Moms, it is time to embrace those foam darts and use them for good!

There are so many fun (and even educational) Nerf gun game ideas to try.  

This week, while planning our home school Valentine’s Day party, we created some fun DIY spinning Nerf gun targets.

In the past we have used our foam dart guns to do  Nerf gun math facts.

These Nerf targets will be a fun Valentine’s Day activity for tweens.   They are especially awesome as a Valentine’s Day idea for boys.

Of course, spinning targets would be fun anytime!

Spinning Nerf Gun Targets

Materials Needed:

• Cardboard
• Drinking Straws
• Scissors
• Yarn or Thin Cord
• Tape
• Pennies
• Markers, Colored Paper, or Stickers for Decorating
• Large Plastic Storage Container (optional)

Cut target shapes from cardboard.

You can make the targets all circles or squares if you wish.   We traced our tape roll to make circles and also made heart shapes since we plan to use the spinning targets as a Valentine’s Day party activity.

Once you have your targets cut out you can decorate them.

You can glue colored paper onto the front of the target and use markers to draw a bulls-eye in the center if you wish.

My daughter decided to use stickers to decorate our Nerf targets, keeping them with the Valentine’s Day theme.

Flip the targets over and tape a 3-4 inch piece of drinking straw to the center of each target.

Tape a penny under the straw so that the penny is at the bottom of the target.  This will give the target enough weight to flip back around.

Next, thread your yarn through the straws.

You can stretch the yarn between a couple chairs, tying it to them so the targets hang between them.

Or, if you have a large plastic storage container handy, you can run the yarn across it’s opening like we did.   (If you don’t have a container with holes in it like we do, you can secure the yarn with tape.)

The plastic container will catch most of the Nerf darts, and it also means we can move the game out of the way and set it up again easily.

If the targets don’t hang right on the yarn, you can unfasten the tape securing them to the piece of drinking straw and adjust its position.

We learned that the straws had to be higher up on our heart targets to hang correctly.  It’s all part of the engineering process!

These spinning Nerf gun targets were so much fun to make.  I know we will be making more in the future.

You may also like:

• Fun STEM Activities for Kids 
• Simple Equivalent Fractions Activity
• Valentine’s Day Crafts & Activities 

The post Spinning Nerf Gun Targets for Valentine’s Day first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

Spring is in the air, and with it spring showers.  Rainy days are perfect for crafting.  As the kids have gotten older we’ve ventured into some simple tween craft ideas.

Lately we have gone crazy making pom poms into cute little pom pom animals. The kids have been busy making a new little friend every day this week.  This little pom pom chick is definitely my favorite.

This cute little pom pom chick would be a fun tween craft for spring break.  It would also be a fun surprise as a non candy Easter egg filler.

Pom Pom Chick Tutorial

Affiliate links have been provided for your convenience. 

Materials Needed:

• 12 inch (30.5 cm) piece of yellow yarn
• 4 (yards (3.66 meters) of yellow yarn
• metal dinner fork (one with 4 tines)
• wiggly eyes
• yellow and orange card stock
• scissors
• craft glue (We used Tacky Glue.)

Directions:

Thread the shorter piece of yarn through the middle tines  of the fork, making sure there is an equal amount on both sides.

While holding the shorter piece of yarn in place, start wrapping the longer piece of yarn around the base of the fork.  Be sure to cross over the end of the yarn as you wrap.   Keep the yarn snug and close together as you continue wrapping up towards the end of the fork.  When you are about 1/4 inch away from the tip, start wrapping back towards the fork’s base.

Continue wrapping until you are out of yarn.  Use the tip of your scissors to tuck the loose end of the yarn under the wrapped strands.

Pull the ends of the shorter piece of yarn up, taking the back piece up through the center tines.  Tie the ends together.

Slide the yarn off the fork and flip it over.  Bring the ends of the yarn around to the back and tie it tightly.  Tie it a second time to secure it.

Use the scissors to cut the loops on both sides of the pom pom.  We found it helps to go slow and to use the very tip of the scissors.  Be sure to cut all the loops.

Then use your scissors to cut the long strands of yarn and to trim the rest of the pom pom strands to all the same length.  Roll the pom pom in your hands to even it out and make it look more round.  Trim as necessary.

After making a pom-pom, it is time to turn it into a cute, fuzzy chick.

Cut a small oval from orange card stock.  Fold the oval in half and crease it.  Use a small dab of glue on the folded edge and glue it to your chick, tucking it into the yarn a bit.

Use tacky glue to glue on 2 wiggly eyes.

Cut 2 matching wings from your yellow card stock.  Ours were approximate 1/2 inch (1.25 cm)  long.  Add a bit of glue to both sides of the wing and then wiggle it in between the yarn to glue it in place.

This pom pom chick has seen plenty of pretend play this week.  Make a batch of chicks to use as non candy Easter egg filler.   Or get the kids together over spring break and make a few as a fun kids spring craft.

You may also like:

• 20 Adorable Sheep and Lamb Crafts
• How to Make Colorful Melted Wax Easter Eggs
• Tween Craft:  Straw Weaving Bracelet
• Make a Glowing Rubber Egg (spring science activity)

The post How to Make a Fuzzy Pom Pom Chick first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.