DIY Arts and Crafts: Pom Pom Critters

It's the holidays and we're all doing our best to avoid as much screen time as possible, which is where arts and crafts come in - a fun way to explore their creativity and engage in hands-on activities. Setting up an at home DIY arts and crafts station is an amazing way to foster creativity, enhance fine motor skills, and provide a sense of accomplishment. 

We'll be sharing some DIY arts and crafts over the coming weeks, starting today with a fun and simple DIY craft activity that you can do at home with your kids: making colorful and whimsical Pom-Pom Critters. So gather your materials, get crafty, and watch your child's imagination soar!

DIY Pom-Pom Critters

Materials Needed:

• Assorted colorful yarn

• Scissors

• Googly eyes

• Craft glue or a hot glue gun (with adult supervision)

• Felt sheets (various colors)

• Pipe cleaners

• Small pom-poms (for noses and feet)

• Cardboard (for making pom-pom templates)

Instructions:

• Create Pom-Pom Templates:

  • Cut two cardboard circles (about 3-4 inches in diameter) with a smaller circle (about 1 inch) cut out in the center. These will be your pom-pom makers.

• Make the Pom-Poms:

  • Place the two cardboard circles together.

  • Wrap yarn around the rings, threading it through the center hole and around the outside edge. Continue wrapping until the cardboard ring is fully covered and the hole in the center is almost closed.

  • Carefully cut the yarn along the outer edge of the cardboard rings, inserting the scissors between the two cardboard pieces.

  • Once all the yarn is cut, tie a piece of yarn tightly around the middle, between the two cardboard rings.

  • Remove the cardboard rings, fluff the yarn, and trim the pom-pom to make it even.

• Add Eyes and Noses:

  • Glue googly eyes onto the pom-pom to create the critter’s face.

  • Attach a small pom-pom to serve as the nose.

• Create Ears, Feet, and Other Features:

  • Cut out shapes from the felt sheets to make ears, feet, wings, or any other features your critter might have.

  • Attach these felt pieces to the pom-pom using craft glue.

• Add Legs and Antennae:

  • Use pipe cleaners to create legs, antennae, or tails. Simply twist and shape them as needed and glue them onto the pom-pom.

• Personalize Your Critters:

  • Let your child’s imagination run wild! They can add patterns to the felt, use different yarn colors, or create accessories for their critters.

• Final Touches:

Once the glue is dry, your pom-pom critters are ready to play! These adorable little creatures can be used for imaginative play, as decoration, or even as gifts.