3 Ways to Make Your Own Pop Its

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Create endless fun with this custom DIY fidget toy

Co-authored by Amy Guerrero and Aly Rusciano

Last Updated: September 18, 2024 Fact Checked

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Construction Paper Pop It

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Empty Gum Package Pop It

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Foam Paper Pop It

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Q&A

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Tips

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Things You'll Need

Are you looking for a fun way to use your creativity and keep your hands busy? If so, we have the perfect craft for you! Pop-its are fidget toys that have poppable bubbles (similar to bubble wrap) that can be popped and flipped over and over again. While these fidgets are usually made out of silicone, they can also be made with ordinary craft supplies. In this article, we’ll show you how to make a homemade Pop It fidget toy out of construction paper, a gum package, and foam.

How to Make a Foam Paper Pop It

Cut 2 custom Pop It shapes out of cardstock: e.g., a cloud or heart.
Trace 6 small circles onto your outline and cut them out.
Cut six 1 in (2.5 cm) squares out of foam paper.
Carefully heat each foam square with an iron and mold it onto a bouncy ball.
Glue the foam squares onto the Pop It so that the ball-shaped section sticks through the hole.
Glue the second Pop It shape to the back of the first one.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Construction Paper Pop It

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1
Trace at least two circles onto construction paper with a stencil. Choose whatever color construction paper you'd like the Pop It circles to be. Use a small object, like a penny or a roll of tape, to trace 2 circles onto your construction paper.^{[1]
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- To make a rainbow Pop It, try tracing circles onto all different colors of construction paper.
- For a larger Pop-It, you can trace as many circles as you’d like.
- If you want to add designs, like smiley faces or flowers onto your Pop It, now is the time! Draw those before you move on to the next step.
2
Cover the circles with clear tape on both sides. Clear packing tape will help give your construction paper circles that signature popping feel. Use clear packing tape to cover all of your circles. Flip your circles over and add more tape on the other side.^{[2]
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- Make sure you use clear packing tape, not brown packing tape. Otherwise, your construction paper colors won’t show through!
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Grab a pair of scissors and carefully cut out each circle.^{[3]
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Research source} Then, pick up a circle and make a small cut through the middle of the circle, but stop once you reach the center (don’t cut all the way through). Do this to each circle you cut out.^{[4]
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In order for your circles to pop, you need to make them 3-dimensional. Pull one side of the slit on top of the other side to make a very shallow cone shape out of each circle. Then, use another small strip of packing tape to tape the shape into place.^{[5]
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5
Cut your Pop It outline out of a piece of cardstock. Once you’ve made the circular center shapes, it’s time to create the outline of your Pop It. Think about the shape you want your Pop It to be: maybe a fun fruit, or perhaps a silly character. Then, draw that shape onto a thick piece of cardstock and cut it out with scissors.^{[6]
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Research source} Other fun Pop It ideas include:
- A rainbow
- Two peas in a pod
- A chocolate bar
- A cactus
Place your Pop It circles that you made earlier onto your Pop It outline and position them in the spots where you’d like them to go. Use a pencil to trace around each circle, then cut the circles out of your Pop It outline.^{[7]
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Grab one Pop It circle at a time and gently push it into a hole you cut out of your Pop It shape. Tape the edges of the circle to the back of your Pop It, then do the same with the rest of the circles. When you’re done, enjoy your DIY Pop It!^{[8]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Empty Gum Package Pop It

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1
Take all the gum out of a plastic gum package. Grab a package of gum that has little plastic squares that pop in and out. Empty the package by either finishing all the gum or popping out the gum pieces and saving them for later.^{[9]
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- If there’s any extra plastic or metal on the back of the gum package, peel it off before you start.
2
Trace your empty gum package onto a piece of cardstock, then cut it out. Pick out a piece of cardstock that you want to use for your Pop It. Set the gum package down on the cardstock, then trace around it with a pencil and cut it out.^{[10]
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- If you’re making a mini Pop It, cut out one small piece of the gum package and trace that instead.
3
Draw your Pop It shape onto the cardstock, then cut it out. Now it’s time to get creative! Decide what you want your Pop It to look like, then draw that shape onto your cardstock. Your Pop It can be anything you want, as long as it’s bigger than the outline of your gum package.^{[11]
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Research source} Once you draw your shape, cut it out with scissors. You could make:
- A chocolate bar
- A game controller
- A cupcake
- A dinosaur
4
Glue the gum package to the back of the cardstock. Grab your empty package of gum and place it into the hole in your cardstock that you just cut out. Use a glue gun to glue the edges of the gum package to the edges of the cardstock so it stays in place.^{[12]
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- To make the signature popping sound, gently press on one of the plastic squares to pop it in and out.
Decorate your Pop It with paint markers. Is your Pop It looking a little plain? Regular markers won’t stick to the plastic gum package, but paint markers will. Try adding colors to your Pop It with paint markers for a little extra pizazz.^{[13]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Foam Paper Pop It

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1
Cut 2 Pop It outlines out of cardstock. First, decide what you’d like your Pop It to look like: A strawberry? The sun? A cow? Then, trace that shape 2 times onto a piece of cardstock. Cut both of those outlines out and set them aside for now.^{[14]
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- You need 2 identical outlines for either side of your Pop It. One will be the front, and one will be the back.
- Foam paper is fun to work with, but you might need an adult’s help for this Pop It. Check in with your parent or guardian before doing this DIY.
Use a penny as a stencil so that all of your circles are the same size. Trace 5 to 6 circles onto both of the Pop It outlines that you just cut, then cut the circles out with scissors.^{[15]
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Cut about six 1 in (2.5 cm) squares out of foam paper. Grab whatever color of foam paper that you’d like, then cut 5 or 6 squares out of foam.^{[16]
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- For a rainbow Pop It, use multiple different colors of foam paper.
- The number of circles you cut out in your outline should match the number of foam squares you have.
4
Heat up each foam square with an iron or a straightener. In order to bend the foam into a 3D shape, you need to warm it up first. If you have an iron, turn it on to the lowest heat setting and let it heat up for a few minutes. Use tweezers to hold your foam paper up to the iron for about 10 seconds.^{[17]
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- If you’re using a hair straightener, turn the straightener on to the lowest heat setting and let it heat up for a few minutes. Then, pinch a piece of foam paper in between the straightener and hold it for about 5 to 10 seconds.^{[18]
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- Heating up foam paper makes it melt slightly. If your foam paper turns black or starts to smoke, take it off the heat right away and let it cool down before touching it again.
5
Press the foam square down onto a bouncy ball, then hold it for 10 seconds. A bouncy ball helps mold the foam paper into the classic Pop It shape. Once the foam paper is warm, press it down on top of a bouncy ball, and use the circle inside a roll of tape or lid to hold it there. Let it sit for about 10 seconds, then take the foam paper off of the bouncy ball.^{[19]
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- Once you’ve done this with 1 square of foam paper, do it with the rest of your squares, too.
- Use a bouncy ball that fits in the center of your foam paper. Using a smaller ball will make smaller pops while using a larger ball will make larger pops.
Glue the foam squares into 1 Pop It shape with a glue gun. Now it’s time to assemble your Pop It! Grab one foam square at a time and press it through a hole in your Pop It outline. Use a glue gun to glue it down in the back, and trim away any excess foam. Add all of your foam shapes to the circles in your Pop It outline.^{[20]
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Remember the other Pop It outline that you cut out? Grab that and place it onto the back of your assembled Pop It. Then, use a glue gun to glue it down. Now all that’s left to do is play with your DIY fidget toy!^{[21]
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Community Q&A

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Question

How can I make my Pop It customized for someone? Do I just put stars, hearts and other shapes, or can I do more?

Wynn Czajka

Community Answer

You can pretty much customize anything, so go ahead and customize the Pop-It until you feel it is fully decorated and customized. You can even add glitter or other fun things such as confetti!

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Question

Will kids be able to make this?

Community Answer

It depends on the child's age and motor skills. Some adult help might be required, especially when heat is involved.

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Question

Can you use regular paper?

Paigana

Community Answer

Yes, you can. They can also be made with ordinary craft supplies. You can also make a pop it out of construction paper, gum packet, and foam.

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Things You’ll Need

Construction Paper Pop It

Empty Gum Package Pop It

Empty gum package
Cardstock
Scissors
Pencil
Glue gun
Paint markers (optional)

Foam Paper Pop It

Cardstock
Scissors
Pencil
Foam paper
Iron or straightener
Bouncy ball
Glue gun

Tips

As a DIY-free Pop It substitute, try using silicone candy molds! These alternatives can be cheaper than regular Pop Its, and you may even have one in your kitchen cabinet already.^{[22]
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Tips from our Readers

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