My little guy is in love with snow, but with a baby under one in the house, long snowy days outside weren’t happening. So we brought the snow inside.
This fake snow is made from the gel inside diapers and cold water. It’s wet, cold and moldable, and it won’t melt. Plus it’s a fun absorbency experiment.
How to Make Fake Snow
Winter Play Dough Task Cards
Get the printable3 to 4 clean disposable diapers
Cold water
A sink or large bin
Toys like trucks and snowman pieces
Soak the diapers
Lay clean diapers in a plugged sink or bin and cover them with cold water.
Experiment
Set one diaper aside and have kids pour in cups of water to see how much it holds.
Cut them open
Once the diapers are full, cut them open and scoop the gel into a bin.
Play
Build snowmen, castles and roads for trucks.
Safety note
The gel isn’t for eating, so this is for kids past the mouthing stage. Keep it away from eyes and wash hands after. When you’re done, seal it in a bag and throw it in the trash. Don’t pour it down the drain.
How Diaper Snow Works
Diapers have a powder inside called sodium polyacrylate. It can soak up hundreds of times its weight in water and turns into a cold, squishy gel.
That’s why one diaper can hold cup after cup of water. Ask kids to guess how many cups it will hold, then test it!
More winter sensory play
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Build snowmen and more with our winter building block mats.
Winter printables include
- Hands-on fine motor task cards
- Picture-based directions
- Instant PDF download, nothing is shipped
Perfect for
- Winter centers
- Preschool and kindergarten
- OT
- Indoor play days
Fake Snow FAQ
Soak clean diapers in cold water, then cut them open and scoop out the gel.
No. It stays wet and cold-feeling but won’t melt.
It isn’t for eating or for kids who mouth things. Wash hands after.
Seal it in a bag and put it in the trash, not down the drain.
More Winter Sensory Play
See all →
From families like yours
Did you try it? Tell us how it went!
We love seeing these activities out in the wild: the lumpy letters, the snack breaks, the proud “I made a B!” moments. Leave a star rating, tell other parents what worked (and what totally didn’t), and add a photo of your setup if you’d like.
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I wanted to add snow to my terrarium with tiny sheep and this is perfect! Thank you!! I kept seeing baking soda and water and it didn’t look realistic to me.