Wind yarn around the pompom maker or both cardboard rings until the channel is fully packed. The more yarn you use, the denser and rounder the finished pompom. Keep winding past the point where you think it is enough.

An adult cuts through all the yarn layers at the outer edge of the pompom maker, running the scissors blade between the two halves. Tie a length of yarn firmly around the centre cut, knotting it twice. This is the moment where the pompom holds together: a loose knot here means a pompom that falls apart.

Remove the pompom maker and fluff the pompom into a sphere, trimming any long strands that stick out to keep a neat round shape. An adult does the trimming.

An adult sews two black beads onto the pompom to form the eyes, using black thread. Position them in the upper half of the sphere, about 1.5 cm apart. Pull the thread tight through the pompom and knot on the back.

Tie the ribbon or twine to the centre knot at the bottom of the pompom so it hangs as a short tail. Attach a clip, loop or pin through the ribbon as needed for hanging.