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These simple, homemade icicles are sure to be a hit in your house this winter as kids learn about how ice and snow form!

Sparkly icicles make pretty winter window decorations! These homemade icicles are simple crafts for kids of all ages to make at home, in the classroom, or for a project. Make these DIY icicle ornaments for your home or to gift to loved ones during the cold and long winter months. Take a look at how simple these winter activities are to create.

How to Homemade Icicles Video:

Materials Needed for Homemade Icicles

You just need a few craft supplies from the store to get started. You most likely have these items lying around if your kids love to craft as much as mine do. The only thing I had to go buy was glitter because we were all out. I know some people don’t enjoy working with glitter, but I love it! A little mess is okay when it comes to crafting with kids!

Light purple, light blue, and white cardstock – or colors of your choice! *
Glitter, we love this glitter! You can also find glitter at Walmart and some Dollar Stores **
Thin white ribbon (1/4 inch thick)
Elmers Glue (white glue or clear works fine)
FREE Icicle shape template

* For this project, you definitely want cardstock instead of construction paper because the glue will make the construction paper too flimsy to work with.

**Instead of using glitter, you can also use Epsom salts. They may not sparkle quite as much, but they do just about the same thing. Hang them around your house for a nice wintery feel. Use this activity to make colorful and iconic icicles for decorations.

How to Make Homemade Icicles

To make your icicles, ensure you have a clean working surface and something laid down to catch any excess glue or glitter. When you are done, you will be able to clean up much easier if a tarp, cloth, or large piece of paper is under everything.

Start by cutting out your FREE icicle template pieces. Use them to trace and cut out icicles.
Once they are cut, fold them accordion style and stretch them back out. They won’t look so accordion-like, but you will still be able to see the dimension the folds added.
Lightly paint your icicle with liquid glue.
While wet, sprinkle the icicle with glitter. Let dry.
Use a hole punch to add a hole to the top of the icicle and thread the ribbon through it. Tie a knot to keep the ribbon together.

I like to lay them out to dry on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper or wax paper.

When sprinkling on your glue, lay a paper towel, a sheet of paper, or paper plate under your work area to catch extra glitter. You can then use that same glitter on more icicles, put it back into your container, or dispose of it with less mess.

If you don’t want to use ribbon, try using a fishing line as a hanger instead. These look amazing hanging in windows with the light sparkling off of them. I like to make a variety of smaller and larger icicles to make it more realistic.

Books About How Ice and Snow Forms

As you make your own icicles, try reading some informational texts to your kids. They will learn about how snow and ice form outside and make their own cute icicle craft. Here are some great books that illustrate how water freezes to make snow and ice.

The Story of Snow: The Science of Winters’ Wonder by Jon Nelson: This is a fantastically illustrated book that shows kids how snow forms. The pictures do a great job of illustrating the process of both freezing and melting throughout different types of weather.
Curious About Snow by Gina Shaw: This book lists facts about snow using Smithsonian’s famous Wilson Bentley snowflake photos. It’s a very cool book to look at snowflakes up close.
Ice Boy by David Ezra Stein: Join this cute ice cube on his adventure. Learn what happens to an ice cube in different temperatures in a fun way. While this story is fictional, it still shows kids how real icicles are made.
The Boy Who Invented the Popsicle by Anne Renaud: Frank Epperson is a curious boy and through his curiosities, he learns about liquid freezing! This turns into the beloved popsicle. Kids will enjoy reading this sweet story about a simple experiment.

If you are looking for a similar craft, try making my Borax Crystals to hang in the windows. Instead of making them into start shapes, bend pipe cleaners into fun snowflake shapes to make glittery ornaments for the windows. Add it to this month’s simple science experiment projects for a great activity for kids of all ages. Kids love science activities like this one.

You will also love these DIY Snow Globe Crafts for Kids and Adults. Try this one as well. If this is your first time on my site, be sure to check out all of my winter and holiday crafts for kids.