If you love the simple satisfaction of a good fidget toy, you’re going to adore this craft. This DIY Popping Fish is incredibly easy to make with just a few household items, and the result is a cute, colorful toy with an addictively fun “pop”!
Perfect for kids and adults alike, this craft transforms simple paper and tape into a delightful sensory toy. Let’s get started!
What You’ll Need:
- Colored paper (like construction paper or origami paper)
- A marker or pen
- Scissors
- Clear, wide packing tape
- A small balloon
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Step 1: Draw and Double-Up Your Fish
Take a small piece of colored paper and fold it in half. On the top layer, draw a simple fish shape with your marker. By cutting through both folded layers at once, you’ll end up with two perfectly identical fish cutouts.
Pro-Tip: Keeping the design simple makes it easier to cut and assemble!
If you don’t want to draw and cut out fish by hand, you can simply download our Fish Coloring Page printables in PDF format. Just print them, cut them out, color them, and continue with your activity easily.
Step 2: Create the Popping Dome
This is the secret to the “pop”! Take a small balloon and inflate it with just a tiny puff of air—you want it to form a small, firm dome, not a fully inflated balloon. and tie it
Now take the packing tape and place it with the sticky side facing outward. Wrap the tape all around the balloon so that it stays attached inside the fish body.
Now attach the balloon to the back side of the paper fish.
Step 3: Laminate and Fringe One Fish
Place one of your paper fish cutouts onto a piece of clear packing tape. Use your scissors to trim the tape around the fish, leaving a border of about half an inch.
Now, make small cuts all around this tape border, creating a fringe. This will make it much easier to seal the toy in the final step.
Step 4: Put It All Together!
You’re almost there! Take your second paper fish (the one without tape) Take the one where we had attached the balloon in the center.
Carefully place the fringed, laminated fish on top, lining it up perfectly. Now, fold down each piece of the tape fringe, one by one, pressing it firmly against the back of the bottom fish.
Continue all the way around until your popping fish is completely sealed.
Time to Pop!
Your DIY Popping Fish is ready! Hold it in your hand and gently squeeze the center with your thumb.
The small balloon dome will invert with a satisfying POP! sound and feeling. You can pop it back and forth for hours of fidgety fun.
This is such a simple and clever craft. Now that you’ve mastered the fish, why not experiment with other shapes like hearts, stars, or simple circles? Happy crafting.
Kids Activities
Looking for more fun kids activities and other ideas to keep kids engaged, learning, and having fun? Check out these:
A Sprinkle of Magic Create a Blooming Paper Flower Garden!
Splat! Create a Hilariously Fun Poppable Bug Craft
How to Make a Bow and Arrow Out of Popsicle Sticks
How to Make a Beautiful Paper Pumpkin Craft
How to Make a Helicopter with Paper
How to Make a Rice Stress Ball – A Fun and Easy DIY Project!
Dancing Rice Science Experiment for Kids
Rainbow in a Jar Density Experiment – A Fun and Colorful Science Activity
Elephant Toothpaste Experiment: A Fun & Foamy Science Activity!
