Looking for any creative, safe and simple ideas from you creative Mama's out there. Any who home school or work with children...your own or others! I am trying to bump out of my own little bubble of ideas and pull from others creative heads!
Personally I do alot of fine motor things with sorting things into muffin tin games, make my own memory cards and lacing cards and such (I love my laminator =), have made bean bags and some various activity pillows out of fabric scraps and old buttons (huge ones) and the like.
What have you made for games or learning activites...preferably inexpensive and easy to do? I can do some sewing, have a laminator, love the Dollar Stores/Targets Dollar Spot, etc...and can usually cajole my hubby into simple garage and power tool related projects....=)
boy, do I have the website for you: http://madebyjoel.blogspot.com/
he's an amazing artist who is inspired by his young children. so simple, so clever!
recycle containers and fill with different objects to make music instruments - drums and shakers - such as a coke bottle filled with dried beans or yogurt containers filled with coins, pebbles, toothpicks, etc. The key is supervision and superglue so the lids don't come off because of the choking hazard. It is good for sorting, counting, sensory awareness, and you can use spoons and tweezers to work on fine motor stuff.
This one looks fun: http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/carton-dollhouse-1001214/
You could dye lots of different pasta shapes for them to string. They can make necklaces and bracelets. You can dye the pasta all different colors so they can sort colors and count how many of each color they have. All you have to do to dye the pasta is put a tiny bit of alcohol in a ziploc baggie with a little food coloring and shake the pasta up in the bag. Then, take the pasta out and set it on a paper towel to dry. Tape the end of a piece of yarn, so it doesn't fray, and tie a big knot at the other end and let them start stringing the pasta.
Try homemade playdough. It is a great open ended activity. It keeps my little one busy for long periods of time. We have tools that she uses to cut the playdough and make shapes. Also Gak is a fun thing to play with. Search the recipes on Google. I can also send them to you if you are interested.
I get many of my ideas from Tot School posts. She does one called Rock Stars for older kids too. Also other moms link up so you can glance through their blogs too.
http://1plus1plus1equals1.blogspot.com/
I love it!
My favorite toys growing up were the big blocks my dad made us. He just got some 2x4s, and cut them into rectangles. He made us a bunch of them, and all 6 of us loved playing with them. We were only allowed to play with them outside, so it was perfect.
We made an indoor sandbox out of rice. You can even dye it if you want. Add sand toys, cups, pans, utensils...and throw it all in a flatter tote for easy storage. We would usually out in the kitchen on a tarp just for easier clean up.
We do some fine motor skill things like you mention, but my son is very active and loves to move. His favorite homemade toy is a bunch of cereal, cracker, etc, cardboard boxes that we paper mached and painted so that he has big building blocks. They were fun to make and to paint and now he makes all kinds of things with them. Pillows and blankets are his next favorite, we build forts, make tunnels, go camping, etc, all from the comfort of our home.
A mommy blogger I read started "Mommy school" with her toddler and she picks a theme each week. Week 1 was the three little pigs. You can read about it here http://ahabitatforhumanity.blogspot.com/2010/05/good-kids.... I work full time, so I haven't done this with my son, but it sounds like so much fun.
