Paper snowflakes
A square of paper folded into a triangle, a few snips, and unfold: a one-of-a-kind snowflake to stick on windows or hang from the ceiling.
Age : age 5+; the grown-up helps with thick folds
Materials
- Thin paper: printer paper, tracing paper, coffee filters : The thinner, the easier to cut when folded.
- Pointed scissors for the grown-up, round-tipped for the child
- A pencil : To draw the cuts before cutting.
- Thread or sticky tack : To hang or stick.
Steps
Fold
- Start with a square: fold an A4 sheet into a triangle and cut off the extra strip.
- Fold the square in half into a triangle, then in half again: you get a small triangle.
- For 6 points (like real snowflakes): fold the triangle in three, one side to the front and the other to the back, like a cone.
- Cut off the bottom point that sticks out, at an angle.
Cut and unfold
- Draw little shapes along the edges in pencil: triangles, half circles, zigzags.
- Cut them out without ever cutting all the way across from one edge to the other, or the snowflake falls apart.
- Unfold gently: surprise!
- Flatten the snowflake under a book for a few minutes, then hang it or stick it on the window.
Did you know? Every real snowflake has 6 arms, because the tiny water molecules link up into hexagons when they freeze. And people say no two snowflakes are ever the same.
Glue the snowflakes on dark blue paper for a winter picture, or thread them onto string for a garland.
If it goes wrong
- Impossible to cut, too thick : Thinner paper, or 4 arms instead of 6.
- Snowflake falls to pieces : Always leave part of the fold uncut.
- Snowflake stays crumpled : Put it under a book.
Safety
- Pointed scissors for the grown-up only; the child draws the cuts.