Wool ball

You don't need much to make the kids happy. Just a few ingredients and you could be making all shapes and sized balls for decorations. Make them for Christmas or any party occasion. Just choose the colours and glue away.

What you need:

• a balloon
• plenty of coloured wool
• a bowl of glue (wallpaper paste, PVA or another strong glue that will soak the wool and allow it to dry firmly in place around the shape of the balloon)
• scissors
• Vaseline
• a wide plastic cup
• a pin

Number of players:
1+

Activity:

Blow up the balloon and fasten with a knot.

Spread Vaseline all over it. This will keep the gluey wool from sticking to the balloon.

Cut several 60cm lengths of coloured wool.

Rim the plastic cup with plenty of Vaseline.

The plastic cup is so that balloon can rest somewhere when you need to put it down.

Dip the wool into the bowl of glue, giving a quick squeeze when you have soaked it, then wrap it around the balloon.

Add layer upon layer until you are satisfied with the thickness and texture of the wool ball wrapped around the balloon.

Resting the ball on the plastic cup, leave it to dry overnight.

When the string is completely dry using a pin, pop the balloon.

The final result will be a wool exterior of a ball, firmly in place because of the glue.

Hang as decoration.

Notes:

• If there are still wet sections of glue on your ball the next morning put the ball out in the sun to dry.
• Blow up several small balloons to make several small wool balls. If you do this reduce the wool lengths by at least half (20-30cm).
• Wallpaper paste can be bought from a hardware store. Put about a tablespoon of the flakes into a bowl. Add water until it mixes together. It should be thick enough to brush onto a surface.