Pretend Snow

Make your own magical pretend “snow” with this easy 2-ingredient recipe. It’s moldable, feels cold to the touch, and is perfect for imaginative play!

pretend snow with polar bear figurine.

How to Make Fake Snow for Pretend Play

Living in Texas, we don’t always get REAL snow to play with. That’s why I’m so excited about this easy fake snow recipe!

All you need are 2 simple ingredients to make it! When you mix these two ingredients together, they create a texture just like real snow.

Even more amazingly, this creates a (safe) chemical reaction, causing the play snow to feel COLD to the touch just like real snow!

This play snow is moldable, you can even build little snowmen! It is about as close to the texture of real snow you can get!

If you’re looking for a simple winter themed snow sensory play activity, this will provide hours of fun!

It is also a great STEM activity for learning about chemical reactions and/or endothermic reactions!

mini snowman made from fake snow.

What is an Endothermic Reaction?

Endothermic reactions absorb heat from their surroundings as they occur. As a result, they draw heat away from the mixture (such as our play snow), making it feel cooler.

In this case: The chemical reaction is caused by the fatty acids in the shaving cream mixing with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). As described above, this reaction absorbs heat energy from its surroundings, causing the snow mixture to feel cool to the touch.

This sensory snow activity makes teaching about chemical reactions fun for kids!

Ingredients

For your convenience in creating this recipe, weโ€™ve included shop-able ad links to some of the products used; disclosure policy available here.

Supplies Used

Instructions

  1. Add both ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
  2. Use a spatula to stir.
  3. Continue stirring until the mixture has a texture like packed snow (this may take a few minutes).
  4. Finish mixing by hand. (You’ll know it’s ready when the snow sticks to itself, not so much to hands).
4 step photo collage showing how to make play snow.

Video Demo:

Prep Tips

  • Shaving Cream – We used white foam shaving cream for this artificial snow recipe. The brand doesn’t really matter, so you can by the cheap or generic kind of foam shaving cream. I’m not sure if gel shaving cream would have the same results, as I haven’t personally tried it.
  • Ingredient Amounts – You can easily double this recipe (or make larger batches). The ratio of baking soda to shaving cream is 1:1 so as long as you stay in that range, you can use 2 cups, 3 cups, etc.
  • Safety – Unlike real snow, this play snow is NOT edible or taste-safe. Always supervise children when making or playing with fake snow. As with any self-care products such as shaving cream, irritation may occur with sensitive skin or skin that has any cuts. Always wash hands thoroughly when done playing.
  • Storage – This fake snow can be stored in an airtight container for a couple days, so you can reuse it. After that, you’ll notice that it starts to dry out as it loses moisture.

Pretend Snow Recipe (Printable Recipe Card)

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a tray filled with fake snow for sensory play.
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How to Make Fake Snow with 2 Ingredients

Make your own magical pretend "snow" with this easy 2-ingredient recipe. It's moldable, feels cold to the touch, and is perfect for imaginative play!
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Keyword: kids activities, sensory play
Author: Stacey aka the Soccer Mom
Cost: $5

Equipment

  • Mixing bowl
  • Spatula

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Add both ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
  • Use a spatula to stir.
  • Continue stirring until the mixture has a texture like packed snow (this may take a few minutes).
  • Finish mixing by hand.

Video

Notes

Prep Tips
  • Shaving Cream – We used white foam shaving cream for this artificial snow recipe. I’m not sure if gel shaving cream would have the same results, as I haven’t personally tried it. The brand doesn’t really matter though, so you can by the cheap or generic kind of foam shaving cream.
  • Ingredient Amounts – You can easily double this recipe (or make larger batches). The ratio of baking soda to shaving cream is 1:1 so as long as you stay in that range, you can use 2 cups, 3 cups, etc.
  • Safety – Unlike real snow, this play snow is NOT edible or taste-safe. Always supervise children when making or playing with fake snow. As with any skin products such as shaving cream, irritation may occur with sensitive skin or skin that has any cuts. Always wash hands thoroughly when done playing.
  • Storage – This fake snow can be stored in an airtight container for a couple days, so you can reuse it. After that, you’ll notice that it starts to dry out as it loses moisture.

Pin our Fake Snow Recipe on Pinterest:

2-Ingredient Pretend Snow Pinterest Image.

You might also like these snow-themed sensory play and STEM activities:

Stack of blue and white balls of playdough, surrounded by instant snow.

Snow Dough Winter Playdough

snowstorm in a jar STEM activity

Blizzard in a Jar – Winter STEM Activity

Stacey aka the Soccer Mom
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