Easy DIY Football Penalty Flags for Game Day

These DIY penalty flags are so easy to make.  They're perfect for game day football watching when you know, you need something to throw and yell "bad call ref!" I happen to think they work just as well as the ones you'll see in a party store for $4 each and you can whip up enough for a group in about 10 minutes.

Perusing the aisles of my local party store I settled on a bag of bouncy balls to use as the centers for my DIY penalty flags.  You can use just about anything.  A tiny little sack of beans, a hackey sack, or even a piece of foam.  I wanted a little weight but not the ability to take someone's eye out.  

Next I headed for my ever present crepe paper collection and dug out the bright yellow.   I placed a glue spot on the ball and then wrapped it up in crepe paper, changing directions as I went along to cover the ball entirely.

After that I cut some long strips of crepe paper and wrapped the ball up in those.  The first time I did it I used 5 strips.  I quickly learned that 3-4 strips is plenty.  It all depends on how full and fluffy you want your penalty flags to be.

Squeeze the top and pinch to mark the spot where you'll secure your penalty flag.  Next you can use string, tape or if you have them handy little rubber bands to secure your penalty flag.  I had some of those little hair bands I use for making Kayla's pigtails.

I wrapped a couple of Kayla's hair bands (more famously known as those Rainbow Loom bands these days) and that was it.  DIY penalty flags.  In just a few minutes.  I'll have lots more game day ideas coming your way soon!