Make a Pull-Along Canister Train

Your child may have fallen in love with certain brand-name trains, but it’s just as much fun to make your own train – and a whole lot cheaper.

What You Need:

• Empty oatmeal canister
• Black construction paper
• Pencil
• Clear tape
• Cardboard
• Paper fasteners
• Small cardboard tube from a roll of paper towel
• Scissors
• Glue
• Nail
• String
• Permanent markers

What You Do:

1. Trace the lid of the canister on a piece of black paper. Cut out the circle and replace the lid.
2. Glue the circle to the bottom of the canister.
3. Wrap black paper around the whole canister, leaving the top uncovered, and secure with tape.
4. Cut four small circular wheels out of cardboard.
5. Punch a hole in the middle of each circle with the nail. Punch four holes in the canister: one a few inches from the top, one a few inches from the bottom, and two directly opposite those on the other side of the canister.
6. Use the paper fasteners to attach the wheels to the canister by inserting a fastener through the hole in the circle and then the hole in the canister. Repeat with remaining circles and fasteners.
7. Lie canister on its side.
8. Cut the bottom 1/3 of the cardboard tube and glue it to the top of the canister (now lying on its side) as a smokestack.
9. Draw a face on the lid of the canister, now the front of the train, using permanent marker.
10. Poke a hole in the lid, attach a string and knot it before replacing.

You know have your own, homemade pull toy. Toot toot!