Perusing Pinterest there are these satisfying videos of DIY POP ITs that are always on my feed. Their videos are so much fun to watch, but they rarely include where to find the tools to make these DIY Pop-It fidgets. I dug through my craft bin (okay, it’s like a series of giants tote bins) to find the tools to test out!
During our snow day, I showed my kids how crafty and cool I am using this heated foam technique. It’s really easy, you just need the right tools. The supplies are things that I already have in my craft box and the kids’ toy box, so it didn’t cost me anything extra. I have the supply list below, along with alternatives, and some tips! There are also affiliate links there too, so feel to click through at no cost to you.
Overall, I would say this craft was a success. My sons were pretty impressed, so that for me alone, makes me happy.
How to make them!
Pick your Pop-It shape. Both of my boys love animals, so it was a no brainer they each chose an elephant and pig. The elephant we made looks a little bit like a koala, but we decided it is a hybrid.
Cut your shapes out first.
You’re going to need two main pieces (like the face of the pig, for example). You need this because the pop-it needs support, plus you want to cover up the mess in the back. You will need to also create holes for the pop-its on all of the shapes because the pop-it has to push through all the way. I mapped out the first one and cut it to create a template. If you watch my short video, you can see the process.
Then create the pop it using the foam.
Cut a piece of foam, I would suggest cutting a larger piece make the pop-it. Heat the foam first. Then quickly place the ball or marble on one side of the foam, and then place the cap of the glue stick on the other side to push through. The beauty of this foam is that you can flatten it again if you’re not happy with your first pop-it. Trust me, there was a lot of trial and error.
Put it all together!
Take your shapes and start cutting out the holes for where you’re placing the pop-its. We chose the eyes and snout for the pig. For the elephant, I decided to add a sensory tube to it to help its overall look. My son Rocco loved it, and Marcello was very impressed! Our kaola-phant was definitely taking shape!
Have that glue gun ready to start gluing it all together. You can add eyelashes to the eyes, or if you want to use white foam for the eyes you can draw pupils on with a sharpie. Have fun with it!
Test it out. You definitely don’t get the satisfying pop-it sound. I was satisfied though, because crafting and having fun with my kiddos makes me happy! I think you will be too!
See my blog for full instructions, or just shop this video here!
DIY POP IT Supplies
You can find a lot of these supplies in your home already, at the Dollar Tree, and Michael’s. I made notes on each below.
- Heat sealer https://amzn.to/3rVl51C you could try and use a hot iron for this, but protect the iron’s surface and don’t set it too hot. I did not try this idea, so let me know in the comments if it works for you.
- Foam sheets https://amzn.to/3rd1MSe (you can also find this at the Dollar Tree)
- Card stock https://amzn.to/3raQQo1 (check Dollar Tree or Michael’s too)
- Scissors https://amzn.to/3geteIQ (just in case you don’t have scissors!)
- Hot glue gun https://amzn.to/3s2we0D (Dollar Tree sometimes has Hot Glue Guns)
- Extra hot glue sticks https://amzn.to/34jQHWu (Always buy at the Dollar Tree)
- Marble or any small ball like an 1/2 in diameter
- Glue stick https://amzn.to/34hhNgX (they sell this every where, you will definitely need the lid to help shape your Pop-It Pops)
- Different shapes to trace out your paper like a tin can, jar lid, shaped puzzle pieces, whatever you can find at home. Animals are easiest to create with different shapes!
- Optional: use a fidget sensory tube to add a nose to an elephant! https://amzn.to/3o9N9xe
