Make A Sugar Cube Igloo Village With The Kids

If the kids are on Christmas break chances are you are trying to think of creative things to do to keep them busy. One project that they are sure to enjoy is making their own sugar cube igloo.  Not only is this a fun craft for the holidays, it is also another great cheap Christmas decorating idea.

A sugar cube igloo fairly easy to make.  In fact, even young children can make them, with a little bit of help.  Here’s what you need:

* Cardboard cut out into different size circles.  If you plan to make several igloss you can cut them in different sizes.   A seven inch circle is a good size to start with.
* Several boxes of sugar cubes, depending upon how many igloos you plan on making.
* Vanilla frosting to use as the mortar.  (You can use also use two egg whites mixed with one teaspoon of cream of tartar and ¼ cup shortening.  Make sure children don’t eat it, however, since the egg whites are raw.)
* Toy trees, plastic animals and other holiday figurines for decorating.

Spread a thin layer of frosting along the edge of your circle to act as the base for the first level of sugar cubes.  Place a layer of sugar cubes on the frosting to create the base row.  Be sure to leave an opening of at least two sugar cubes for a larger igloo.

Have frosting/mortar available for the children to dip their next layer of sugar cubes into.  Place the cubes, one layer at at time, moving the cubes in slightly to reduce the size of each layer.  Stagger the sugar cubes much like a brick layer would lay bricks.  Start on the left and then go to the right, alternating cubes on each side, so you can leave space to place them evenly.  Leave the opening until the fourth layer.  After that point you take the sugar cubes all the way around the circle.

For each sugar cube igloo, continue to build each layer of sugar cubes onto the previous layer until it takes shape.  Then go back and create the arch for the doorway.  If you can’t create a complete dome similar to what an igloo would look like, take the sides up as far as you can and then create a roof for the top.

After the sugar cube igloo has had time to dry completely, sprinkle sugar on it to resemble snow.  Put the igloo on another piece of cardboard. Place tabs of frosting on the cardboard to act as glue for the various figurines.   Add decorations – penguins, polar bears,trees, or whatever you’d like – to complete the scene.  You can also use dried, shredded coconut to cover the cardboard for snow.

Remember to keep your sugar cube igloo decoration away from a direct heat source as it may make the frosting melt.  If you create more than one igloo, you can set up your own sugar cube igloo village.  Place small toys of Santa Claus, reindeer and  elves in the village if you want to include them in the scene.