Homemade Memory Matching Toy

This is the activity I was most sure would flop, and it's turned out to be one of Meg's favorites.

I made a memory/matching game out of old frozen juice lids. I simply cut out 2 circles each of different scrapbook papers and decoupaged them onto the lids.

Margaret can play memory with a friend or by herself, or she can sort and arrange the pretty lids.

It's pretty cute to watch her play memory with these by herself. *flip, flip* "Nope." *flip, flip* "Nope." *flip flip* "Same-same! I did it!"



Other activities in the series:
Ribbons in a Bottle Toy
Clothespin Clipping Toy
Pom Pom Push Toy
Pipe Cleaner Poking Toy
Fun Boxes

Ribbons in a Bottle Toy - Fine Motor Activity

When my daughter first started exploring this toy, she kept shouting, "Oh, my! Oh, my!"

It's, well, a bunch of ribbons stuffed in a bottle. It was interesting to see how difficult it was for her to get the ribbons back in the bottle. Fine motor skills are her forte, but holding the bottle, feeding the ribbon in, then continuing to stuff as she fed was very challenging for her. A little challenge is a great thing, though. It kept her busy for quite some time.



Other activities in the series:
Clothespin Clipping Toy
Pom Pom Push Toy
Pipe Cleaner Poking Toy
Fun Boxes

Clothespin Clipping Toy - Fine Motor Activity

A clothespin clipping activity is a fun, easy addition to a fun box, and it has limitless extension activities.

I used a small canister similar to a formula can and decoupaged scrapbook paper around and on top of it. The activity is to simply clip clothespins around the edges of the can. They can then be stored inside.

Some extensions I plan on doing with it:

• adding a hole in the lid for depositing the clips
• coloring the clothespins and adding stickers around the edge of the can for color matching
• numbering the clothespins for sequencing
• adding cards to clip onto the sides of the can with the clothespins

For now, Meg seems to be enjoying the base activity very much.




Other activities in the series:
Pom Pom Push Toy
Pipe Cleaner Poking Toy
Fun Boxes

Pom Pom Push Toy - Fine Motor Activity

Next in the series of handmade fun box toys, a pom pom push toy.

I simply took an empty powdered coffee creamer container, slapped on some stickers and ribbon to fancy it up, and provided pom pom balls to push through the hole. Pom pom balls are a close second to pipe cleaners in Margaret's "favorite art material" lineup. They store in the container between uses.

If you don't have a container like this, try cutting a slit in the lid of a cottage cheese/sour cream/formula/etc. container instead.




Other activities in the series:
Pipe Cleaner Poking Toy
Fun Boxes

Pipe Cleaner Poking Toy - Fine Motor Activity

Our fun boxes have been such a hit with Margaret, I decided to make a few toys and activities up to add to the boxes here and there as their contents start to feel stale. The other night, my kids were worn out from a visit with Nana and were in bed by 6 PM! It gave me the perfect opportunity to go on a toy crafting frenzy. Over the next 2 weeks, I'll share some of the toys I made. Most of them are fine-motor activities, because those tend to be the sort Margaret's most drawn to.

Today I'll start with what I believe will be Meg's favorite: pipe cleaner poking. This is an activity I saw popping up all over the ECE blogs I follow, and I knew she'd love it, based on our pipe cleaner colander play.

I used an empty Up&Up baby puffs container for the base. I poked holes in the lid with a metal barbecue skewer, placed a hole reinforcement sticker around each ring and colored it one of the pipe cleaner colors, and added an alphabet sticker title to the side (coated with Mod Podge for durability) just to fancy it up a bit.

The child pokes the pipe cleaners through the color-coded holes into the empty container. The container can be used to store the pipe cleaners in between uses. Simple, engaging, inexpensive - my kind of toy.