# Pretend Snow Sensory Bin and Snowy Party-Hat Trees
> Fill a large tub with sparkly 'snow' made from Epsom salt and iridescent flakes, then let kids pour, bury and pretend with party-hat cones. Finish with a winter craft: roll glue-covered party hats in the snow to make snowy trees.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/sensory-activities-for-kids-winter-sensory-play-with-pretend-snow/
- Ages: 3–7 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: medium
- Time: prep 2 min, activity 30 min
- Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class
- Skills: sensory-exploration, pretend-play, pouring-and-scooping, fine-motor, art
- Cautions: ingestion-risk

## Materials (one batch)
- Epsom salt
- Iridescent snow flakes
- Cut-up tinsel garland (optional)
- 1 piece Large tub or sensory bin (household)
- Cone party hats
- White craft glue
- 1 piece Paintbrush (optional) (household)
- Acrylic sealer spray
- Shaving cream (optional)

## Substitutions
- Instead of iridescent flakes: Cut-up tinsel garland (The author says you could always use cut-up tinsel garland for sparkle.)
- Instead of glue: Shaving cream slathered over the party hats (Makes pretty snowy trees, but they don't last long because the foam dries off. A great process-oriented sensory art.)

## Safety
- Epsom salt is not food. Don't let kids eat it. It can sting eyes and small cuts, so keep hands away from faces and wash hands after play.
- Iridescent flakes and cut-up tinsel are small bits. Supervise closely and skip them for kids who still put things in their mouths.
- Adult only: use the acrylic sealer spray outdoors or in a well-ventilated area, away from children, and let the trees dry fully before kids handle them.
- Keep shaving cream away from eyes and mouths during the shaving cream tree variation.
- Sweep up spilled salt so nobody slips on hard floors.
- Supervise sensory play at all times.

## Before you start
- Pick a spot with at least a bit of sunlight coming through so the salt and flakes sparkle.

## Steps
1. Set out the Epsom salt, iridescent flakes, a large tub and party hats.
2. Fill the tub with Epsom salt.
3. Dump in the iridescent snow flakes (or cut-up tinsel) for sparkle.
4. Run your hands through the snow, then hide and bury your hands in it.
5. Scoop and pour the snow using the party hats as cones.
6. Fill a party hat to the top and pretend it's an ice cream cone with glitter sprinkles.
7. Pour the snow over a Christmas tree hat to make a snow waterfall.
8. For the craft, brush glue all over a party hat (green works best).
9. Roll the glued hat in the sparkly snow (Epsom salt + iridescent flakes).
10. Let the trees sit overnight. Then an adult seals the salt with acrylic spray.

## Tips
- Make sure you have at least a bit of sunlight coming through while doing this activity. The salt really does shine like diamonds.
- The salt is naturally cold, so it makes a wonderful sensory base for pretend snow.
- Follow the child's lead. I had only one simple activity in mind, but child-led play turned it into so many more.
- My 5-year-old usually gives simple pouring and scooping play a lukewarm response, so I was pleasantly surprised by her interest in this one.
- Green party hats are a better option for snowy trees.
- Shaving cream trees turn out really pretty, but they don't last long since the foam dries off. Enjoy them as process art.
- Mix shaving cream with Elmer's glue and it stays white and fluffy when it dries. Press construction paper cut-outs in while it's still wet and they'll stick. (from readers)

## FAQ
**What are iridescent flakes and where do I get them?** They're pretend snowflakes that add a bit of sparkle to the salt. The author points to the Amazon link in the post for the product description and an image. Cut-up tinsel garland works instead.
**Can I mix shaving cream with glue?** Yes. A reader says it stays white and fluffy when dry, and the author has made shaving cream puffy paint too.

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2013)

No play puts a smile on a kid's play like good old [**sensory activities**.](https://www.funlittles.com/category/sensory-bins/) Invite your kids with this 2 minute sensory activity set up that needs only 2 ingredients. It doesn't snow where we live and we have to go to the mountains to see real snow. We recently did that and the children had a big kick out of it and talked about it for a while after the trip. We saw our trip’s pictures together and decided that we need to bring in pretend snow to extend the fun. { Last year we enjoyed **[fake snow painting](https://www.funlittles.com/winter-activities-for-kids-fake-snow-painting/)** and an extension of that sensory activity - [**green goo dinosaur world**](https://www.funlittles.com/sensory-activities-green-goo-and-dinosaur-world/) along with a [**winter sensory bin**}](https://www.funlittles.com/christmas-tree-craft/) Here is what you will need for a fun snow sensory activity along with a cool ( get it? haha ok jokes are not my forte) winter craft . You can do this indoor with the all the comforts of a heater and warm cocoa. For the snow themed sensory activity you will need *( Amazon Links for your reference)*

- **[Epsom Salt](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000JJAVPQ/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[Iridescent Flakes](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004C1W1Z0/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[Cut-up tinsel garland](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009VMM0EW/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[Party Hats](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0076ZYYEA/?tag=blmemo-20)**

For the Winter craft ( making snowy trees)

- **[Glue](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000Q3KHCM/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[Party Hats](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0076ZYYEA/?tag=blmemo-20)**
- **[Shaving Cream](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001SGLDCO/?tag=blmemo-20)**

The funny thing the activity I had in mind was a simple one and I had only one. But it turned into so.many.more simply due to child-led play and right now we have 5 new play ideas on the same theme to keep you and us busy for a whole week. I set out Epsom salt,iridescent flakes and a large tub and had my 5 year old come check it out. As she got older she has had a lukewarm response towards simple sensory play with pouring and scooping. She adores small world play though. I was pleasantly surprised to see her interest in this type of simple play.

 We filled our tub with the salt { we enjoy creating with Epsom salt – check out our [**1 minute salt paint**](https://www.funlittles.com/art-activities-epsom-salt-painting/) and [**vinegar-free rainbow eruptions tray**](https://www.funlittles.com/science-experiments-kids-rainbow-lemon-eruptions/)} and she was very eager to dump the snow flakes. These pretend snowflakes are so pretty and really adds a tiny bit of sparkle to the sensory tub. You could always use cut-up tinsel garlands. The salt itself is naturally cold and provides for a wonderful sensory base.



It feels wonderful to just run your hands through it, hide your hands, bury hands and what not. The salt does really shine like diamonds. With the snow flakes in there, it was a visual treat. Make sure you have atleast a bit of sunlight coming through while doing this activity to enjoy its beauty.

 My intention was to make snow hats and I set our party hats. Before we could do the craft, my 5 year took a whole different route and just enjoyed and explored and turned this into a winter sensory activity.



She filled the party hats with Epsom salt and pretended them to be ice cream cones with “vanilla ice cream with glitter sprinkles”



Her favorite party was to pour the pretend snow and create a pretend “ snow water fall” She threw in our **Christmas tree hats** and make a snow fall actually snow pour.



Gorgeous right? and it's just Epsom Salt - I just can't get over how beautiful, shiny and sparkly the salt is. ( You will see the proof in our [**1 minute salt painting**](https://www.funlittles.com/art-activities-epsom-salt-painting/) post) Just plain old Epsom salt with pretend snow flakes turned out to be such wonderful sensory materials and this activity engaged her senses and kept her busy for a while

 On to the intended winter craft

- Apply Glue on the party hats ( green hats would be an better option)
- Roll them in sparkly snow ( Epsom salt + iridescent flakes )
- Let them sit over night
- Seal the salt with an acrylic spray



Few days earlier we had tried another way to make snowy trees with shaving cream



This was again a fantastic sensory activity kids would adore. Instead of glue and salt, have the kids slather shaving cream all over the party hats. They do turn out really pretty but obviously don’t last long since the foam dries off. But it is a great process oriented arty sensory play.



Come back again and see how we extended the play time. We have 5 Epsom salt posts coming up! Winter Fun is on.

[**Pom Pom Writing in our winter sensory bin**](https://www.funlittles.com/sensory-activities-kids-prewriting-pretend-snow/)

[**I-Spy Winter Sensory Tub**](https://www.funlittles.com/winter-sensory-bin-i-spy-sensory-game/)

**More [sensory activities for kids](https://www.funlittles.com/category/sensory-bins/) here**

**Pinterest inspiration for sensory activities**

**Pinterest inspiration for winter activities for kids here**