Ready-for-Winter Paper Snowflakes

I am so excited for winter! Aren't you?

Let's spur on some snow with some awesome paper snowflakes to hang in your windows. I am sure you know that every snowflake is different. That's sort of amazing, given how many individual snowflakes make up just one snow-covered branch. Millions of 'em, and no two are alike! That's nuts.

BUT did you also know that every snowflake has six sides? Here's how you can make lovely six-sided snowflakes, just like the real ones. But warmer.

Now remember, this is something you can do in your car while you're waiting in the carpool line. Sometimes, I will adjust directions slightly to accommodate this setup. Today, I am taking pictures inside my house instead of in the car, because I forgot to bring things with me, so I'd appreciate it if you could play along and pretend that my car is made of oak.

Materials on hand:

Paper squares - any size

Sharp scissors

Bowl

Step 1

Fold your paper square in half, diagonally, so you wind up with a triangle:

Step 2

Fold your triangle in half, perpendicular to its base (and you thought you would not use geometry after 9th grade!), then unfold it, leaving the fold mark:

Step 3

This one takes a little guesswork. You're going to take one side and fold it inward, from the bottom of that fold mark you just made, to about 2/3 up the side. This might make more sense with a picture:

Then do the same with the other side:

Turn your head to the side so that it looks like the point is on the bottom...

Step 4

Fold along that vertical fold line again. You'll wind up with this:

Step 5

Trim the top extra bits off, at an angle:

Here's where the bowl comes into play: let the trimmings fall into the bowl, on your lap. If you skip the bowl, you'll wind up with paper bits all over the car, and I don't want you coming after me with those sharp scissors.

Step 6

Around the edges of the triangle, trim little bits and shapes - lines, hearts, diamonds, arrows, little people holding hands like paper dolls, etc. There's really no wrong way to do this! Let all of the little trim bits fall into the bowl.

Step 7

Unfold, and WA-LA! A snowflake!

If you really want to go for it, gently iron on super low heat to make them nice and flat. Not recommended for in-the-car crafters.

Tape into your (house) windows, and get the shovel ready!

Kid-ability:

I am going to say that a 3+ year-old will like to unfold what you've made; a 5-year-old will like to cut it and unfold it; probably 7+ will be able to do the whole shebang.