DIY Pom Pom Foosball Game: Fine Motor & Hand-Eye Coordination Challenge

What You'll Need

• Medium-sized cardboard box (e.g., shoe box or similar)

• 2 bendy straws or flexible plastic tubes

• Assorted pom-poms (small to medium size)

• Craft knife or sharp scissors (for adult use only)

• Ruler and pencil

• Tape or glue (optional)

• Construction paper or markers (optional, for decorating)

• Small character cutouts (optional, for straw toppers)

Getting Started: Building Your Foosball Field

• Prepare the Box: If your box has a lid, remove it. Lay the box on its side, so the longer sides become the "walls" of your foosball field.

• Mark Straw Holes: On each of the longer sides of the box, use a ruler and pencil to mark two holes. These holes should be positioned roughly one-third and two-thirds of the way down the length of the box, and about 1 inch from the top edge. Make sure the holes on opposite sides align.

• Create Straw Slits: Carefully, with adult supervision, use a craft knife or sharp scissors to cut small, rectangular slits at the marked points. These slits should be wide enough for the bendy part of your straws to slide through easily, allowing them to pivot.

• Cut Goal Posts: At each of the shorter ends of the box, cut a wider rectangular opening at the bottom center. These will be your goals.

• Insert Straws: Thread one bendy straw through the two corresponding slits on one side of the box, so the bendy part is inside the box and the ends stick out. Repeat with the second straw on the opposite side. If desired, attach small character cutouts to the inner part of the straws (above the bendy section) to act as your "players."

• Decorate (Optional): Decorate your foosball field with markers, construction paper, or stickers to make it more exciting!

How to Play Your Pom Pom Foosball Game

• Place Pom-Poms: Scatter several pom-poms (your "foosballs") inside the box.

• Position Players: Each player takes control of one straw, holding the ends that stick out from the box.

• Start the Game: The goal is to use your straw to hit the pom-poms into your opponent's goal. You can push, flick, or slide the pom-poms.

• Score: Every time a pom-pom goes into a goal, that player scores a point.

• Continue Playing: Retrieve the scored pom-pom and place it back into the center of the field to continue the game. Play to a predetermined score or for a set amount of time.

Tips for Parents

• Encourage fair play and good sportsmanship, especially if playing competitively.

• Focus on the process of creating the game and the joy of playing, rather than just winning.

• Help children strategize by asking questions like, "How can you aim for the goal?" or "What happens if you hit the pom-pom harder/softer?"

• Praise their efforts in manipulating the straws and their attempts to score.

Ways to Extend

• Obstacle Course: Add small blocks or toilet paper rolls inside the box to create an obstacle course for the pom-poms, making it more challenging to score.

• Different Sized Pom-Poms: Experiment with various sizes of pom-poms. Smaller ones might be harder to hit, while larger ones might be easier.

• Numbered Goals: Assign different point values to sections of the goal or add multiple smaller goals with varying points to introduce basic math.

• Team Play: For older children, introduce more straws and players for a team foosball experience.

• Themed Game: Decorate the box and straws to match a favorite theme, like a jungle adventure or outer space.