DIY Pokemon Ball favors and Pokémon decorations

Make your own DIY Pokèball's from bobbers, tape, and paint!

TLDR: Make Pokemon themed birthday stuff DIY for cheap from stuff you already have around the house. 

My son, Jed.i loves Pokemon. 

Before Pokemon go came out, Jed.i had been a true Pokemon fan. He loved that show, the cards, the games, we even have Pokemon monopoly.  The last week of school he informed me that he HAD to give out invitations to his birthday party at school. His birthday wasn't until the next school year, two days in to in exactly. So, I wasn't sure it would work, because that was three months away. But, I did as he asked, and after agreeing he needed a Pokemon (not Minecraft) themed birthday, well, I started planning. 

I had no pin the tail on the donkey, no cute pikachu napkins or plates. No pokemon themed anything. So, here were some ideas I had.

Pokemon go had just come out a few weeks before his birthday. It was huge. It took over everything. And although, everything was about Pokemon, there weren't any party supplies out yet. So, seeing as I can't sit still I had to come up with some party decorations and favors. 

The Pokeball favors. I started them with bobbers, I didn't have any fishing bobbers, but I bought some at a sporting goods store for like.....$10. I had like, 35 in various sizes. 

1.Cut off the bobber hook. (use wire cutters, not your fabric scissors.)

Push the red (sticky outy thing) like you were going to wrap the fishing line around the hook. 

What comes out when you cut the wire.

 

Cut some black electrical tape, you can cut the strip narrower for the size ball you have.

Wrap electrical tape around the middle. 

 

Color a circle with a sharpie. on the center of the ball, overlapping the black tape.

Dap a little white paint on the black circle with a q-tip.

All directions together:

1.Cut off the bobber hook. (use wire cutters, not your fabric scissors.)

Push the red (sticky outy thing) like you were going to wrap the fishing line around the hook. 

2. Wrap black electrical tape around the center.

3. Use a sharpie to color in a circle of black. 

4. Dab a bit of white paint in the middle. 

Voila, you have a poke-ball favor. 

Repeat as much as you like.

Gotta catch them all. I found, that although the electrical tape gives a nice line, it falls off. So, if you were inclined, you could use the sharpie to follow the seam on the bobber, and eliminate the black electrical tape completely. Or use black duck-tape (they have narrower rolls) to keep the tape from coming off. Or let me know if you find a better black tape. 

NOTE: I used these as favors, as in a game called, "Gotta catch them all!" Its a modified pin the tail on the donkey. Instead of spinning and pinning the tail blindfolded. I gave each kid 5 Pokéballs (that I made) I spun them around, and then had them throw the ball at five different Pokèmon posters. If they hit a Pokemon they got a piece of candy. It was fun, but we did it outside (because some seven year old's have some serious pitching arms) and the Pokéballs started to shatter after they hit the concrete. 

You could try painting some wiffle balls, or some ping pong balls, or hey, even rubber bounce balls. 

Here I'm starting to paint some posters of Pokémon to use for the party.

Pikáchu, I printed out some pics, and just drew a grid on the print out. I drew a corresponding grid on my posters and started to paint. 

Note, painting with poster paint is horrible. Just get the craft acrylic paint. And don't try to mix your paint. Especially if you have no palette knife, no palette, and there's a $1 bottle of premixed paint the perfect color at an art store. This isn't painting class guys. 

Pikáchu and Squirtle

This was a much more time consuming project than I expected. And more frustrating since my kids BEGGED to help. And then I had to FINISH their work. Or really, re-paint it.

DIY pokèmon cupcakes. 

Just white icing dipped in red sprinkles, chocolate icing covered with chocolate chips, and white iced cupcakes arranged to look like a Pokéball.

Before I set them up outside, they were the decorations!! 

It was a smashing success. Everybody had a great time. And I was exhausted!!!

,Ruth