Making your Own Toys

Young kids love playing with different materials. That is a great opportunity to develop their creativity, and teach them their first lessons about renewable resources!

Large boxes, fabric, non-toxic glue and paint are ideal elements to have fun with. Ok, I’m far from being creative in arts with my hands, but just the experience is already worth it! A large box, cut on both sides can turn into a fun tunnel! A long and colored piece of fabric with different patterns becomes a little play field. An empty plastic container with coins inside can make interesting noises. Even a bunch of nylon sponges with different colors may turn into a puppet, which all toddlers love to play with!

Learning how to transform materials into creative pieces is a great skill to have for life. Wait until they are teenagers to buy them elaborate gifts, when they are definitely more demanding. Toddlers have fun with anything different that allows them to explorer forms and colors

Kids are Bored? Golden Opportunity....

Some parents are always trying to keep their kids overloaded with stimulation to avoid boredom. Well, the truth is, some of them just need time for themselves, and keeping the kids busy is their way to go. I really can't blame them for that, what parent doesn't need some free time?

The point is, boredom is a golden opportunity to coach kids to develop creativity. Helping them learn how to turn it into useful time is a great exercise for life. What teenager or adult wouldn't benefit from that skill?

Boredom is really a blank canvass, and it is in our hands to either build constructive roadblocks, or waist it with fillers.

I guess when our kids are older and able to understand words, we can simply challenge them by asking what they are going to do about their boredom. But with a toddler, hummm...not that easy. What I've been trying to do is either lead Lukas to some physical exercise or sit him down and show new things to do with old toys, like this old handmade doll. Hopefully I'm leading him to a creative and active lifestyle.

Whew, who said it was going to be easy?