Craft projects to keep kids busy on break

Cabin fever can set in pretty quickly when it's too cold to play outside and when the 960,000 channels on television are no longer enough. While the kids are home in the winter, try these craft activities that will feed their creative souls and offer opportunities for old-fashioned family time.

Snow globe

To create our wintry scene, we ordered a kit from Snowdomes.com. Several sizes are available — ours measures 5 ? inches tall and cost $21.95 plus shipping and handling. The kit includes the wooden base, the glass globe, a rubber stopper and "snow."

Supplies:

Snow dome and snow

Figures for the globe (Our miniature deer, manufactured by Hagen-Renaker, were found at Lone Star Antique Mall in Haltom City.)

Silicone sealant rated for aquariums, found at the hardware store

Distilled water

Rubbing alcohol

Liquid dish soap

1. As per the manufacturer's directions, thoroughly clean the globe and rubber stopper.

2. Next, using the silicone sealant, attach the figures and allow the adhesive to cure 24 hours.

3. Pour the snow particles into a towel and rinse them, then let them soak overnight.

4. Once the silicone has cured, fill the globe mostly full with distilled water and add the snow. (Note: The foam packing container that the globe came in was handy for holding the globe for these next several steps.) The directions say that a few drops of rubbing alcohol prevents bacterial growth and that a drop or two of liquid dish detergent helps the snow to settle more readily.

5. Carefully lower the stopper with the figurines into the globe. The stopper has a ridge around it that fits into a ridge in the neck of the glass globe. This part is best performed by an adult or older child.

6. Allow the globe to sit at least overnight so that all of the tiny air bubbles can escape up to the stopper. (The directions suggested a wait of several days, but we're all about instant gratification and found that overnight worked just fine.) It may be helpful to occasionally tap the sides of the globe to release any air bubbles from the snow or figurines.