DIY Mini Gumball Machine Craft for Kids

Make these cute mini gumball machines in just a few simple steps. Use terra cotta pots for the base and a clear ornament filled with pom poms or beads for the top. Our mini terra cotta pots come in a pack of 12, so you can plan this as a fun group craft activity for program. This is a great idea for a Carnival or Arcade Theme. You can even make these yourself and give them as gifts!

Materials:

How to Make Mini Gumball Machines:

1. Paint the mini terra cotta pot with red acrylic paint. Let it dry.

2. Draw a slot for the “candy” to come out with a black marker.

3. Cut an oval piece of duct tape (or paint a piece of paper with metallic paint) and stick it to the pot. Write 25 cents with a black marker.

4. Fill your ornament with either colorful pom poms or beads to represent the candy. If you use our snap together ornaments, glue a red pom pom for the top of the gumball machine. The top fill ornaments have their own removable top, and you can even fill them with actual candy if you’d like!

5. Glue the ornament to the bottom of the mini terra cotta pot with hot glue.

You can also add some yarn through the top of the ornament for the option to hang up the mini gumball machine as a holiday decoration!

We are always excited to see pics from other crafters that have used this idea to create their own fun project. Check out this example from Pinterest! This crafter used different candies, like Skittles and other mini candy. She also used bottle caps for the dispenser. Such a cool idea!