STYROFOAM brand foam crafts

Read-And-Grow Bookworm

This silly bookworm encourages children to turn off the TV and read. Add another STYROFOAM™ ball each time a book is read and see how long and fast it grows!
   Completion Time - 
1-2 hours
   Designer - 
Kathleen George

Materials

STYROFOAM Brand Foam
  • Balls: 3", one (head); 2-1/2", one for each book read
  • (body); 3/4", two (antennae)
Other Materials
  • Acrylic paints, assorted bright colors
  • Purple chenille stems, three or more
  • 3/4" wiggle eyes, two
  • 1/2" pink pom pom, one
  • Felt scraps, assorted colors
  • 2" black top hat
  • Wooden skewers
  • Heavyweight glass quart jar

Tools

  • Disposable palette
  • Medium flat paintbrush
  • Water basin
  • Paper towels
  • Ruler
  • Wire cutters
  • Scissors
  • Serrated knife, cardstock, and black marking pen
  • (optional)
  • Thick, white craft glue

Instructions

  • 1. Insert a wooden skewer into each foam ball to use as ahandle while painting. Using photo as a guide, paint each ballthe desired color and then stand in a quart jar to dry.
  • 2. Attach head and body foam balls with chenille stemcouplings. To make couplings, cut chenille stem into 1-1/2"lengths and bend each in a U shape. Dip the ends of oneU-shape chenille stem into glue; press the ends into back of3" head ball, leaving a small loop protruding. Hook a secondU-shape chenille stem onto this loop, dip the ends into glue,and then press them into the first 2-1/2" body segment ball.Repeat to connect the remaining body segments. If desired,shape soft, natural curves in bookworm's extended body.
  • 3. Glue wiggle eyes to front of head with a pink pom pom nosecentered in between. Cut a smiling mouth from felt and glue tohead. Add other felt facial features as desired. Glue hat to top of head.
  • 4. Cut two 3"- 4" chenille stem lengths. Insert and glue oneend of each stem in a 3/4" ball and opposite end into head oneither side of hat, forming the antennae.
  • 5. Continue to add a 2-1/2" ball to worm for each book childreads. Optional: Paint book titles on each body segment orslit top of foam ball to display small pieces of cardstockwith titles printed on them.