How to Create Snow Houses with Kids

Kids love helping to build a snow fort or castle.

Creating a snow house with children is a great way to bond and increase physical activity. Build a fort for the young adventurer or a castle for the snow princess. Kids love helping shovel and fill containers with snow and adding details and painting it. Building your house is only half the winter fun; the other half is playing in it afterwards. For more delight add tiki torches for light at night by driving the torches into the snow or fort. Neighbors can join the fun by building their own houses. Then shovel paths to each house creating a snow village.

Things You'll Need

• Snow
• Snow shovel
• Plastic containers: rectangular totes at least a foot deep and wide for bricks, trash cans for columns, Buckets for turrets
• Sand toys for details
• Snow paint optional

Instructions

Snow House Construction

1. 

   Perimeter Path

   Use the snow shovel to clear a path the width of your shovel to form a five foot square for your foundation. The path will serve as a channel to begin building your foundation in as well as marking the perimeter of the house. Mark the entry location at this time. A three foot entry is recommended.

2. Use a plastic trash can to outline where you plan to put columns. Turn it upside down and gently press it into the snow where you plan to place columns. Lift and clear the inside of the circle with the snow shovel. The house can be made of all columns or, a combination of snow blocks and columns or all snow blocks.

3. Place the trash can right side up adjacent to the outline of outside of house. Now fill with snow, packing it as it is filled. Once full, flip the trash can over onto cleared circle (this is easier with two people). Press on the outside of can to loosen then lift off. Repeat for each column desired.

4. Use plastic rectangular totes to make blocks of snow. Fill and pack totes with snow. Turn the totes upside down and press on the sides to loosen blocks of snow. Place blocks inside the perimeter path between the columns. Complete the lower row of snow blocks. Place the next row of blocks onto the top row that you just laid, making sure the joints do not line up. Repeat row after row of bricks until the desired height is reached. Do not lay blocks inside the marked entry. Snow houses can be made entirely of snow blocks if you choose.

5. Add details at this time. Buckets or sand pails can be filled with snow. Remember to press down on the snow in the container. They make nice turrets for castles or forts. Sand shovels and molds can be used to add decorative details to your house.

6. Paint your house if you so desire. If you choose to add color to your house use snow paint.

Tips & Warnings

• Loose snow can be used like mortar to help blocks stick together better, providing a more stable structure.

• Once you have built a basic snow house try something more adventurous for the next one(s) by varying the size and shape for a whole new look.

• Remember to take pictures.

• Do not put a roof on snow houses to avoid cave ins.

References

• Snow Fort
• Snow Castle