Armed with fluffy pom-poms, kids can tell parents what to do: Stand up! Cheer! Make some noise! Construct these crowd-pleasers by cutting strips from layers of tissue paper and then wrapping them around dowels. Design them in team colors or any festive combination. Add extra layers for super-large pom-poms, or tape skinny strips to both ends of a longer dowel for a spirited baton. Hurrah!

Pom-Pom How-To
Note: Kids age 5 and under should not play with dowels or pom-poms made with them.

Begin by placing four sheets of tissue paper on top of each other. Fold them in half, and cut 1-inch-wide strips through all layers, stopping just short of fold so that strips will hold together (left top). Next, starting at one corner, roll folded edge tightly around one end of a short 1/4-inch-diameter dowel. Use vinyl tape to secure the bottom of the pom-pom to the dowel. Repeat entire process, beginning with the four sheets of tissue paper, at least two more times, to make the ball fluffy.