Cutting paper snowflakes is such a classic winter activity and fun for all ages! Figuring out how to fold the paper can be a little tricky, but it’s not hard at all once you know how. Here are some instructions for cutting and folding really awesome paper snowflakes!

Paper Snowflakes

This post was originally published in January 2014, but was updated on December 19, 2018.

So this past week, I decided that my kids should know how to make paper snowflakes. The weather was crummy and we had nothing better to do! One of them was resistant to the idea, and two of them thought it might be boring. And then all three of them discovered that cutting paper snowflakes is actually very fun and quite addicting! Gresham told me that he would help pay for more paper if only I would let him cut out unlimited snowflakes! I think he made more than 15. He was absolutely enamored with the whole process – the folding and cutting, and especially the unfolding. He even gave Grandma a complete demonstration when she came over.

Anyway, half a ream of paper and one ruined pair of scissors later (thankfully it was just one pair!), we have some awesome snowflake designs to show you!

How to Fold Six Sided Snowflakes

For a six sided snowflake, start with a square piece of paper. The easiest way to make it square is to fold over one large triangle.

Cut off the excess paper at the bottom. Keep the paper folded as a large triangle.

Then fold it again into a smaller triangle.

Next, turn your triangle so that the longest side is up. Fold over the right side by a third. You want it to be folded so that when you fold over the left side, the edges line up exactly.

Fold over the left third of the triangle.

Flip the paper over. Cut off the top so that you have a straight edge. (You’ll be able to cut along the paper edge that goes across the snowflake – you’ll see it once you flip it over.)

After you have cut a straight edge across the top, it’s time to cut out a design!

If you cut off the pointed tip, your snowflake will be open in the center. It takes a little bit of experimenting to figure out what cuts are required to make the shapes you want. You’ll get better and better at creating snowflakes the more you make!

Here is the finished snowflake! Unfolding is the most fun part. We were all amazed every time to see what design we would get!

Here’s another of my favorite six sided snowflakes:

How to fold four sided snowflakes:

Start with a square piece of paper. Fold it in half to make a rectangle.

How to Cut and Fold Awesome Paper Snowflakes

Fold it in half again to make a square.

How to Cut and Fold Awesome Paper Snowflakes

Fold the square in half to make a triangle. Then fold it in half again to make a smaller triangle.

How to Cut and Fold Awesome Paper Snowflakes

Cut out your design.

How to Cut and Fold Paper Snowflakes

Here is the finished snowflake! This one is probably our favorite.

How to Cut and Fold Awesome Paper Snowflakes

We also made several snowflakes by starting with a square, then folding it over into a triangle a total of four times.

Aidan’s best snowflake (age 10):

How to Cut and Fold Awesome Paper Snowflakes

Gresham’s best snowflake (age 7):

How to Cut and Fold Awesome Paper Snowflakes

Owen’s best snowflake (age 4.5):

How to Cut and Fold Awesome Paper Snowflakes

After all that cutting, we had a lot of vacuuming to do… But it was worth it! Happy, busy kids!

How to Cut and Fold Awesome Paper Snowflakes

Want more snowflake ideas?

Paper Snowflakes

13 Comments

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  1. Emma (My Little 3 and Me) Jan 12, 2014

    I've been having a snowflake making fest here with my boys too, my post is scheduled for tomorrow. Funny though as we always start with a circle not a square! I'll show them your way too as I'm sure they'll love the variation.

    Reply
  2. shannon morales Jan 12, 2014

    There is a reason I have never enjoyed making snowflakes. I think we got confused on the step where you fold each side into thirds. Then after I cut my design, it all fell apart when I opened it. Maybe we will keep trying.....
    I have just found your blog and am pouring over every post trying to get some ideas for my 3 boys.
    A curious question. My oldest is almost 10...can you recommend any good book series. He is a voracious reader but hard to find books to hold his interest...outside of Big Nate and Diary of Wimpy kid books...wanting him to move on to some more substance.....

    Reply
    1. Cindy Jan 2, 2015

      I am a librarian. Here are some suggestions.
      Peter and the Starcatcher Series, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson,
      Kingdom Keepers series by Ridley Pearson,
      Spirit Animals by Brandon Mull,
      39 Clues by different authors,
      Artimis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer.

      I hope this helps,

      Reply
    2. Becca Dec 3, 2015

      I would also recommend FableHaven by Brandon Mull! They are really fun books for his age group.

      Reply
    3. H Dec 17, 2015

      Love the snowflakes!
      To answer the 'books for a 10 y/o' question...

      A series my sons loved are by an author named Piet Prins. He was one of the most popular Dutch authors of children books. They are great for that age and a little older.

      Scout is a series of 7 books. They are about a boy (named Tom), his 2 friends, and his German Shepherd (named Scout) and the adventures they have and solving mysteries. The setting is Holland. The 1st one is during WW2, and then the others are after the war. Great series!

      All of these books can be found on Amazon. Read the reviews there, you won't be disappointed! I loved reading all the books aloud. They are hard to put down!

      Reply
    4. Margaret Jan 10, 2016

      We have ben reading a wonderful book series by Jenny L. Cote. I have been reading them aloud to my children aged 10, 8, 6, and 4. They are based on history and follow the adventures of a group of animals as they travel through time.

      Reply
  3. gentlediva4440.webnode.com Sep 4, 2014

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  4. kim t. Dec 15, 2015

    hmm. i'm a little slow here, how do you "fold each side in thirds" and get that swallow tail look? I just can't figure it out :(

    Reply
    1. Sarah Dec 18, 2015

      Fold both sides over to the center, but so that they overlap equally. I hope that helps! Maybe we should do a video!

      Reply
      1. Ruth Dec 30, 2015

        Nope. That doesn't help either. To " fold both sides over," I need to know which sides.
        Just not enough information. Help please.

        Reply
  5. Nefeli Sep 1, 2016

    Thats is so nice ! Not only for kids. For me as well ! I ll try this once the winter comes...and then on Decenmber,, I ll make tons of them :) thanks

    Reply
  6. Laura Dec 9, 2016

    Parchment paper is great too for the younger kids to cut, then we hang them in garlands over the windows! My girls 5 and 3 LOVE making them and the whole house is filled! ?

    Reply
  7. Amy Tarvin Dec 28, 2018

    https://share.icloud.com/photos/0v6HSV-GnCjeiB4XaMsXa3_jAhttps://share.icloud.com/photos/0v6HSV-GnCjeiB4XaMsXa3_jA

    Look what we finished! Just in time for?...Little Christmas!
    Thanks for the fun activity!

    Reply
  8. CAROLINE ELLIS Dec 18, 2019

    My younger kids have trouble cutting through the folded computer paper, so we use coffee filters!

    Reply
    1. Sarah Dec 18, 2019

      That's a great idea!

      Reply
  9. Kat Dec 3, 2020

    We take the coffee filter snow flakes and dip or paint the different parts in food colouring - the filter absorbs the colours and you end up with a “tie dye” snow flake- pretty!

    Reply
  10. Aimee Dec 8, 2020

    I use coffee filters to make snowflakes, you fold them in half, then in thirds and start cutting. Sometimes I fold them in half one last time, they make amazing snowflakes!

    Reply
  11. Heidi Dec 18, 2022

    Your visuals are soooo helpful! I love the multisided top - triangle folded version - -so pretty. Thank you. :)

    Reply
  12. Karen Dec 22, 2023

    We use coffee filters - They are round - no cutting paper size - Then fold triangles - You choose how many - No rules to follow - Makes BEAUTIFUL flakes -

    Reply
  13. Lisa Jan 4, 2024

    I read "The Story of Snow - The Science of Winter's Wonder" to my students every year when we are expecting our first snow, It is by Mark Cassino with John Nelson, Ph.D.

    Reply

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