THESE POMPOMS ARE PERFECT FOR CHEERING FOR YOUR
TEAM OR TURNING LEARNING SKILLS INTO A GAME!
Materials: lunch bags (2 for each child), scissors, markers, tape
Directions: Draw lines 1” apart halfway down from the top of the bag to the bottom flap as shown. Have the children use scissors to cut down on these strips. Turn the flap over and then roll it up tightly to make a handle. Secure the handle with tape. (For a good small motor activity let the children wrap rubber bands around the handle.) Wrinkle and fluff up the strips to make pompoms.
Note! Let children color their bags favorite team colors before cutting them.
Letter Aerobics
Put pompoms in the air for letters that start at the top dotted line, out in front of you for letters that start at the middle dotted line, and down low for letters with a tail that go below the line.
*Spell sight words using Letter Aerobics.
Cheer Words
Move and shake pompoms as you spell out names or high frequency words. “Give me a G. ‘G’ I’ve got a G, you’ve got a Give me an O. ‘O’ I’ve got an O, you’ve got an O. Give me a T. ‘T’ I’ve got a T, you’ve got a T. What’s it spell? GOT!”
Songs
Use for “Who Let the Letters Out?”, “Phonercise,” “The Vowel Cheer” and other letter chants and songs.
Invisible Writing
Write letters, numbers, and words in the air with pompoms. (Children call this “air brush” writing!)
Syllables
Clap out syllables in words using pompoms.
Compound Words
Extend pompoms and say each word; then bring together and say the compound word.
Rhymes
Sing this song to the tune of "Skip to My Lou" as you shake pompoms.
Sun (shake right)
Fun (shake left)
Those words rhyme. Sun (shake right)
Fun (shake left)
Those words rhyme.
Sun (shake right)
Fun (shake left)
Those words rhyme.
They all end with "un."
*Continue using other words that rhyme.
Punctuation
Use pompoms for choral reading as children make these motions for punctuation marks.
Period – Pompom held up like “stop.”
Question Mark – Touch head with pompom and shrug shoulders.
Exclamation Point – Pompom up high and shake.
Patterns
Clap out math patterns and have children repeat or extend.
Karate Counting
Pretend to chop from left to right as you count.
Math Facts
Hands in the air and say a number. Touch heads and say "plus" or "minus." Touch waist and say another number. Touch knees and say "equals." Touch floor and say the answer.
Positional Words
Have children follow directions with their pompoms. Can you put them on your head? Can you put them behind you? Can you put them between your knees?
Partner Patty Cake
Have children choose a partner. Let them say rhymes, the alphabet, or count as they patty cake.
Simon Says
Can children play this game and follow directions with their pompoms?
Hint! Take up pompoms and save them in a tub or bag in between activities.
