Create a winter fairy garden and invite children to engage in small world imaginative play with this frozen winter wonderland. Pretend play allows children to flex their creative muscles and develop their imaginations.
This DIY winter fairy garden small world can provide hours of unlimited imaginary play for a young child.
Instructions for this frozen winter wonderland include DIY elements that can help children develop fine motor skills, stimulate the sensory system, and improve literacy skills.
Unlike most fairy garden ideas, this winter wonderland does not contain live plants or soil, instead, it contains twig winter trees and is filled with Epsom salt snow!
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Fairy Garden Winter Wonderland Small World Play
While some forms of imaginative play are larger than life, fairy gardens like this winter small world, are miniaturized versions. Dollhouses are probably one of the most well-known forms of small world imaginary play.
Like most fairy gardens, this fairy winter wonderland small world includes sensory play elements, fine motor activities, and can enhance literacy skills.
Our daughter spends hours playing with her tabletop fairy garden during the dark days of winter chittering and chattering away with her fairy friends.
Unlike most miniature gardens, this winter fairy garden does not require live plants or soil. Instead, invite children to decorate pony bead winter trees and play with the Epsom salt snow!
Epsom salts have a wonderful sensory quality to them. My daughter loves them so much I caught her playing with her bare feet in the tray one day!
Related: 8 Reasons I allow my Child to go Barefoot
Winter Fairy Garden Imaginative Play Supplies
- Wooden Tray – We used the tray that came with this wooden dough tools set. This wooden serving tray would also work well.
- White tea candle house, fairy house, or painted rock fairy houses
- Flameless candles (optional)
- Fairy Toys or DIY Winter Fairies, woodland animals, or Disney Frozen 2 Play Set
- Epsom salt
- Mixed blue pony beads
- Rhinestone pinecones (optional)
- Pruning shears
- Twigs and/or small branches
- Old Playdough (Use playdough that is old and getting dried out)
Related: How to Make a Fairy Garden
Related: Best Winter Art Projects for Kids
Fairy Winter Wonderland Small World Step by Step Directions
Most fairy gardens and small worlds look detailed and complex, however, they are surprisingly easy to put together.
This fairy winter wonderland is no exception. My daughter and I made this cute little winter fairy garden in less than 20 minutes.
There are several different types of toys or figurines that can be used with this winter wonderland small world; fairy toys, woodland animals, or Frozen movie figurines!
Follow the detailed step by step instructions written below, or, scroll down to print the basic directions.
Related: Beach Fairy Garden Ideas
Step 1 – Gather twigs or small bare branches
Collect twigs and/or small branches. Find bare branches and twigs that have limbs small enough in diameter to decorate with pony beads.
Step 2 – Trim bare branches to look like small winter trees
Use pruning shears to trim twigs and bare branches to look like small winter trees.
Related: Natural Materials for Pretend Play
Step 3 – Mold old playdough
Roll 2-4 cups of old playdough into a large fat worm the length of the wooden tray. Mold and press the playdough into the back of the tray lengthwise.
Related: Tree Stump Fairy Garden
Step 4 – Plant twig trees in the playdough
Invite children to place twigs trees into the playdough. This is a great activity for developing hand-eye coordination.
Step 5 – Fill the tray with Epsom salts
Epsom salts are a wonderful ingredient for sensory play. My daughter loved the Epsom salts in this winter fairy garden so much I caught her playing with her feet in the tray!
Step 6 – Invite children to decorate the twig winter trees with pony beads
This is an excellent fine motor activity that children can continue once the winter fairy garden is finished.
We keep a small bowl of mixed blue, white, and, clear pony beads near our fairy winter wonderland small world. The pony beads often end up in the snow where they look just as lovely.
Step 7 – Create a Winter Fairy Garden Scene
Place fairy toys, woodland animals, or Frozen movie figurines and a fairy house into the fairy winter wonderland small world.
Put a flameless tea candle into the fairy house if desired, or make fairy house painted rocks to include in your winter fairy garden DIY.
Step 8 – Invite children to play with winter fairy garden small world
This fairy winter wonderland small world is fun to put together and provides unlimited hours of pretend play.
It is also wonderful for developing fine motor skills, the sensory system, and literary skills.
Make one with your child that includes their favorite winter toys for even more fun!
How to Make a Winter Fairy Garden
Materials
- Wooden tray – We used the tray from this Wooden Dough Tools Set. A Wood Serving Tray would also work well.
- White tea candle house or painted rock fairy houses
- Flameless candles (optional)
- Fairies or DIY Winter fairies
- Epsom salt
- Mixed blue pony beads
- Rhinestone pinecones (optional)
- Pruning shears
- Twigs and/or small branches
- Old Playdough
Instructions
- Gather small twigs or bare branches for the winter fairy garden.
- Trim bare branches to look like small winter trees.
- Mold old playdough and place it in the back of the tray.
- Plant twig trees upright into the playdough.
- Fill the tray with Epsom salts.
- Invite children to decorate the twig trees with pony beads.
- Place the fairies and accessories to create a winter fairy garden scene.
Notes
More Fairy Garden Ideas
More Winter Activities
- Winter Solstice Celebration Ideas
- Best Winter Art Projects for Kids
- Winter Bucket List of Fun Activities
More DIY Toys for Kids
- Rainbow Colored Wooden Blocks
- DIY Waldorf Square
- Rainbow Peg Dolls
- Best Building Blocks for Kids
- Calm Down Sensory Bottles 1o1
- DIY Ringer Game
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