• Start Here
  • Home
  • Books
    • Classics
      • 20th Century Classics
    • Early Chapter Books
    • Easy Readers
    • Folktales
    • Holiday Books
    • Middle Grade (8-12 years)
    • Nonfiction
    • Picture Books
    • Read Aloud Chapter Books
  • Games
    • Traditional Games
  • Kids Activities
    • Arts and Crafts
    • Literacy & Writing
    • Math
    • Playful Activities
    • Science
    • Toddler
  • Parenting

What Do We Do All Day

Books and Activities for Kids

You are here: Home / Holiday / Sweet and Spicy: Making Pomanders with Kids

Sweet and Spicy: Making Pomanders with Kids

November 20, 2020

349shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Nothing makes a home feel cozier at Christmas time then the scents of citrus and spices wafting through the air! And it just so happens that orange and clove pomanders is the perfect easy winter craft to make with your kids. What better way to celebrate than a sweet and spicy activity with the kids that also helps them develop their all-important fine motor skills!

We were inspired to make these sweet-smelling decorations by a photo of pomanders in a magazine.  The pomanders looked like an easy and calming way to spend an afternoon and we were not disappointed!

Pomanders - a fun holiday activity for kids

How to Make Orange and Clove Pomanders

What you need:

  • a few oranges
  • cloves
  • a nail
  • masking tape (optional)
  • ribbon (optional)

Instructions:

Hold orange in one hand, poke cloves into the orange with the other.

That’s essentially it.

However, since poking the cloves into the orange took some strength, my son used a marker to make dots where he wanted to place the cloves and I pre-poked holes with a nail. He was then able to press the cloves into the oranges with relative ease. Alternatively, you can use masking tape or painter’s tape as a guide. Simply remove the tape when you are finished with your design.

He became really focused on making pomanders worked independently for quite some time (and isn’t that always every parent’s secret goal). I will admit, I also found making pomanders quite relaxing. And the surprise bonus is that when I finished the cloves had made my fingers smelled great!

Pomanders - a fun fine motor activity for kids during the holidays

Some instructions advise using orris root to help preserve the pomanders. I didn’t bother with that, however, and neither should you. You’re not going to want to store these from year to year. Just compost the pomanders when they start to mold.

And remember… please-oh-please let your child chose where to put their cloves! For heaven’s sake don’t draw a pretty design for him to follow. If the pomander comes out looking like it has been through a battle, that’s totally okay. Allow your child to develop their own independent creative identity.

And if you really love the smell of oranges at Christmas, dry some orange slices and have your kids string them up to make ornaments or a garland. This is also a great fine motor activity! Here’s a video to show you how to do it:

Fine motor skills practice with pomanders

Want Your Kids to Love Being Unplugged?
Subscribe to our newsletter and as a thank you, receive 10 waiting games kids can play anytime anywhere.
Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
349shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

by: Erica posted in: Art and Crafts, Holiday, Motor Skills 3 Comments

« Top 10 STEM Gifts with Books to Match
Cute Christmas Coloring Pages »

Comments

  1. 5orangepotatoes says

    December 9, 2009 at 2:10 pm

    We love making these! They smell so yummy. I have the girls poke a fork into the orange to make holes for the cloves. Ours keep for a long time, depending on the amount of cloves the orange has.

    happy holidays!

    Reply
  2. Raising a Happy Child says

    December 9, 2009 at 11:08 pm

    I have never heard about them until one of my online friends mentioned them on her blog. Sounds like fun… next year project by now 🙂

    Reply
  3. Morgan says

    November 29, 2020 at 9:05 pm

    We fill the entire orange with cloves. They are going on at least ten years now and still smell faintly of cloves. Each year I make another one to add to the fragrance. Now it’s time to get my grandkids helping. I don’t use orris root and mine haven’t molded.

    Reply

Feed My Comment Addiction Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

STOP THE WHINING!

SAY, "YES I WANT TO UNPLUG MY KIDS." JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER LIST AND GET 10 WAITING GAMES YOUR KIDS CAN PLAY ANYTIME, ANYWHERE.

Join over 12,000 parents who subscribe to the most useful newsletter on the planet. 

    We won't send you spam (yuck). Unsubscribe at any time.

    Search

    What Have We Done Lately?

    Best Games for Small Families (2-4 Players)

    Picture Books for Older Children

    Indoor Nature Activities for Winter that Kids Love

    Winter Bookmark Coloring Page

    Martin Luther King, Jr. Books for Kids

    A Year of Family Audiobooks

    Favorite Winter Craft: Ice Wreaths


    We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
    Copyright 2007-2020 What Do We Do All Day? All rights reserved.

    EXPLORE MORE:

    Awesome Newsletter
    Favorite Resources for Parents
    100s of Book Lists
    Gigantic List of Indoor Activities
    Best Games on the Planet
    Stay At Home Parent Resources


    Privacy, disclosure and copyright policy

    Copyright © 2021 · Foodie Pro Theme Description: This is the Foodie Pro child theme created for the Genesis Framework. Author: Shay Bocks Author URI: http://shaybocks.com/ Version: 2.0.5 Tags: black, orange, white, one-column, two-columns, three-columns, fixed-width, custom-menu, full-width-template, sticky-post, theme-options, threaded-comments, translation-ready Template: genesis Template Version: 2.0.1 License: GPL-2.0+ License URI: http://www.opensource.org/licenses/gpl-license.php by Shay Bocks

    Want Your Kids to Love Being Unplugged?
    Subscribe to our newsletter and as a thank you, receive 10 waiting games kids can play anytime anywhere.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    Want More Free Activity Ideas?
    Join our email list and as a thank you gift I'll send you a list of 10 waiting games that will make your kids smarter.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    Want your kids to love being unplugged?
    Join our newsletter and as a thank you, I'll send you a list of 10 waiting games.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you keep using this website we will assume you are OK with that. Read our privacy policy for more.OKRead more