Cereal Box Winter Diorama

Wintertime means plenty of fun out playing in the snow! Sledding, building snowman, and even a friendly snowball fight can be a great way to spend an afternoon. Sometimes though, it’s just too cold to play outside, so here’s a fun activity that keeps you busy until the temps go up a bit!

For this diorama you will need:

1 empty cereal box
5 jumbo craft sticks
2 regular craft sticks
3 sheets white construction paper
1 sheet green construction paper
1/2 sheet yellow construction paper
2 long sheets craft styrofoam
White paint pen or white craft paint
Markers in various colors, including black
Glue stick
White craft glue
Hot glue gun (for parents to handle)

Unfold the cereal box. Remove the top and bottom tabs from the front panel of the box (this will be the floor/ground). Using the photo above as a guide, stand the box so that the front panel is lying down on the work surface, taping the sides back together so it stays up. From the section that is standing up (which will be one of the box sides), trim the top off completely (see photo).

From the standing section of the box, trim out a few curves (hills).

Trim the styrofoam sheets so that they fit on the ground/floor. Set aside for now.

Cover the floor of the box and side with white construction paper using a glue stick. Trace the curves from the backdrop onto white construction paper and use a green marker to draw some pine trees. Use a glue stick to attach to the backdrop of the diorama. Use white craft glue to attach the foam sheets to the floor of the diorama.

Cut two jumbo craft sticks in half.

Use a white paint pen or white craft paint to color two of the craft sticks for snowmen. Use markers to add hats, scarves, clothes and facial features to children and snowmen.

To make the deer, cut one-third off of a jumbo craft stick for the body. Create the neck by cutting another jumbo craft stick into a 3-inch length. The head should be cut from the round end of a craft stick. Use a small scrap piece for the ear. The legs are made by cutting two regular craft sticks in half. Before glueing the pieces together, follow the next step.

Color the pieces with tan or light brown marker. You can use a black marker to add a small nose and eye. It’s easiest to glue the deer pieces together using hot glue. A parent should assemble the deer. White craft glue can be used, but dry time will be longer.

For finishing touches, make some pine trees out of green construction paper and use craft stick scraps as trunks, pushing them into the styrofoam. Cut a circle from yellow construction paper to make the sun. Glue it to the back of the diorama. Insert the children and snowmen into the foam and finally, feed the deer by gluing down a few pieces of Kix cereal!

Amanda Formaro is a well-known craft expert and has been writing and crafting on the Internet for over fifteen years. Find out more on her blog, Crafts by Amanda, where she shares tutorials with step-by-step photos for adults and kids alike.