What Do You Do With All Those Shark Teeth? Make a Beachy Shark Tooth Snow Globe!

If you’ve followed our family for any amount of time, you probably know we spend a lot of time hunting for fossilized shark teeth.

And there’s one question we get asked all the time:

What do you actually do with all of them?!

The short answer? We keep them.

We have jars of shark teeth. Bags of shark teeth. Favorite shark teeth that the kids absolutely know are theirs. Tiny teeth, giant teeth, perfect teeth and funny little broken teeth that still somehow made their way into someone’s pocket.

Every one feels like a tiny treasure.

So lately, I’ve been trying to come up with fun ways to actually use some of our finds...and this might be one of my favorites yet.

We made beachy shark tooth snow globes!

They’re easy, inexpensive and such a fun way to turn the little treasures you collect at the beach into something you can actually display.

And for us, these have an extra-special purpose: we’re taking ours to Spain.

We’ll be living there for almost three months this fall, and I loved the idea of bringing a tiny piece of our Florida home along with us. A few favorite shark teeth, a couple beloved shells and lots of sparkly blue water felt pretty perfect.

What You’ll Need

We kept this project really simple. You can find everything at Walmart, or you can order the supplies online.

Here’s what we used:

• Small Mason jars with lids

• Clear Elmer’s Glue

• Distilled water

• Glitter in different shades of blue and green

• Fossilized shark teeth

• Small seashells

• Clear silicone caulk

Making beach snow globes for our shark teeth was inexpensive and easy

Tip: This is the perfect project for using a few of those special finds your kids refuse to part with- but I’d probably skip your once-in-a-lifetime megalodon tooth. 😉

How to Make a Shark Tooth Snow Globe

First, we chose the treasures we wanted to put inside.

This might have been the hardest part.

We went through our shark teeth and picked several favorites, then added a couple of tiny shells we’ve collected during our beach adventures. I love that this makes every snow globe completely different. You’re not just adding decorations...you’re adding little memories from places you’ve explored together.

Next, we added about 2 tablespoons of clear Elmer’s Glue to the Mason jar.

The glue helps thicken the water just enough that the glitter floats and swirls instead of immediately dropping to the bottom.

Then we added our glitter.

We used a mix of blues and greens because I wanted ours to look like sparkly Gulf water, but you can absolutely have fun with this part. Add a little or a lot depending on how glittery you want your globe to be.

Next came the treasures!

We dropped our fossilized shark teeth and small seashells into the jar, then filled it with distilled water, leaving enough room at the top to close the jar without overflowing.

Before sealing everything permanently, put the lid on tightly and give your snow globe a gentle shake.

This is your chance to decide if you want more glitter, a little more water or another shark tooth inside.

Once we were happy with ours, we secured the lid and used silicone caulk around the outside edge of the lid to help create a watertight seal.

Let the silicone fully cure according to the instructions on your particular product before turning, shaking or handling the jar extensively.

And that’s it!

Shake it up and you have your own tiny, sparkly piece of the beach.

A Little Piece of Florida We're Taking to Spain

What started as a fun way to answer the question of “What should we do with all these shark teeth?” ended up becoming something a little more meaningful for us.

DIY shark teeth beach globes are an easy and fun family project

This fall, our family is heading to Spain for an extended stay.

We’re incredibly excited about everything we’re going to experience there, but Florida is still home. These beaches are where our kids have spent hours digging through sand, splashing in the Gulf and yelling, “I FOUND ONE!” every time a tiny black triangle appears in the sifter.

So we’re packing a couple of these little shark tooth snow globes in our suitcases.

They’re small enough to bring along, but they hold so many memories of home.

And I think that’s what I love most about this project.

It isn’t really about making a snow globe.

It’s about taking those tiny things your family finds on an ordinary adventure...the shark tooth your child was ridiculously proud of, the little shell they insisted on carrying home....and turning them into something you’ll actually keep.

You Don't Have to Be a Kid to Make One

This is definitely a fun family project, but it’s not just for kids.

A shark tooth snow globe would make such a cute beach-house decoration, vacation keepsake or handmade gift. You could make one with treasures from a favorite beach trip, create one for each child, or even add a little label with the beach and year where everything was collected.

And if you don't have shark teeth? Use whatever tiny treasures tell your story.

Shells, sea glass or other small beach finds could all work beautifully.

Just make sure anything you collect is legal to take from the beach or park you're visiting...and leave living shells and animals where you found them.

Want to Find Your Own Fossilized Shark Teeth?

If you’re looking at this thinking, Okay, but first I need the shark teeth… I can help with that too.

Shark tooth hunting has become one of our family’s favorite adventures, and we’ve spent countless hours figuring out where to look, what equipment actually helps and how to make it fun with kids.

Check out our shark tooth hunting guides for our favorite beaches, gear and tips for finding your own fossilized treasures.

Then bring a few favorites home, grab a Mason jar and make yourself a tiny piece of the beach.

Because apparently the answer to “What do you do with all those shark teeth?” is:

Make something that reminds you exactly where you found them.

About the author. Kate is a Florida-based mom of two and the writer behind SunshineFamGuide. She's been camping in the Keys for over 20 years, moved her family from Denver to Southwest Florida, and personally visits every park, beach, spring, and cruise she writes about...usually with two kids and a bucket of gear in tow.