Making a Snowman that Doesn't Melt

This activity was heavy on fun and light on education. It's simple, easy, quick, inexpensive, and a wonderful childhood keepsake. How's that for a crazy long list of adjectives?! Summary: This is a must-make craft!

Supplies:

Styrofoam ball

Black sequins

Sewing pins with black ends

Orange felt or foam

Big pom poms (2)

Pipe cleaner

Felt (optional)

Low-temp glue gun and glue sticks

Before we got started, we read Snowie Rolie. This clever piece of children's fiction sets the story of a beloved snowman made by children on a unusually cold day. When the weather starts to warm, they are frantic to find a way to keep their new friend from melting.

When we finished the story, I grabbed our supplies and my two boys made snowmen (well, their heads anyway). It's simple. Clip three to four inches from the end of a pipecleaner. Place a bend 1/4-inch from each of the ends. Poke it into the styrofoam on opposite sides of the ball. (NOTE: To use these as an ornament, leave some clearance between the top of the styrofoam ball and the pipecleaner.)

When both ends have been inserted in opposite sides of the ball, dab low-temp glue where you've inserted the ends and cover the glue with a big pom-pom. This is your snowman's ear muffs.

Now thread two black sequins onto black-headed sewing pins and insert each into the styrofoam ball for the snowman's eyes. (This is great fine-motor practice.) Cut a small skinny triangle for the snowman's nose; glue on. Lastly, add more sequins to the snowman in a crescent shape. This is your snowman's grin. :)

If you want to embellish more, add a scarf cut from felt around the base of the head.

Smile! You just made a new friend who will never melt ... except he (or she) may just melt your heart!