Pom Pom Play
Pom pom play of all kinds is a toddler favorite, and it is so easy! Craft stores typically have a great variety of pom poms to choose from, but I usually get them on Amazon because they tend to be cheaper. The 1-inch pom poms are the perfect size for so many activities. I like keeping a few options in the house, such as these and these. When my daughter was younger, I bought giant pom poms. They would get covered in slobber, but there was no chance that they would ever get lodged in her throat! This activity can be done anywhere. I typically just lay out a small blanket and we sit on the floor.
Items needed for this activity:
Empty plastic water bottle
Steps:
To start, pick several pom poms of each color out of the bag and place the bag out of view of your toddler.
Announce the colors of each individual pom pom as you hand them off to your little one.
Show them how a pom pom fits into the water bottle and then hand them the water bottle. You might have to show them more than once. The first time that I attempted this activity with my daughter, she did not even bother with the water bottle. She squeezed the water bottle several times and pushed it aside. Later on, however, she found it wildly entertaining to place the pom poms into the bottle and shake it around.
Talk about the color, texture and size of the pom poms.
Hide a pom pom in your fist and see if they are able to guess which hand it is in. Use your imagination. They are improving their fine motor skills and seeing the relationship between cause and effect during this entire activity.
If your toddler managed to insert all of the pom poms into the water bottle, take them out and repeat! I usually get them out by a combination of vigorously shaking the bottle and fishing them out with my finger. If you have child-safe tweezers, allow your child to attempt to pull the pom poms out of the bottle.
I find this activity to be especially helpful on long car rides. When travelling, I use a small cup or snack container like this one in addition to a water bottle. Options are essential! Keep a small Ziplock bag full of pom poms in your diaper bag at all times. Imagine Smokey the Bear pointing a finger at me saying, “only YOU can prevent meltdowns.” I taught my daughter her colors primarily by playing with pom poms! They are always exciting to her and for that I am beyond grateful. You, too, will enjoy watching your little one play and learn through pom pom exploration.
