Make Pom-Poms

This project was inspired by Be Amazing, written by Desmond is Amazing  @DesmondisAmazing and illustrated by Dylan Glynn @dylanglynn.mov. Be Amazing tells the history of Pride in the United States. The author, Desmond is Amazing, explains why Pride is important for everyone: "Pride is a feeling of honor and self-respect. It is the feeling of being worthwhile. It is having self-esteem." Pride is about being comfortable in ourselves in all the ways we stand out.
We have added Be Amazing to our Chill Zone Library. Find this book during your next visit for some Pride education and inspiration.
June is the official Pride Month every year. Be Amazing is our featured book in July because, although Pride month is over, we celebrate Pride 365 days a year! In this activity, we are using multicolored paper and upcycled plastic sheets to create pom-poms. Be your own cheerleader and cheer on others with this simple craft activity.

 

STEP 1 - Gather Your Materials

Tools

  • Scissors
  • Tape (Any kind works. We used packing tape and artist tape).

Making Materials

  • Colored papers (We used 5 different colors, 2 sheets of each)
  • Sheer plastic we found from clothes packaging

That's it! It's a simple list, but you can add to the list if there's another material you would like to add to your pom-poms. Consider thin materials like paper or plastic with exciting textures that could make the pom-poms look more full.

STEP 2 - Cut your materials into strips

This step is pretty simple. Cut the paper and plastic sheets into strips, vertically so they're long. Start by cutting one sheet of each color.  We recommend only cutting the strips for one pom-pom at a time so there won't be any confusion about how many strips go in each pom-pom.

We used, for one (1) pom-pom:

  • 5 sheets of paper of different colors
  • 2 plastic packaging bags

STEP 3 - Bind your strips into clusters

We stacked the strips into 5 small clusters, arranging the colors so that no two strips of the same color are next to each other. To bind a cluster, fold the bunch about half an inch, fold it over a second time, then tightly tape the folded over section.

Tape these 5 clusters into a full pom-pom! Try to tape them in different directions to look more full and dynamic when you wave them around. What other materials could you use to make a handle for your pom-pom? What materials could give fullness or wiggle to your pom-pom?

STEP 4 - Make the second pom-pom repeating the same steps

Pom-poms are more fun when you have a pair!

STEP 5 - Test your pom-poms, show your PRIDE!

How strong are your pom-poms? Are they staying intact as you wave them around? Have fun and dance around with them while listening to your favorite songs! These pom-poms are a product of your confidence and skills. Take pride in that. Use them to celebrate you!

ADULT HELPERS

Young makers will mostly need help organizing their strips of paper and staying motivated to do repetitive steps. Guide them as they go!

For any tips on how to use specific tools safely, visit our Youtube library for Tiny Techniques.

RESOURCES

Visit the Techniques tab in reDiscover Center's Pedagogy Resources  for more activity guides, access our Tiny Techniques videos, and get tips for working safely and efficiently with tools.

Once you have finished your pom-poms, share them with friends and family. Maybe you can inspire others to make pom-poms and show their Pride. If you want to share a picture on social media, make sure to tag @reDiscoverCtr. We love to see what you make!

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