Looking for a new toy for your preschooler, but you don't want to spend any money? Here's the perfect activity. Together, you and your child will make a simple toy that will provide hours of fun playtime when you're all done. As you work together, she'll get the chance to paint, draw, build, and learn. The best part? You should be able to find all the materials you need lying around your house.
What You Need:
- Flimsy paper plate
- Markers or crayons
- Scissors
- Hole punch
- Drinking straw, cut in half
- 2 small empty spools
What You Do:
- Help your child fold the paper plate in half, then outline a profile of a dog on the plate so the fold will run down the center of the dog's back.
- Cut out the dog, and have her decorate it with markers or crayons.
- Have her fold the front legs together while you punch a hole in them 1/4 inch from the bottom. Do the same for the back legs.
- Slip one half of your straw through a hole in the front leg. Put a spool over the straw, then put the straw through the hole in the other leg. Even out the straw and trim it so that 1/2 an inch sticks out from each side.
- Repeat the same process on the back legs.
- Now your dog will stand up on the spools. Give him a little push and watch him roll!
You can make more rolling creatures in the same way. Let your child decide what other rolling animal toys she wants. After you've made a few, have a race and see which animal wins!
By Heather Swain
Excerpted from "Make These Toys: 101 Clever Creations from Everyday Items" Copyright 2010 by Heather Swain. Used by Permission of Penguin Group Inc., New York All Rights Reserved.
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