Maker Monday: Confetti Poppers

Tossing confetti to celebrate birthdays, a sports team’s win and holidays is a blast. With these homemade Maker Monday confetti poppers,”blast” takes on a new (and colorful!) meaning.

Kids use simple supplies to design their confetti poppers. They can use team colors for sporting events or a family member’s favorite colors for their birthday. You can even match your confetti with the color of the outside of each popper you make.

They’re easy to use:  Just pull back on the elastic bottom and shoot!

As with all Maker Monday projects, kids can make this with items you may have around the house or can pick up at a dollar store. Just follow the step-by-step instructions below. A note to kid makers: Please work with a parent or caregiver on this Maker Monday project. And always be careful when using tools of any kind, including scissors.

Maker Monday materials:

• cardboard tubes (empty paper towel or toilet paper rolls are perfect)
• balloons
• wrapping paper or other colorful paper
• scissors
• tape or glue
• confetti mix (pieces of tissue paper, ribbon and/or wrapping paper cut into little bits)

Maker Monday instructions:

Step 1: Decorate your cardboard tube by covering it in colorful paper and securing the paper with glue or tape.

Step 2: Tie a knot in the end of an empty balloon. Then, cut the round part of the balloon in half.

Step 3: Slide the balloon onto the bottom of the tube. Attach it securely with tape. Then add other decorative items to the outside of the tube (glitter, ribbon streamers, stickers, etc.).

Step 4: Make your confetti mixture by cutting up colorful paper and/or ribbons. Then, pour a big handful of the confetti mixture into the tube, holding the tube so that the confetti doesn’t spill out.

Step 5: Now you’re ready to launch your confetti. (You may want to do this outside, because it gets a bit messy.) To use your confetti popper, point the tube in the air and hold it securely with one hand. With the other hand, pull back on the knotted end of the balloon. Hold onto the tube and let go of the balloon!

Want more at-home fun creating cool stuff and making beautiful things? Check out more Maker Monday projects right here. Do you have an idea for a Maker Monday craft project? If so, please share it with Kidsburgh! Send your maker activity ideas to info@kidsburgh.org.