I’m not a mom, but I have lots of friends who are always looking for great winter activities for kids once the snowfalls. They especially look for active, easy ones that don’t require tons of supervision. Well, this year I’m sharing with all my mommy pals this super-fun activity: snow painting. Yeah, that’s right, painting the snow! I can’t believe I’d never thought of this before now.
Snow painting is something that can keep kids busy when normally stuck indoors and they can enjoy this fun activity over and over again, all winter long – any time there’s a fresh coat of snow. Or, if you really want to get them to burn some energy, get them to churn over old snow to dig out fresh white snow beneath for another layer of painting fun.
Check the tutorial below for this super easy, low-budget snow-play activity for kids and adults.
Table of Contents
What You Will Need for Snow Painting
Before you get started, you’ll want to gather up your supplies. Thankfully, you’ll get everything easily and cheaply from the grocery store and dollar store – or you already have the supplies on hand.
- Food coloring
- Water
- Small clear spray bottles (1 per the desired color)
- Funnel (optional)
A Step-by-Step Guide For Making Your Snow Paint
Step one: Fill the Bottles
Fill up each water bottle with water until they’re about ¾ full. Use a funnel, if needed.
Step Two: Add Food Coloring
Next, add drops of food coloring into each spray bottle. For pale shades, add 2 or 3 drops. For darker, richer shades, drip in 4 to 6 drops or more.
Step Three: Swirl Together
After you drop some coloring in, swirl the water and coloring together to test the color opacity. If, for example, you’re working with red, you might notice that the water only turns a pale pink.
If the color isn’t rich enough for your taste, add more food coloring and swirl again. Repeat until the water looks about the right color.
Step Four: Cap the Bottles
Now, simply put the top on the spray bottles, making sure they’re securely shut (or you’ll have a giant mess on the way out the door!).
Step five: Paint to Your Heart’s Content
You’re ready to go out there and paint!
Pick a test spot to find out the range of the squirt bottles and spray each bottle a few times to see how far you need to be to get the right opacity of color on the snow. Then, pick your spot and paint away!
Step six: Mix Up the Colors
Finally, as the kids paint, let them see how the colors blend to create other colors. Or you can whip up a few bottles of different shades before you head out. Doing this is certainly a fun experiment for kids.
To make other shades:
- Equal parts blue and yellow for green
- Equal parts red and blue for purple
- Equal parts red and yellow for orange
- Equal parts yellow, red, and blue for brown
- 1 or 2 drops only of red for pink
Step seven: Jazz it Up with Glitter
If you really want some extra fun out there, add some tiny particle glitter for an extra dash of sparkle and shine. Just remember that glitter goes a long way, so don’t use much in any bottle.
Get Out There and Paint That Snow!
Just when you thought fun winter crafts was only an indoor activity, you now have another excuse to get out in the snow. It’s not snow angels or snow forts but now they can expand your winter themed creativity while making awesome snow art! And, heck, even if you’re like me and don’t have kids, this is still going to be a fun activity.
I’m thinking of inviting over all my childless friends for a special snow day activity, accompanied by hot cocoa and great tunes. After all, it’s important to get outside during the winter, even as grown-ups.
