Pom-poms - Page 4 of 13

Noodle Notch Shelf Build

Steps:

Use the scissors to cut a pool noodle into pieces about as long as a ruler.
Hold the noodle piece firmly with your non-cutting hand.
Snip three or four horizontal slits into the side of the foam.
Squeeze the handles together to make sure the scissors cut deep enough.
Slide a wooden craft stick halfway into each of the new slits.
Make sure the sticks are tight so they act like tiny shelves.
Use your thumb and pointer finger to pick up a soft pom-pom.
Carefully place the pom-pom onto the flat end of a craft stick.
See if you can fill all the shelves without any falling off!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child when they are using scissors. Ensure the pom-poms are not placed in the mouth as they can be a choking hazard.

Heavy Anchor Cup Clip

Steps:

Use markers to decorate 4 or 5 paper cups. Draw colorful faces or stripes on the outside.
Place the heavy bean bag flat onto a stable surface like a table or the floor.
Ask your child to press down firmly on the bean bag with their helper hand to stabilize it.
Use the dominant hand to pick up a clothespin. Squeeze it open using a strong finger pinch.
Aim the open clothespin and clip one paper cup onto the side of the resistant bean bag. The bag should hold the cup securely.
Repeat the squeezing and clipping action until all the decorated cups are attached to the heavy anchor.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Clothespins and small pom-poms (if used) are small objects. They pose a potential choking hazard for children who still place items in their mouths.

Foam Spike Pom-Pom Insert

Steps:

Secure the foam sheet firmly onto a piece of construction paper using masking tape. This stabilizes the work surface.
Use a marker to draw 10 to 15 short, straight lines (these are your ‘spike’ targets) randomly across the foam sheet’s surface.
Challenge your child to hold the foam steady with their helper hand. Use child-safe scissors to snip along each drawn marker line. Squeezing through the resistant foam requires strong effort!
Pick up one pom-pom using a precise pincer grasp (thumb and pointer finger).
Carefully aim the soft pom-pom at one of the newly snipped slits. Use controlled force to push the pom-pom halfway into the slit, turning the foam into a colorful, spiky cushion.
Repeat this inserting action until the entire foam surface is covered in pom-pom ‘spikes’.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required when using scissors. Ensure that the child uses the scissors only for cutting the foam. Small pom-poms are used in this activity and pose a potential choking hazard for young children. Collect all small materials immediately after play.

Vertical Fuzzy Line Clip

Steps:

Adult Prep: Use markers to color 3 or 4 pipe cleaners and matching clothespins (e.g., green, blue, pink).
Adult Prep: Tightly stretch the pipe cleaners vertically across the container opening. Secure the ends firmly with tape or punch holes in the container rim to anchor the pipe cleaners.
Place the pom-poms and colorful clothespins nearby. Encourage your child to sit stably at the table.
Challenge your child to hold the container firmly steady with their helper hand to stabilize the ‘fence.’
Use the working hand to select a clothespin. Squeeze it open hard with a strong finger pinch.
Aim the clothespin and clip it onto the pipe cleaner line that matches its color. Now, clip a pom-pom onto the clothespin for decoration!

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. The small pom-poms and pipe cleaner pieces are choking hazards for children who still place objects in their mouths. Ensure all materials are collected immediately after play.

Paper Crumple Pin Push

Steps:

Tear the construction paper into small pieces. Encourage your child to crumple these pieces tightly into dense, hard balls using both hands.
Spread a thick layer of glue or use masking tape loops to secure the crumpled paper balls onto the cardboard base, covering the surface completely. Let it dry to create a resistant layer.
Place the finished board on a stable table. Hold the cardboard base firmly steady with your helper hand. This is important for proximal stability.
Pick up one Q-Tip using a neat pincer grasp (thumb and pointer finger). Aim the Q-Tip at the resistant paper layer.
Challenge your child to use a strong, controlled push to pierce the Q-Tip straight through the dense paper. Feel the heavy work input!
Repeat this pushing action until the entire board is filled with Q-Tip ‘pins.’
Use a precise pincer grasp to place a pom-pom onto the top of each Q-Tip stem for decoration.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Q-Tips and small pom-poms are choking hazards for children who still place objects in their mouths. Ensure materials are used only as intended and collected immediately after play.