Things to Make With Styrofoam Balls

Styrofoam balls are a mainstay in the craft culture and can be used in a multitude of projects. Use Styrofoam balls in traditional crafts or as an unexpected design element. Either way you'll be surprised at the versatility of these airy spheres. Try a few of these clever ideas for using Styrofoam balls in your next creative venture.

Styrofoam balls are an excellent craft base for kids' projects as they are lightweight, fun to work with and full of inspiration. Kids are drawn to the playful spheres and love to transform them into imaginative designs. Try one or more of the following crafts with the children you know:

Paint the balls to resemble planets in the solar system. Use them to create a lightweight mobile or to hang individually from the ceiling in their bedroom.

Stack the balls and anchor them together with a wooden skewer inserted in the center to create snowmen. Decorate accordingly.

String a line of painted balls together to make caterpillars.

Paint the balls to look like soccer balls, basketballs or baseballs

Make a bumblebee.

Make a spider body and add chenille legs.

Use Styrofoam balls as a base for an alien head.

Styrofoam balls are inexpensive and versatile, which is a great combination for party decorations. Regardless of your party theme or style, you can alter Styrofoam balls in such a clever assortment of ways that your guests might not even recognize them. Try a few of these unexpected projects for your next party:

For a beach party theme, paint the Styrofoam like beach balls and use them to adorn tiny buckets full of sand for a quick and easy centerpiece.

Press stick pins through tiny silk flowers and insert them densely around the Styrofoam balls to create elegant floral pomanders (also known as bouquets or "kissing balls").

Make faux orange wedges for a summer table-scape. Quarter the balls evenly with a sharp knife. Paint the outside edge to resemble an orange peel and glue shaped felt pieces to the cut portions of the altered ball to resemble an orange wedge.

Paint a selection of balls in a variety of sizes and use them to fill a large clear glass bowl to use as a centerpiece.

Make a larger-than-life beaded curtain out of Styrofoam balls by stringing them individually onto pieces of twine, fishing line or yarn. Tie knots to hold each ball in its place.

Other interesting projects that you can make with Styrofoam balls include the following:

Drill holes through the center of 10 to 15 large Styrofoam balls and string them along a thin strip of plastic rope to create a floating partition for a pool party (perhaps to separate the shallow and deep ends of the pool).

Decoupage theme papers or decorative images around the outside of a Styrofoam ball to create custom ornaments or birthday decor. Use bits and pieces of musical scores, photos printed on paper, portions of wrapping paper or any decorative images and designs that can be decoupaged in a collage.

Cut a Styrofoam ball in half, paint as desired, and glue onto a poster-board design or add to a diorama to create dimension and interest.

Add painted Styrofoam balls to segments of thick bent wire and place inside a vase to create an interesting conversation piece.