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The other day I got it in my head to make a glowing snow globe.  We love glowing sensory activities so much (you can find all of our glowing activities here!).  Not to mention, it seemed like it would be a fun twist on the traditional DIY snow globes.  The tricky part was that I didn't want just any glowing snow globe - I wanted one that looked good in normal light too so it was multifunctional.

DIY Glowing Snow Globe - quick and easy to make - and it functions just like a regular snow globe in normal light.  From Fun at Home with Kids
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First I tried a submersible LED light, but it wasn't bright enough.  I thought about glow sticks, but they don't last very long.

DIY Glowing Snow Globe - quick and easy to make - and it functions just like a regular snow globe in normal light.  From Fun at Home with Kids

I thought about using our Safe Glow Water, but it wouldn't look clear in normal light.  Our poor little snowman went through quite a few trials before I got it right: Flat Tonic Water with quinine.  It works a charm!  It's clear in daylight, but it glows SO brightly under a blacklight!

Making your own glowing snow globe is super easy.  The hardest part is that you probably don't have flat tonic water laying around (we are weird like that, ha!), so you may need to plan ahead there.  I'd say your tonic water should be open to air at room temperature for 2 days (tonic water is carbonated, so you want all the carbonation to leave before putting it in a jar.  Shaking a jar of highly carbonated liquid isn't going to end well for your floors.)

Next you will need an empty jar.  Any size will do (we even made a mini glowing snow globe out of an empty spice jar), so long as it has a water-tight lid.  Glue whatever waterproof items you want to the inside of the jar lid; I wanted to make something white so it would fluoresce under the blacklight.  I settled on making a snowman out of a white foam sheet (his orange nose is also foam) and permanent markers.   You will need to use a waterproof glue - we used hot glue because it was waterproof and really quick.


Add glitter, enough flat tonic water to fill it, and tighten the lid, and voila!  If you choose to use a glass container, please be sure you are supervising your child so there are no accidents with broken glass.


Bring it into a dark room with a blacklight to see it glow!

DIY Glowing Snow Globe - quick and easy to make - and it functions just like a regular snow globe in normal light.  From Fun at Home with Kids

If you enjoyed this, be sure to check out our other glowing activities!

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All activities here are activities I feel are safe for my own children.  As your child's parents/guardians, you will need to decide what you feel is safe for your family.  I always encourage contacting your child's pediatrician for guidance if you are not sure about the safety/age appropriateness of an activity. All activities on this blog are intended to be performed with adult supervision.  Appropriate and reasonable caution should be used when activities call for the use of materials that could potentially be harmful, such as scissors, or items that could present a choking risk (small items), or a drowning risk (water activities), and with introducing a new food/ingredient to a child (allergies).  Observe caution and safety at all times.  The author and blog disclaim liability for any damage, mishap, or injury that may occur from engaging in any of these activities on this blog.

Comments

  1. Awesome! If glycerine is added it helps the glitter fall through the water a bit slower. Funfun!

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    1. Oh cool! I didn't know that trick, Katie! We'll have to try that!

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    2. How much quinine?

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    3. So far as I know, all Tonic Waters with Quinine added have the same concentration. I'm not sure what the amount is though...

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  2. Wow, now i don't even know whats this tonic thing is, but I love it already:)
    Love the way it turned out!
    Veens

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  3. Neat! How long does the glow last?

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    1. Sort of forever. The quinine in the tonic water is what fluoresces, so as long as there is tonic water with quinine in the snow globe, it will glow under the blacklight!

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  4. Awesome! But... where did you find quinine? Can you buy it in any pharmacy?

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    1. We always get our Tonic Water at the grocery store, but you can also buy it online! Whichever is easiest. I get ours by the liter at the grocery and it's around $1.50. Hope that helps!

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    2. Thank you so much! I think my poor English got me in trouble here... I thought you mixed the tonic water with quinine! So sorry!

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    3. Oh no worries! Your English is great! It's a little confusing for sure. At least around here, tonic water nearly always comes with quinine (they add it for flavor). I think in rare cases you can find it without quinine, so I always add that it needs to contain quinine to glow. :)

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  5. This is so cool! My son would love one for his room.

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  6. My boys love making things like this! Glowing, water, glitter, AND shaking things up? They will have a ball. Thanks for sharing!

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  7. Will just flat tonic do or does it have to have quinine in it. We live up north so it isn't automatically in tonic water.

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    1. It has to have quinine - that is the chemical that fluoresces in the presence of the black light.

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  8. I Love all your projects!!!!

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  9. Does the foam last very long soaking in water? Or tonic? I would like to make these but will probably won't use tonic for some.

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    1. I don't know how many years it would last since I haven't tried experimenting with it, but my guess is that it would last several years. Hope that helps!

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  10. I can't wait to try these. I bought mini glass bottles with corks to make necklaces with for Christmas gifts. I was making mini snow globes for all of the females and kids in our family. Now I will be making them this way for an added effect. Thanks so much for this idea! My sister and I always come up with "table favors" for the Christmas dinner table and everyone always looks forward to seeing what new thing we made for them.
    This is just perfect!
    Marlene ~

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  11. I'm confused. Do you or don't you use quinine? It doesn't say when to add it. And where do you get it. And how much do you use? Thanks.

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    Replies
    1. You fill the whole bottle with tonic water that contains quinine.

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  12. Love this craft. Grandson too big now for crafting so I am going to make some for myself. Thank you for great idea.

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