Games and toys you can make at home
Toys and games don’t have to cost a fortune. Using a few household objects, affordable craft supplies, and a little creativity, you can craft toys that will give your kids hours of entertainment. Here’s a handy guide to cooking up some hands-on fun.
Kid-friendly clay
You don’t have to shell out tons of money to give your little ones some creative, sensory-engaging playtime. Instead of paying for Play-Doh, you can make your own at home with just a few ingredients — most of which you probably have in the house already. One popular recipe, provided by LivingWellMom.com uses 1 cup of flour, 1/3 cup of salt, and two tablespoons of cream of tartar. Mix these dry ingredients with a cup of water, a tablespoon of oil, and a few drops of food coloring. Heat it in a saucepan until it achieves a thick, dough-like texture. Allow it to cool, then let your youngsters engage their creativity.
Sensory bottles
These toys are designed to help kids focus and soothe their senses with calming visuals and relaxing activities. To enjoy these benefits, all you need are some bottles with lids, hot glue, and fillers for the bottles, such as sand, rice, water, oil, and beads, along with some food coloring and glitter to add a little more visual interest. Understood.org suggests making a water-and-oil bottle by mixing colored water and baby oil in a jar, and sealing the lid with hot glue to prevent leaks. Add some sparkle with glitter. You can also create a “peekaboo” bottle by hiding small toys or alphabet beads inside a jar filled with colored rice or colorful craft sand. As with the liquid-filled jars, simply seal the lid on with hot glue. Kids can explore this peekaboo bottle by shifting it around to spot the hidden surprises.
Stuffed toys
While it takes plenty of skill and practice to make plush toys like the ones found in stores, it’s easy to get started on simple toys with just a little bit of fabric, thread, and polyester fiberfill. Free patterns are easy to find online, with options ranging from barnyard animals and holiday icons to vintage-inspired dolls and classic teddy bears. You can find a wealth of printable patterns at sites like AllFreeSewing.com and HelloSewing.com.
DIY checkers
Board games are fun for kids of all ages — and it doesn’t take much to replicate these playtime favorites using items you may already have around the house. A checkerboard can be easily printed out from an online template, or painted on a wooden board according to these easy-to-follow directions from KinderArt.com. And when it comes to providing game pieces, the sky is the limit. You can use anything from cardboard circles or flat marbles to bottle caps or buttons. Creative kids can even sculpt their own pieces from self-drying clay.
Want more inspiration? Check out popular sites like Pinterest for more ideas, as well as magazines and blogs.
The information in this article was obtained from various sources not associated with Adirondack Bank. While we believe it to be reliable and accurate, we do not warrant the accuracy or reliability of the information. Adirondack Bank is not responsible for, and does not endorse or approve, either implicitly or explicitly, the information provided or the content of any third-party sites that might be hyperlinked from this page. The information is not intended to replace manuals, instructions or information provided by a manufacturer or the advice of a qualified professional, or to affect coverage under any applicable insurance policy. These suggestions are not a complete list of every loss control measure. Adirondack Bank makes no guarantees of results from use of this information.
Source: IMakeNews, Inc.
