DIY Snow Figures & Sculptures
Snow sculpting: ideas for building snow forts, toy igloos, snowmen
Jan 8, 2007
Winter festivals help take our minds off the nip of Jack Frost. These popular outdoor celebrations feature elaborate ice and snow sculptures along with traditional winter activities such as skating, sliding, dogsled rides and horse carriage rides. Venues are often bathed in multi-coloured lights and twinkling fairy lights to take advantage of the crystal-like quality of ice.
In the spirit of the season, the following are suggestions for structures and sculptures your family can easily build to create your own winter wonderland.
Snow Forts, Snow Houses & Igloos
Children all over the world need no instruction on making a snowball or in making snow forts as protection in the ensuing snowball fight. Made of snow piled together in a ring or a wall, children instinctively know when to reinforce these with more snow – or their opponent’s snowballs – as the battle rages. Snow forts often double as snow houses after a truce has been signed.
You need a lot of packed snow and consistently sub-zero temperatures to make a real igloo. However, children can make a relatively safe toy igloo by piling snow in an igloo shape around a large rigid plastic tube or tub that’s been turned on its side.
Snowmen & Animals
The iconic snowman is built across many cultures in the world from piled up snowballs. Whether you favour the two-ball snowman or the svelte 3-ball version, the best ones are those with plenty of personality.
A carrot or tomato is almost indispensable for a nose, as are two pebbles for eyes. Arms made of branches are optional. Once this basic version is done, available household items will determine the final look of your snowman: bald, hatted, wigged, huddling in scarves, or looking forward to summer fun in the sun. Sunglasses and brooms are currently popular while pipes have fallen out of fashion. Make an entire snow family or snow pets.
Snow Sculpting
To prepare a block of snow for sculpting, you’ll need a shovel, a box or bucket, a large clear plastic bag and a scraper. Carefully line the container with the plastic bag (makes the snow block easier to remove). Shovel snow into the bag and tamp it down. Keep doing this until the container is packed full of snow. Turn the box upside down, peel off the plastic bag and you get a block of snow ready for sculpting with your scraper!
Or you could simply make a large pile of snow by shovelling, tamp it all down and start sculpting!
Snowman photo courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), USA.
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