The “PuniPuni Snow Globe” is a popular handmade item perfect for winter crafts that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. It’s charming because you can create a snow-like world while enjoying the squishy texture by putting glitter and beads inside transparent bags or containers.
The transparent material reflects light beautifully, making it perfect for Christmas decorations and gifts. This article will introduce how to make PuniPuni Snow Globes, along with the necessary materials, tips for cute decorations, and safety points, all explained in an easy-to-understand way.
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How to Make “PuniPuni Snow Globes” at Home
This time, we’ll introduce how to make PuniPuni Snow Globes that are perfect for Christmas, arranged so you can easily enjoy making them at home. Unlike typical snow globes where you shake a water-filled bottle and watch, this “squishy type” is characterized by pressing or tracing the inside of the bag with your finger to enjoy the texture.
Just watching the glitter and beads flow slowly is soothing, and it can be enjoyed regardless of age. This article will focus on the basic method using resealable bags (zip bags), along with tips for choosing materials and techniques to finish safely.
What You’ll Need (Resealable Bag / Hair Gel / Glitter, Beads, Stickers)
PuniPuni Snow Globes can be made with items you have at home without buying any special tools. You just need to gather four types of materials: “bag, contents, decorations, and reinforcement.” All of these are easy to find at 100-yen shops or as household items. Below are the basic materials and useful tools to have.
Basic Materials
- Resealable transparent bag (thick type)
- Hair gel (clear and colorless) or laundry starch (PVA)
- Hair gel (clear and colorless) or laundry starch (PVA)
- Decorations (glitter, beads, sequins, waterproof stickers, etc.)
- For coloring (food coloring, water-based ink, etc.)
- Tape (waterproof vinyl tape, cloth tape)
Useful Tools to Have
- Funnel, measuring cup
- Tweezers
- Tray, wet wipes
Once you have these materials, you’re ready to start your “home snow globe workshop.” By choosing materials that are safe and easy to handle, even small children can create them with peace of mind.
How to Make (Add Contents → Remove Air → Seal and Reinforce → Decorate Edges)
The process of making PuniPuni Snow Globes is very simple, but by carefully following the steps, the finished product will look much better. The basic flow is four steps: “add contents → remove air → seal → decorate.” If you understand the key points, even small children can make them safely and enjoyably. Please refer to the following steps.
① Add the Gel
First, open the resealable bag and use a funnel to pour in the hair gel (or laundry starch). The amount should be a little less than half the bag. Be careful not to add too much as it will be difficult to close. The amount of gel changes the speed of movement, so aim for “moving a bit slowly.”
② Add Decorations
Next, add decorations such as glitter, beads, and sequins. Add small amounts at a time while checking the overall balance. Light materials (glitter, holographic) tend to float, while heavy materials (beads, small parts) tend to sink, so mixing them creates a three-dimensional effect. If adding character stickers, choose waterproof types for longer lasting.
③ Remove Air and Seal
It’s important to remove as much “air” as possible from inside the bag. Remaining air can sometimes cause bursting. Lightly press the surface of the gel while closing the zipper so that air doesn’t gather at the zipper part. After closing, press lightly with both hands to check for leaks.
④ Reinforce the Seal
Wrap the zipper part and bag edges with waterproof tape twice to secure firmly. Covering up to the corners helps prevent leaks and tears. Especially if children will be repeatedly pressing and playing with it, it’s safer to further reinforce the outside with cloth tape.
⑤ Decoration
As a finishing touch, decorate by attaching masking tape or ribbon to the bag edges. For a Christmas look, red, green, and gold color schemes are gorgeous. Adding stickers or a tag with your name makes it your own original work. Once completed, lightly press with your finger to enjoy the flow of glitter and the squishy texture.
Arrangement and Safety Tips (Thick Bags / Double Bags / Avoid Choking Hazards)
To safely enjoy PuniPuni Snow Globes for a long time, it’s important to consider safety aspects as well as visual creativity. First, choosing “thick and small” bags makes them less likely to tear and easier to handle.
Especially when making them with small children, doubling the bags provides extra peace of mind. For the parts inside, if making them for infants or young children, use small materials like beads sparingly and avoid parts smaller than 4cm in diameter that pose choking hazards.
Materials with sharp edges like sequins or metallic decorations can potentially injure fingertips, so avoid using them or keep them to a minimum. Also, when pressing or pinching the work, it’s important to communicate rules in advance such as “don’t bite hard” or “don’t pull,” and to play under adult supervision.
Furthermore, if you want to add lighting effects, it looks even more beautiful to enjoy them “for viewing” near light sources that don’t generate heat, such as LED tea lights. Avoid putting lights directly inside the bag or applying heat. By being safety-conscious while being creative, you can create works that are safe to play with for a long time.
When You Want to Make a Container Version (Mini Bottle for the “Shake and Watch” Type)
If you want to make a “shake and watch” type of snow globe instead of the “press and enjoy” type, a container version using mini bottles is also recommended. Use transparent plastic bottles or small condiment bottles that are lightweight and won’t break easily.
The basic ratio for contents is “water: laundry starch = 3:1” as a guideline, and if you add a bit more laundry starch, the glitter and beads will fall more slowly, allowing you to enjoy snow-like movements. When adding decorations, add them little by little while checking color balance, and the key is to pour quietly so air doesn’t enter.
If air bubbles remain, the appearance will look cloudy, so lightly poke with a bamboo skewer to remove them. After closing the lid, wrap the outside firmly all around with waterproof tape to prevent any potential leaks. When making with infants and toddlers, always choose containers that are “unbreakable even if dropped, in appropriate material and size.”
Avoid glass and use lightweight plastic bottles or PET materials. Even with a simple process, it becomes a handmade snow globe that shows a fantastical sparkle when held up to light.
How to Play and Arrangement Ideas
PuniPuni Snow Globes aren’t just for making—they’re sensory play items you can enjoy by “touching,” “watching,” and “holding up to light.” They can also serve as relaxation items during quiet time, and while playing, you can learn about differences in color, shape, and texture.
By adjusting how you play according to age, both at home and in childcare settings, they become items you can utilize for a long time. Here are three hints for play methods and arrangements.
Enjoying as Sensory Play (Pressing, Flowing, Swaying)
The greatest appeal of PuniPuni Snow Globes is the “viscous feeling” that flows slowly when pressed. It’s recommended to lightly press with your fingertips to observe the flow of glitter, or warm it with your palm to compare changes in movement.
When you lay it down or stand it up to change the angle, the way decorations sink and glitter dances changes, keeping children engaged. It’s also fun to line up two small containers and play “which one will fall faster?” It’s also useful as a “cool-down item” during times when concentration breaks easily or when you want to calm emotions.
Seasonal and Thematic Designs (Christmas / Spring / Ocean, etc.)
By just changing the materials inside, you can arrange them into works that match seasonal themes. In winter, use white, silver, and blue glitter for a “snow globe,” and in spring use pink and flower-shaped parts for a “cherry blossom dome.”
In summer, use blue gel and shell parts for an “ocean dome,” and in autumn use orange beads and leaf-shaped stickers for a “maple dome”—you can enjoy them year-round. During the Christmas season, adding trees, Santa, and star decorations greatly enhances the seasonal feeling and is perfect for interior decoration.
Just changing color combinations according to events stimulates children’s creative motivation.
Using for Gifts and Event Displays (Personalized, Using Light Effects)
Completed PuniPuni Snow Globes are also ideal for gifts and event displays. By simply writing names or messages on the outside of the resealable bag with a permanent marker, or decorating the frame with masking tape, they transform into original gifts.
When placed on LED tea lights or tree lights, they create a fantastical atmosphere with the light shining through. For childcare centers or home events, displaying works lined up as “everyone’s winter town” is also recommended. To create unity when displaying together, matching sizes and color tones makes them look more appealing.
By incorporating time to “enjoy viewing” the works, children’s sense of accomplishment and expressive abilities deepen further.
Storage, Maintenance, and Tips for Long-Lasting Enjoyment
PuniPuni Snow Globes can be made to last by how you handle them daily, not just making them once and being done. By checking the condition of the contents and the seal tightness of the bag, you can keep them in beautiful condition for several weeks to several months.
By understanding management points to prevent tearing and leaking, they can be utilized for a long time as safe toys you can play with repeatedly. Here are three tips for storage, maintenance, and preventing deterioration.
How to Handle After Playing (Storage Location, Wiping, Checking)
After playing, first lightly wipe surface moisture or gel with tissue or cloth. When placing directly on the floor or table, it’s safer to return them to a tray or sheet. Especially if you press the corners hard, the adhesive parts of the bag may loosen, so caregivers or parents should check by touching.
If the seal is lifting or too much air has entered, reinforce with tape. After use, place in a location away from direct sunlight, and in summer avoid high temperatures during storage to prevent damage. By making inspection a habit while playing, you can use them repeatedly with peace of mind.
Extending Preservation Period (Condition of Contents and Readjustment)
Over time, the gel or laundry starch inside may develop more air bubbles or become cloudy. In such cases, lightly knead the bag without opening it and mix the inside to restore appearance. If water starts separating, it’s recommended to add a small amount of gel to restore viscosity.
During storage, laying flat rather than standing upright distributes pressure evenly and prevents deterioration of the zipper part. During long periods of non-use, placing in sealed bags or containers helps prevent drying and dust, making it easier to maintain beautiful condition.
Tear and Leak Prevention and Safety Check Points
With prolonged use, bag corners and adhesive parts may wear down. If you feel even slight gel leakage or stickiness, immediately replace with a new bag. Reinforce by wrapping the outside of the zipper all around with vinyl tape, and applying rounded tape pieces to corners helps prevent tearing.
When toddlers handle them, confirm promises before playing such as “don’t bite” and “don’t press too hard” to cultivate safety awareness. By playing with regular inspections, they become snow globes that are safe to “touch and enjoy for a long time.” Adult attention to detail is the key to making works last longer.
Ways to Engage with Children and Expanding Learning
Making PuniPuni Snow Globes is not just a craft activity, but also time that deepens connections between parents, children, caregivers, and kids. By using the five senses—texture, color, and movement—it’s appealing that you can enjoy the process of children naturally developing observation and expressive skills.
Also, by thinking together during activities like “how can we make it flow more beautifully?” scientific perspectives and seeds of self-expression are nurtured. Here are three ways to engage that expand learning through play.
Prompts That Encourage Observation and Discovery (Nurturing Seeds of Scientific Thinking)
Rather than just finishing after making, asking “why does it move like this?” while playing expands children’s curiosity. For example, by verbalizing and sharing changes like “why does the glitter sink?” or “the movement became slower when we added more gel,” interest in natural science is born.
It’s also appealing about this play that phenomena like specific gravity, viscosity, and light reflection can be felt close at hand. In childcare or home learning, it’s also recommended to create observation notebooks, comparing “water-only version” and “extra gel version” with an experimental feeling.
Design Experience That Draws Out Creativity (Color, Shape, Story-Making)
The process of thinking about snow globe designs is an excellent opportunity to nurture children’s creativity. Not just selecting colors of glitter and beads, but working with themes like “I want to make a snowy forest” or “I want to put Santa inside” as if creating a story world enriches expression.
Lining up multiple bags to create series like “starry sky,” “ocean,” or “flower field” allows enjoying them like an art exhibition. Adults should take a supporting role that expands imagination with prompts like “what would happen if we add this color?” or “shall we hold it up to light?” When children can feel a story behind their works, their desire to express increases significantly.
Developing into Collaborative Creation and Exchange Activities (Presentations, Gifts, Exhibitions)
Creating a space to show each other’s completed works naturally generates communication among children. In nursery schools or classrooms, just opening a “everyone’s snow globe gallery” and lining up works on desks or shelves gives a sense of accomplishment.
At parent-child events, having parents pair with children to create, then holding an exchange session or photo time at the end also connects to sharing at home. Also, if displayed as “children’s winter works” at community events or seasonal exhibitions, it becomes a venue for presenting creative activities. The accumulation of experiences of creating, showing, and sharing gives children confidence and a sense of achievement.
Conclusion
PuniPuni Snow Globes are sensory play items that can be made with familiar materials and enjoyed by watching, touching, and feeling. By simply putting hair gel and glitter in transparent bags, children can create a “shimmering world” in their own hands.
The making process nurtures observation and creativity, and after completion it has relaxation effects and helps improve concentration—truly a craft that combines play and learning. Also, by changing colors and decorations according to seasons and themes, you can enjoy them as new works time and again.
By safely storing and maintaining them after playing, they can be cherished for a long time and can develop into displays and gifts. When adults and children work together, dialogue and discoveries through crafting are born, adding “small moments of wonder” to everyday life.
