Barneblad: Winter snowflakes in your window

Brought to you by Lori Ann Reinhall

Photo: Pheskova / Shutterstock

There may be days this winter when you and your family simply cannot get outdoors to enjoy a winter wonderland and engage in sports and activities in the open air. Or perhaps you live in a climate with no winter at all, and winter sports means watching a televised event from far away. And then, you may just be looking for fun indoor activity on a winter’s day.

Well, I say, “Let it snow!” wherever you are. You can create your own winter atmosphere with custom-cut snowflakes made with just a few simple household items: paper (simple white printer paper will work, or you may want to use a shiny variety), a pair of scissors, a pen or pencil, and a ruler.

The art of papercutting has a long history in Scandinavia, so this project is also a wonderful lesson in Nordic arts and crafts. Did you know that the Danish storyteller Hans Christian Andersen was very skilled in cutting paper and that he used to tell stories while cutting out his designs? You might want to add a storytelling component to your snowflake project day, too. What could be more fun that reading Andersen’s famous tale The Snow Queen, or if you are into movies, you might want to plan on watching Disney’s Frozen again. It will certainly put you in a perfect wintertime mood.

The great thing about making paper winter snowflakes is that it is something that the entire family can do together. It is very easy to make a snowflake, but as you improve your skills, you can make more intricate varieties. Remember to vary your designs, for as in nature, no two snowflakes should be alike.

Once everything is ready, you can tape your snowflakes in a window to create the illusion of a snowy day.

So, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow, and have a wonderful winter’s day!

(Click the image below to enlarge.)

This article originally appeared in the January 2023 issue of The Norwegian American. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (206) 784-4617.