Paint and Peel Snowflakes

I love the way nature brings together unique, individual elements to create beauty. Have you ever looked at a fresh blanket of snow and thought about how its beauty was formed by the collection of distinct and unique snowflakes? This concept really resonates with me when I think about the children I work with and how the beauty of their individuality shines through when they tap into their innate creativity. Children are driven to have fun, and when they are given the opportunity to create art freely, they find the courage to take creative risks in the most joyful of ways. Taking this all into account, I designed a project that harnesses all of these ideals that lead to individual beauty: paint and peel snowflakes. 

This project is simple, requiring only painter's tape and watercolors (and/or dot markers). Each attempt will yield a unique snowflake with a beautiful colored background. So, let your artist create a pile of snowflakes and their own blanket of snow.

Supplies

• Thick paper (cardstock or watercolor paper)

• Painters tape

• Watercolor paints, dot pens, or Crayons

I recommend using either cardstock or watercolor paper to ensure the paper does not curl when the paint is applied. 

Instructions

1. Using painter’s tape, create the shape of a snowflake on a piece of thick paper.  This can be as simple or complicated as you like. If your artist feels stumped, look up “simple snowflake drawing” in a search engine to not only get some ideas but also demonstrate to your artist that there are many different ways to make a snowflake.

2. Begin designing the snowflake using watercolor paint, dot markers, or crayons (or all of them!) by painting on the paper and over the tape. The more colors, the better! 

3. Once the paint is dry, peel away the tape to reveal the snowflake!

No two snowflakes are the same in nature, nor should they be in art. This project is forgiving and is perfect for children that like to color outside of the lines. It allows for lots of creative autonomy, whether that is with the shape, design, or color selection. So enjoy the creative process and get ready for big smiles from your artist when the tape is removed and you celebrate the beauty of each snowflake's uniqueness.