Fun and Useful Crafts for Old Tennis Balls

Are you a crafter and a tennis fan? If so, there are several crafty uses for old tennis balls. Instead of throwing them away turn them into useful household decorations or puppets for the kids. These crafts are kid friendly, but do not let small kids do the drilling or cutting. Each craft takes a half hour max.

Tennis Ball Face Object Holder

What you need:

Tennis ball
Drill
Eyelets
Glue
Utility knife
Screw
Screwdriver
Pen

1) Turn the ball so the writing is at the back. Make two dots on the ball about 1 inch part and 1/4 inch below the top white “line.” These are for the eyes
2) Draw a horizontal line 2 to 2.5 inches long about 1/2 inch below the eyes. This is the mouth.
3) Drill a hole for each eye. Drill a third hold in the back of the ball as close to center as possible.
4) Spread glue around the back of the eyelet and insert in the eye holes. Let them dry. You do not use the back piece of the eyelets.
5) Cut along the mouth with the utility knife.
6) Insert the screw into the open mouth and through the hole in the back. Screw the ball into the wall.
7) Insert pens, keys, towels, or jewelry into the mouth and let them dangle.

Tennis Ball Puppets for Kids

What you need:

Tennis ball
Utility knife
Markers

Optional:

Glue
Yarn
Glitter
Eyes (eyelets, buttons, googly eyes)
Pipe cleaners

1) Turn the ball so the writing is at the back. Mark the location for the mouth using the markers. Make the mouth smiling, or mark along the lower white line to make him frown. Make the mouth small or large so it opens wide.
2) Cut along the line with the utility knife.
3) Let the kids decorate the rest of the face. They can glue on the eyes. Drill extra holes in the top of the ball and insert pipe cleaners for antennae or glue strips of yarn for hair. Use anything found around the house to make the face look funny.
4) Squeeze the ball to make the mouth open and the puppet “talk.”

Tennis Ball Hanging Curtain

What you need:

Tennis balls
Fishing line
Scissors
Tapestry needle
Wooden dowel

1) Drill holes in the top and bottom of each tennis balls. The amount you need varies, but drill holes in at least two dozen to start.
2) Decide how long you want the curtain and then add 1 foot to that length. Cut a piece of fishing line to that size.
3) Wrap one end of the line a few times around the end of the dowel and then tie it tight.
4) Thread the line on the needle and string one tennis ball to the line. Let it fall to the dowel.
5) Tie a knot in the line about 5 inches from the dowel. Make sure the knot is bigger than the hole in the ball.
6) Repeat with more balls, tying knots in the line every 5 inches.
7) Add more rows of balls to the dowel until complete.
8) Hang the curtain wherever you please.