help, a child can fold and cut simple or intricate ones to brighten your wall, window, or bulletin board. You can hang several snowflakes for a mobile, or make a winter picture using the snowflake as a stencil for spatter painting with a stiff brush or Blo-pen.

You will need:

• Paper Square, #20, any color or size
• Coffee Filters (instead of paper)
• Scissors

Making Paper Snowflakes

1. Color the paper
2. Let paper dry (if wet from paints or felt pens)
3. Fold the square paper [1] in half along the diagonal
4. Fold it into thirds [2,3] by folding the bottom corner across and up at a slight angle. Fold the other corner across to line up on top of the first
5. Fold the remaining triangle in half and cut off the top points [4]
6. Cut out notches [5] from the edges without cutting all the way across (Snipping the bottom tip off at an angle will create a star shape in the middle)
7. Now open your snowflake and see what you have created

Making Coffee Filter Snowflakes

1. Color the coffee filter
2. Fold in thirds, and cut out the snowflake
3. Dampen the folded shape and press between newspapers to blend colors
4. Unfold and iron with warm iron to dry (You can spray with laundry starch for stiffer hanging ones)

Hints

• Each snowflake will be different! You may want to press under a weight or smooth with a warm iron
• Draw pencil lines to help smaller children who are learning to cut
• Show children that it is easier to move the paper as they cut then to move the scissors
• Make some colorful snowflakes to decorate for a "Winter Goodbye" party and enjoy the last snow of the season!