• Entertain children with creative and crafty snowflake projects.snowflake image by Nevena Kozekova from Fotolia.com
  
  Whether you need Christmas craft ideas or an assortment of seasonal projects for a holiday party or long winter vacation, sparkling snowflakes are a wonderful icon of the season. Use basic craft supplies such as card stock, pipe cleaners, beads and glitter to make snowflake-themed crafts that you can proudly display on a holiday tree, fireplace mantel or refrigerator.
  
  

Glittered Die Cuts

• Create simple glittered snowflakes to hang on a holiday tree, in a window or on a bulletin board. Provide the children with snowflake-shaped card stock die cuts sold at scrapbooking and craft stores. Let the children create outlines, designs or text on one side of each snowflake with white glue and sprinkle glitter over the wet glue. Tap the excess glitter back into the bottle. Use a handheld hole punch to make a hole at the top of the snowflake. Thread one end of a 6-inch piece of ribbon through the hole and tie the ends together to form a loop to hang on a tree branch or hook.
  
  

Beaded Wire

• Let older children design beaded snowflakes to nestle between the branches of your Christmas tree. Give each child four 5- to 7-inch-long blue or white pipe cleaners and an assortment of plastic or glass beads. Show the children how to place two of the pipe cleaners in the form of a plus sign and then twist them together so the pipe cleaners are "joined" in the center. Twist the two remaining pipe cleaners around the center, as well, to complete the snowflake shape with eight "legs."
  
  Provide an assortment of plastic or glass beads that the children can thread onto the "legs" of the snowflake, leaving 1 inch empty on the ends. Twist the ends into 1-inch coils or spirals so the beads won't slip off. Ensure the children working on this craft are past the stage of putting small objects into their mouths since the beads can pose a choking hazard.
  
  

Crayon Rubbings

• Let younger children use metallic or glitter-style crayons to create snowflake artwork to display on a refrigerator or bulletin board. Give each child one to three card stock snowflake die cuts or paper snowflakes that you've folded and cut by hand. Show the children how to arrange the snowflakes, place a piece of paper over the top and rub over the snowflakes with the side of a crayon to create pretty shaded pictures.
  
  

Decorated Candles

• Turn inexpensive pillar candles from the dollar store into embellished children's crafts for a holiday table centerpiece. Provide each child with a white or light blue 6- to 8-inch tall pillar candle. Let younger children adorn the sides of the candle with snowflake stickers. Allow older children to create snowflake designs or patterns with paint pens or glitter glue.