Household stuff to make inexpensive toys for your baby and toddler
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Toys, Toys and Toys
I am sure you can, if you are a parent to a young child. My baby always seem to enjoy playing with new things and then lose interest. What she does like are everyday things, stuff from my kitchen, that piece of colored wrapping paper. I have now a list of everyday items, which we can convert into playthings for babies without spending a dime. it is inexpensive, creative and eco-friendly.
Contents at a Glace
Poll
Rattles - making your own
Homemade rattles for babies
All babies love making noise and love rattles. However they get bored with same rattles day in and day out. Give them something new and it will keep them busy for a long time.All you need are some colorful containers, some things to make noise like small bells, chickpeas, pulses etc, some tape and scissors.
What I do, is keep small colourful plastic bottles in different shapes, empty tupperware containers, straw containers etc. It can be anything as long as it is safe to hold and light with a tight-fitting lid. Fill the bottle with anything that makes noise, few chickpeas, pulses, bells etc. close the lid tightly or maybe tape it. There you go, a shining new rattle is ready for your baby.
P.S. Never leave the baby unattended while playing.
Blowing Bubbles
Bubble Blower
Making bubbles is a favourite with toddlers. You can do this in baby's bath and make bath more fun for no money at all.Take a safe, plastic coloured or transparent bowl.
Fill it up with soap water. You can also add a few drops of gycerine but that's optional.
Take a straw. Dip it in soap water and blow air to make bubbles.
Stacking Cups
Make your own stacking cups
This is too simple. No need to buy those expensive stacking cups which get lost after a while and you don't know what to do.Just give your toddlers containers of all sizes and s/he will just know how to stack them up. She might even surprise you with some innovative use, which you never thought of.
Paper cups or even empty and washed yogurt containers can be great for this. Just let your baby play with them as long as s/he wants and when s/he loses interest , just throw them and recycle similar stuff another day.
You can also use those small washable silicon or paper muffin cups. These days they are available in beautiful colors and prints
You are doing your baby's creativity and the environment a favour.
Bottles in Different Sizes
Babies love to play with bottles of different colors, shapes and sizes. You can give empty soda bottles or water bottles in various colors.Do not worry about how your baby will play with it. Baby will figure her own original way of playing with it.
You will soon see your baby banging the bottle or trying to open and close the lid which will keep her busy for a long time. When your baby gets bored with it, you can just replace it with a different shaped bottle or container and VOILA.......
Bottle caps can be great for stacking
An old newspaper page
Babies love imitating older people and reading newspaper is a favourite.Give an old newspaper page or a classified page and watch your baby explore it.
At the end of play, it will be torn to shreds and that's alright, you can just replace with another sheet.
Another good way of using newspaper is to make a aeroplane or boat out of the sheet and give to your toddler. A boat has the potential to become your baby's favorite bath-toy.
Pull Toy out of an old Cardboard box
Take any big empty carton. An empty cereal or cornflakes box will do great for this. Decorate it with some color pens and papers. Draw some eyes, whiskers etc to make an animal out of it. You can also make a car or truck by adding some wheels and drawing windows and doors on the box. Even if you do have time or inclination to do too much, just tie a string to the box and your baby will love pulling her new toy with her throughout the house.
Guestbook Comments
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davespeed
Apr 3, 2012 @ 6:33 pm | delete
- You have some very smart, clever ideas here!
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TheLifestyleChanger
Feb 28, 2012 @ 5:43 am | delete
- Great ideas!
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Lifeboost
Feb 28, 2012 @ 5:06 am | delete
- Great ideas for inexpensive baby and toddler toys! Makes me wish I had a baby in the house again so I could make use of these! :) Blessed by a Squid Angel. :)
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KonaGirl
Feb 20, 2012 @ 7:57 pm | delete
- Welcome to Squidoo! Great ideas for babies and I love the way you presented them. Good job. Keep up the good work with the next lenses you create.
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shishuworld
Feb 21, 2012 @ 7:46 am | delete
- Thanks June, This is very encouraging. I love your posts , they are great.
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by shishuworld
I am wife and mum. I work in the field of education and software and quit working after I had my baby. My daughter is my number one priority in life a... more »
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