DIY's Got Talent - Confetti

I don't have a cardboard tube or balloon—what can we use instead to make the confetti popper?

For the tube used when you 'Stretch the balloon opening over one end of the cardboard tube', use a paper towel roll, a tightly rolled and taped piece of stiff scrap paper, or the neck of a clean plastic bottle, and for the balloon try the finger of a clean latex glove or a larger cut balloon.

The balloon keeps slipping off or the confetti doesn't shoot out—what should we try?

Make sure the balloon opening is pushed well over the rim and held with a small strip of tape as the instructions say, don't overfill the tube (about one third full), push the balloon body back into the tube so it's stretched, and release it quickly while aiming away from people.

How can we adapt the activity for younger children or make it more challenging for older kids?

For younger kids have an adult handle the cutting and the step where you 'Stretch the balloon opening over one end of the cardboard tube' and supervise loading and releasing, while older kids can use the hole punch for shaped confetti, decorate the tube, and experiment with different balloon sizes to change the pop.

What are some ways to personalize or enhance the confetti popper for a performance or photo?

Personalize by cutting colored recycled paper or coloring the scraps before you 'Cut the stacked paper into small pieces', use the hole punch for shapes, decorate the cardboard tube with markers or stickers, add thin streamers to the confetti pile, and then share a photo on DIY.org as the final step.