I love making surprise balls for kids. There is nothing more enjoyable than watching the children’s faces fill with joy and awe as they open layer after layer of colorful paper to discover treasures made just for them. While you can buy all sorts of beautiful pre-made surprise balls, I feel like it’s worth it to make these balls (even if they end up being a little bumpy and not as “perfect” as the store-bought!). It makes more sense to choose candy that they like, as well as toys and surprises that I know children will especially enjoy playing with (as opposed to plastic trinkets that will be forgotten or thrown away).
To make a surprise ball, you’ll need:
● Crepe paper, cut into strips (you can also use the crepe ribbon as the interior decoration of the surprise ball if you like – but towards the end, when you are done wrapping the outside of the ball, I recommend using high-quality crepe paper instead of the ribbon for a more perfect, smoother look.) Crepe paper has greater elasticity and sturdiness, making it best for wrapping a variety of items in the ball. ）
● Scissors
● Glue sticks
What to pack with surprise balls:
● Small toys, surprises, and favorite sweets
● For toys and small gifts, I try to keep the size under 3 inches: mini nail polish, fun jewelry, hair clips, a small box of air-dried clay, an eraser or pencil sharpener, a matchbox car, or a small wooden vehicle are all fun.
● I like to include handwritten notes, jokes or “coupons” for funny activities in my notebook, or a small notebook (I just cut out the waste paper, fold it and staple it together to make a small 2×2-inch notepad).
● If you have a sticker or temporary tattoo, cut them into smaller pieces so that they can be tucked under a few different layers.
How to Make a Surprise Ball:
Step 1
Start with the largest or least suitable item and wrap it in crepe paper. Continue wrapping, and when you reach the end of the crepe strip, apply a little glue stick to the end and stick it to the wrapped ball. Take a strip of crepe paper of a different color and continue to wrap the ball with more snacks or candy.
Step 2
During this process, gently press the ball and tuck a small candy or toy into any recessed space to keep it as round as possible (surprise balls will have some lumps and not be perfect, but that’s part of the charm!).
Step 3
Towards the end, I like to use flatter items (stickers, tattoos, notes, or candies with a greater curvature like chewing gum or Airheads) to make the shape even out. Wrap it in crepe paper and keep each strap taut and smooth when you’re done.
Step 4
Once you’ve wrapped the ball in monochrome paper, you can choose to decorate it with other strips of paper. If you want to be prettier, you can cut these trim strips with scalloped or zigzag edges.