This toddler-friendly edible igloo craft doubles as a yummy winter snack! No toothpicks, no choking hazards – just sticky, squishy, marshmallow fun that little hands can actually eat when they’re done.
You know how most marshmallow crafts involve toothpicks? And you know how toddlers and toothpicks are… not a great combo?
Yeah. We fixed that.
This edible marshmallow igloo snack uses peanut butter as the “glue” instead, which means the whole thing is 100% edible. Even the base is just half an apple. So when the building is done? Snack time. Everybody wins.
Here’s the other thing I love about this one: there’s literally no way to mess it up. You’re sticking marshmallows onto a sticky apple. That’s it.
My preschooler went absolutely ham on this craft, and honestly? Her chaotic marshmallow blob looked just as adorable as my carefully placed version. (Maybe more adorable. Don’t tell her I said that.)
How to Make the Edible Igloo Craft
Materials:
- A whole bunch of mini marshmallows (buy more than you think – some will mysteriously disappear)
- 1 apple
- Peanut butter
Got Allergies? No Problem.
Nut-free household? Swap the peanut butter for:
- Sunflower seed butter – Our go-to. Works great and tastes amazing.
- Cream cheese – A little less sticky, but still gets the job done.
- Soy nut butter – Another solid option.
Really, anything spreadable that your family can safely eat will work. Get creative!
Instructions:
1. Cut an apple in half and lay it flat side down on a plate. Slice off the bottom of the apple to create a flat surface.
Go ahead and core it now if your kiddo wants to eat the apple later. Future you will be grateful.
2. Hand your toddler a butter knife or spoon and let them go to town spreading peanut butter all over the rounded part of the apple.
Will it be even? Nope. Will there be peanut butter on the table? Probably. Will your child be extremely proud of themselves? Absolutely.
You just need it sticky enough to hold marshmallows. Perfection is not the goal here.
3. Let your little one press marshmallows all over the peanut butter-covered apple. Keep going until the whole thing is covered (except the flat part).
This is peak toddler activity territory. Soft marshmallows + sticky surface = pure sensory joy. No fine motor precision required. Just smoosh and stick.
Fair warning: some marshmallows may end up in mouths instead of on the apple. This is normal. Budget accordingly.
4. Build the entrance of the igloo with marshmallows and peanut butter. I suggest building the two walls of the igloo, then slowly and carefully adding the top, using peanut butter as glue to hold everything together.
But honestly? If your toddler has zero interest in architectural accuracy, skip this step entirely. The igloo looks cute either way, and nobody’s grading this.
Once your igloo is done, raid the toy bin for some arctic friends!
We couldn’t find any polar bears or penguins, so we grabbed a little white puppy and, obviously, Elsa and Anna. (The puppy fit perfectly inside the entrance. Heart. Melted.)
Scatter some extra marshmallows around as “snowballs” and suddenly you’ve got a whole winter scene. My kids set up an elaborate snowball fight storyline that lasted way longer than the actual craft. Win-win.
When playtime is over, your kiddo gets to demolish their creation and eat it. Apple slices + peanut butter is already a snack-time classic at our house, so mine were thrilled.
I quietly removed a few marshmallows before they dove in. Otherwise, we’d be peeling them off the ceiling by bedtime. You know your kid – adjust the sugar intake accordingly!
Final Thoughts on Making a Marshmallow Igloo Craft
The marshmallow igloo was a great STEM activity, especially for my preschooler, because you can’t really go wrong with sticking marshmallows on an apple. She had a lot of fun slathering on the peanut butter and then covering the apple with marshmallows.
I hope your kid enjoyed the yummy marshmallow igloo!
More Marshmallow Fun
If this edible igloo craft was a hit, your kids might also love: