Handmade goldfish scooping ideas: How to make goldfish and scoops (poi)
Goldfish scooping is a classic feature of summer festivals.
Haven’t you tried it at least once?
In this article, we’ll introduce DIY ideas for goldfish scooping.
Since you can make them with construction paper, origami, or recycled materials, it’s perfect for indoor fun, and even children who can’t scoop real goldfish can play.
They’re also great for pretend festivals at daycare or kindergarten.
Some goldfish can even float on water, so you can enjoy them in your bathtub at home.
If you want an easy way to enjoy goldfish scooping, give these a try!
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Handmade goldfish scooping ideas: How to make goldfish and scoops (11–20)
Goldfish made of drawing paper & a scooper made from craft sticks and pipe cleaners
This is a craft where you scoop up paper goldfish using a poacher made from a popsicle stick and a chenille stem (pipe cleaner).
First, cut construction paper into the shape of a goldfish, sandwich it between transparent sheets, and finish it so it can float on water.
For the poacher, attach a popsicle stick to a pipe cleaner formed into a ring, then paste thin Japanese paper (hanshi) across the ring to complete it.
Since it’s a realistic goldfish scooping game that doesn’t use real animals, anyone can enjoy it.
You can also adjust the difficulty in various ways, such as adding weight to the goldfish or changing the size of the poacher to make it trickier to handle.
Goldfish scooping with sweets
https://www.tiktok.com/@niconico_mama/video/7385862794987474194Perfect for home parties and birthdays! Here’s a fun idea for a candy-filled goldfish scooping game.
It’s recommended for anyone planning an activity that kids will love at events.
You’ll need clear plastic bags, transparent origami paper, clear tape, iridescent round stickers, scissors, and more.
Just put the see-through origami paper into the clear bag and secure it with tape to transform it into a goldfish shape! You can even add candy inside for extra fun.
Give it a try!
Goldfish made from bottle caps & a scooper made from a plastic bottle
Great for summer festivals, too! Here are some ideas for making goldfish from plastic bottle caps and a scooper (poi) from a plastic bottle.
By using colored plastic bags, you can create uniquely colorful and cute goldfish! What you’ll need: plastic bottle caps, vinyl tape, rubber bands, colored plastic bags, round stickers, a plastic bottle, cloth duct tape, and clear tape.
The goldfish are made by wrapping plastic bottle caps with colored plastic bags, and the scooper is made by cutting a plastic bottle.
Give it a try!
Origami Goldfish & Cardboard Poi (scooper)
@hoikushi_bank [Summer Festival Game Part 2] Goldfish ScoopingSupport for childcare workers#Production Video#Production videoIdeas for childcare#HandmadeToys
♬ Natsumatsuri – Whiteberry
Three-dimensional goldfish are so cute! Here are ideas for origami goldfish and a cardboard scooper (poi).
Wouldn’t it be fun to recreate a goldfish scooping game using everyday materials? This time, let’s try making a goldfish scooping setup with origami and cardboard.
The origami goldfish have a charmingly plump, rounded, 3D shape! For the poi, cut out a ring from cardboard and wrap it with vinyl tape to make it colorful.
Holding the event in a mini pool or on a blue tarp will make it feel even more realistic!
Origami goldfish & paper-carton scooper
Enjoy an easy goldfish scooping game! Here are ideas for origami goldfish and a paper-carton poi (scooper).
These goldfish scooping ideas can be made with items you already have at home or in a classroom.
You’ll need origami paper, a milk carton, parchment (cooking) paper, scissors, a permanent marker, glue, clear tape, and some cups.
The poi looks just like the real thing by sandwiching parchment paper between cut-out pieces of the milk carton.
You can just picture how excited the kids will be! Give it a try.
Poi made from an empty snack box
Let’s play using scrap materials! Here’s an idea for making a poi scoop using an empty snack box.
How about using the plastic lid that comes with snacks as a makeshift poi? Float decorative balls or beads in a bowl and scoop them up with the lid-turned-poi! It can help nurture children’s concentration and teach control of strength.
If you want to make the poi sturdier, wrap it all around with vinyl tape to increase its durability.
Give it a try!
Paper goldfish & a scooper made from construction paper and a straw
Let’s have fun playing with recycled materials! Here are ideas for paper goldfish and a scooping net made from construction paper and a straw.
It’s a wonderful way to combine reusing materials with crafting.
Because you use familiar items, prep is easy, and it’s an ideal activity for nurturing children’s creativity and problem-solving skills.
Another appealing point is that kids can express their individuality by freely drawing the goldfish’s expressions and colors.
After finishing, the scooping game also helps them practice following rules and taking turns.
Give it a try!
Goldfish scooping of “The Goldfish Has Run Away.”
This is a goldfish scooping game based on the picture book “The Goldfish is Hiding,” in which a runaway goldfish keeps hiding somewhere.
Draw goldfish and other fish on milk cartons, cut them out, and wrap them with clear tape so they float in water.
Make lots of them and let them float in the bath—even kids who dislike bath time will be happily absorbed in play.
However, since tools like scissors and staplers are used when making the scoops (poi), be careful to prevent injuries if you’re crafting together with your child.
Goldfish made from bottle caps & scoops made from milk cartons
Goldfish scooping using plastic bottle caps is easy because you can make it with materials you already have at home.
Cut colorful materials like colored plastic bags, wrap them around the caps, and secure them with rubber bands to create goldfish shapes—it’s simple.
Since both the caps and the plastic bags are light and float on water, you can play using a kitchen bowl filled with water.
Also, you can make a scoop (poi) by cutting out a piece from a milk carton and attaching a mesh strainer bag, making it easy to catch the fish.
Why not try making this as a summer activity?
Goldfish made of flower paper & scoops made from paper plates
Goldfish scooping with flower-paper goldfish and paper-plate scoops is perfect as a recreation activity because the crafts are easy to make.
You can wrap a balled-up tissue with flower paper and secure it with cellophane tape, or make a scoop by sandwiching a paper plate between a pair of chopsticks—no scissors or other tools required—so even small children can safely enjoy the entire crafting process.
If you want to get fancy, you can add fins and eyes with origami, making it fun even when the focus is on the crafting itself.
By tying the goldfish and the scoop together with string, you can also recreate the sensation of “catching” the goldfish, making this an idea that can be enjoyed by everyone from children to seniors.