I’ve never been able to walk past a snow globe without picking it up and giving it a good shake. There’s just something so soothing and relaxing about watching snow slowly cascading down onto a winter landscape. I’ve loved snow globes ever since I was a little girl. In fact, I’d pick holding a snowy wonderland in my hand (over actually going out in the ice and cold) any day. π I guess you could say that I’m not a huge fan of winter – though I do enjoy the occasional snow day. Even though it’s not my personal favorite, the rest of my family seems to love the snowy season (furry family members included). So…to celebrate the arrival of winter, we decided to get crafty and create our very own DIY Snow Globe Sensory Jar!
When I came across this tutorial for Waterless Snow Globes, over on Tidy Mom, I was intrigued. I loved the idea of creating a mason jar snow globe. But what I love the most about snow globes is the slow movement of the snow. Needless to say, I simply had to find a way to achieve that all-important cascading snow effect. When our little nugget started playing with one of our Christmas snow globes, she casually mentioned that it reminded her of some of our sensory bottles. And just like that…my problem was solved. Thanks kiddo!
I decided that our snow globe would look the best if we made it function like our Glittering Shamrocks Sensory Bottle. So, we rounded up some clear glue, glitter, and confetti.
Now…I must admit, I was a tad bit nervous about using a mason jar (upside down, no less). I kept picturing water, glue, and glitter spraying out at every angle. Obviously, there’s a potential leaking factor…but also an added worry of broken glass (if the jar were accidentally dropped on a hard surface). This is the main reason why we prefer to use plastic for all of our sensory bottles. But Voss water bottles don’t come in a snow globe shape…so, a mason jar is key. My worries subsided when I realized that our daughter had already been playing with the other glass snow globes in our house…without any catastrophes. And my trusty hot glue gun could help keep any pesky water leaks at bay.
DIY Snow Globe Sensory Jar
Supplies:
- Small Mason Jar
- Hot Glue Gun
- Elmer’s Clear Glue
- Hot Water
- Glitter/ConfettiΒ (we use 1/24 sized glitter) Note: It has been brought to my attention that using fine or super fine glitter may result in the glitter sticking to the sides of the sensory jar.Β
- Winter Figurine (we used a snowman, since we’re on a bit of a kick this winter season)
Instructions:
- You want to start by hot gluing the lid components of your mason jar together (to prevent any water leaks). Your hot glue gun is going to be your best friend during this craft. π
- Next, you want to hot glue your winter figurine to the inside of the mason jar lid (so that it will be upside down when you screw the lid back on). Our snowman was a bit short, so I hot glued a clear gem to the inside of the lid first, and then hot glued the snowman on top of the clear gem. Set the lid aside, and let the hot glue dry and harden.
- Pour some Elmer’s Clear Glue into the mason jar (filling approximately 20% – 30% of the jar).
- Add some glitter and/or confetti in the colors of your choosing. Sticking with our winter theme, we went with silver and white.
- Fill the remainder of the jar (leaving a small gap at the top) with hot water – we used the hottest water from our tap. Stir the ingredients together to combine.
- Quickly (and carefully) pipe a thick ring of hot glue around the interior of the mason jar lid. Secure the lid to the mason jar – you will need to work fast, before the hot glue sets. Tighten the lid as tight as you can. Let sit for a few minutes, so that the hot glue can dry and harden.
- Turn your snow globe over and test for any water leaks. We had a couple of little drips, so I piped an additional ring of hot glue around the base of the lid, as well as another ring around the top (where the two lid components come together). Again, let the hot glue harden.
- And now, your DIY Snow Globe Sensory Bottle is complete! Give it a good shake and watch the snow come falling down!
Note: Since this jar is made of glass, I would suggest that it be played with on a carpeted area, with adult supervision.Β
Our little nugget is obsessed with her brand new snow globe! She’s been shaking it for days. π She loves watching all of the glitter and confetti fall around the cute little snowman in the middle. The snowman came in a pack of ten winter/Christmas figurines that we found at Target, prior to the holidays. If you can’t find them there, you might try the Dollar Store (Amazon has a selection of winter figurines too).
If you’re looking for some more fun, wintry sensory bottles…make sure to check out our Blue Glitter Glue Sensory Bottle and our Starry Night Sensory Bottle!
