Upcycled Indoor Snowball Fight Wood Crate

How to turn a small wood crate into a fun indoor snowball fight holder.

The upcycled crate is so cute to have on display on a coffee table tray, in a front entry, or under a tree for the holidays.



But this ole gal has the perfect hallway in mind to have some safe indoor fun with the grandkids. Sure, we could head outdoors for the real thing but it's way more fun feeling a little mischievous throwing some snowballs indoors!



How to turn a small natural wood crate into a fun indoor snowball fight holder Christmas and winter decor made with inexpensive dollar store finds.

Faux Snowball Wood Crate Makeover

When I found the small wooden crate at the thrift store this summer, my intention was to fill it with pumpkins for a fall centerpiece. But all that changed during a trip to the dollar store when I spotted a plastic container of indoor snowballs.



I couldn't get home fast enough to give that small wooden crate a festive makeover. I even had the little dollar store wooden sign waiting in my stash for just the right project.



How to turn a small unfinished wooden crate and a small wooden sign into a fun indoor snowball holder for winter and Christmas decor.

Pictured below is the designated hallway battle zone. There is no concern for anything getting broken here plus there are several doorways to duck into to dodge flying snowballs.



How to turn a small natural wood crate into a fun indoor snowball fight holder Christmas and winter decor made with inexpensive dollar store finds.

What You'll Need To Make It

As I mentioned earlier, everything to make this indoor snowball fight holder can be found at the dollar store, including the snowballs. If you can't find the wood crate at the dollar store, I've also seen them at Michaels.



A package of eleven soft and fluffy faux snowballs from the dollar store for an indoor snowball winter display or a fun indoor snowball fight.

This post contains affiliate links so you can see what products I used or recommend for this project. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from any qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!



Supply List

Small Wooden Crate
Indoor Snowballs
Small Wood Sign
Rustoleum Chalked Farmhouse Red Paint
White Paint
Aged Glaze
Mod Podge
Hot Glue Gun
Black Cricut Machine Vinyl (optional)



In the supply list, I mention you'll need black vinyl for a Cricut Machine. Don't worry if you don't have one, I'll be sharing another option for making the snowball fight sign as well.



Here's How I Made It

First I untied one end of each twine rope handle and set them aside for later. Next, I painted the crate with just one coat of Farmhouse Red Rustoleum Ultra-Matte Paint.



Small wooden crate from the thrift store painted a festive farmhouse red.

To give the red-painted wood crate an aged patina, I brushed some brown glaze over the paint and immediately wiped it back with a lint-free rag.



Then I went back in with my brush and added a little more glaze along the edges, blending it in toward the center. You can see the difference between the glazed wooden slat and the painted ones in the photo below.



Give a red painted wooden crate an aged patina with brown glaze.

While the glaze was drying I painted the small wooden sign with two coats of white acrylic craft paint. While it was drying I designed the typography for the snowball fight sign in Cricut Design Space.



You'll notice I added some little mittens to the graphic later. I clicked the images tab on the left and searched for snowflake and mitten graphics to upload onto my design mat.



Screenshot of indoor snowball fight sign graphic in Cricut Design Space for cutting black vinyl.

Once the second coat of white paint was completely dry, I used transfer paper to apply the black vinyl to the front of the sign. You don't need to have a Cricut or Silhouette Machine for the sign typography.



Alternatively, create the snowball fight typography in Microsoft Word, PicMonkey, or other software and use this image transfer technique or this glossy paper image transfer technique to add it to the front of the sign.



Next, I brushed two thin coats of Mod Podge over the sign. You don't necessarily have to do this to protect the vinyl, you'll see why I did in the next step.



Protecting indoor snowball fight vinyl on small wooden sign.

The dark black glossy vinyl stands out like a sore thumb and takes away from the vintage vibe I'm going for with the snowball holder. To remedy that I brushed a thin layer of white acrylic craft paint over the sign.



How to give glossy vinyl on snowball fight sign a distressed look with white acrylic craft paint.

Next, I wrapped tape around the ends of the twine rope handles and fed them back through the crate, and retied the knots.



Reattaching twine rope handles on completed indoor snowball fight wood crate.

To hang the snowball fight sign on the front of the festive wood crate, I put a dab of hot glue on the inside to hold the twine rope. Then I added another dab behind the sign to keep it from moving.



Last but not least, I filled the indoor snowball holder with fluffy faux snowballs. Now I wait patiently for my grandkid's next visit to surprise them.



I have a feeling this is going to be a big hit with our young and young-at-heart visitors. And yes, I'll be right in there with them!



How to turn a small natural wood crate into a fun indoor snowball fight holder Christmas and winter decor made with inexpensive dollar store finds.

Here's another fun idea to enjoy with guests during the holidays. This good, clean, wholesome handmade ice breaker game is great fun for everyone young and old. It helps break that awkward silence when not everyone knows each other at your holiday gatherings.



Thanks for stopping by the Interior Frugalista today! I hope this has inspired you to take a trip to the dollar store for the supplies to make your own festive indoor snowball fight wood crate.



Almost all of our DIY ideas have step-by-step tutorials so why not get your budget DIY on and subscribe. You can also find us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.



If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section below or the Contact Me tab at the top to drop me an email. I love hearing from you!



If you enjoyed this indoor snowball fight Christmas and winter decor idea, I'd be so thankful if you shared it with a friend and pinned it to your favorite board on Pinterest.




How to turn a small natural wood crate into a fun indoor snowball fight holder Christmas and winter decor made with inexpensive dollar store finds. #upcycledwoodcrate #christmascrate #indoorsnowballfight

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Comments

  1. Replies
    1. Thank you! I found the throw last year at HomeSense, Canadian counterpart of HomeGoods.

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  2. I love this Marie...more than real snow for sure! haha!

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    1. Thanks Kim! The older I get the less I like the cold so an indoor snowball fight is right up my alley. LOL

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  3. How cute! And great minds...I've been crocheting snowballs for my nephew as a Christmas gift. They whip up so fast! Love your crate, Marie.

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    Replies
    1. Crochet snowballs, even softer! Thanks for the snowball crate love, Larissa. 🙂

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  4. This is too adorable and how fun. Happy Sunday sweet friend. xoxo Kris

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    1. The grandkids are coming over today and I can't wait for our first indoor snowball fight. LOL Wishing you a lovely Sunday as well. Also wishing you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving this week! xoxo

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  5. This is so fun, Marie and I love how you created it. No doubt you and your grandkids will love it!

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    1. Thank you Beverly! We had our first indoor snowball fight on the weekend and they had a blast. I was finding missing snowballs for days afterwards. LOL

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  6. How did I not know there were faux snowballs to buy?! Glad I tuned in because I want them! What an adorable winter vignette Marie! This is a genius project that is truly one-of-a-kind. Proud to feature it!

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    1. Thank you so much for the feature, Donna! Yes, head over to Dollarama to get the snowballs. We had our first indoor snowball fight with the grandkids last weekend and they had a blast. I was finding stray snowballs all week. LOL

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  7. Faux snowballs?? I had no idea they were even available!! Such a cute crate and I know your grands will love it! Pinned😊

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    1. Either did I Cindy so you can imagine the happy dance I did in the middle of the dollar store aisle when I saw them. I wish I had bought two containers because after the first indoor snowball fight with the grands, I was searching for stray snowballs for a week! LOL

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  8. So adorable Marie! I bet the grandkids had so much fun! Grandmas always have the best ideas but when Grandma is YOU, she also knows how to put it altogether! That crate is too cute! Thanks for the inspiration and have a great week! Pinned!

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    Replies
    1. The grandkids had a blast with their first indoor snowball fight and looking forward to many more over the holidays. Thank you for your sweet comments, Denise, and for the pin! xo

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  9. Wait!! What!!! You get fake snowballs!!!! Day made :D I have to see if they'll ship to S Africa. I can just imagine how cool it would be to have a snowball fight this Christmas. And you've created the perfect spot and crate for them too, Marie.

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    Replies
    1. Absolutely perfect snowball fun for you in S Africa! We have had so much fun with these silly snowballs. The grandkids cannot resist a good snowball fight every time they visit.

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