Talking to a three-year-old is downright difficult. Helping them navigate their big emotions with a limited vocabulary can be frustrating for both the child and the adults. So, when these Emoji Pom Pom kits arrived at the shop, I realized that a hands-on craft activity would be a wonderful tactile way to explore this topic.

Of course, these craft kits are designated for older children if being done on their own - when using one with a younger child, you will need to plan to do the crafts together! They have amazing instructional videos to show you the techniques. And there are so many ways that you can involve a younger child in a crafting activity. 

Making pom poms begins with wrapping the yarn around the tool many times. I let my toddler help me wrap, and we worked on our counting skills as we counted the wraps.

One of the keys to crafting with kids is to involve them in the process by letting them make choices. I asked my toddler lots of questions – "Do you want to make a big pom pom or a small pom pom? Should we give the pom pom a haircut? Does your pom pom want a happy or a sad face?"

I also stopped by the excellent children's section at Old Town Books to pick up a book about emotions to complement our activity. I chose "How Do I Feel," and we made our pom pom faces to match the emotions in the book.

We used different pieces of string and paper for the mouths, so we could change the face on the pom pom. This was my toddler's idea! When he's feeling sad, he can change the pom pom face to a sad face to help communicate that emotion that he is still finding words for. He can "hug" the pom pom when he is angry to let me know that he is feeling big feelings and just needs a hug, too.

We love encouraging families to step away from the screens this summer and find joy in creating together, so we have a fresh supply of all of our favorite craft kits, including the popular 5 Crafts in a Box Kits that Danielle used for her daughter's birthday party last year!

We also carry the pom pom making tools separately, as the benefits of crafting are not just limited to kids! These 5-in-1-Tools can be used for pom poms, tassels, and small weavings. Choose the "Big A" model to make large pom poms or small weaving or the "Robot" model to make poms or tassels in several sizes! You can find so many fun projects for all ages on the Loome Instagram. You can add them to pillows, wreaths, or other home decor projects for a fun touch. 

So, go hands-on this summer, create something fun, and be happy!