DIY ACTIVITIES TO ENTICE EXPLORING THE eLEMENTS that are IN THEIR WORLD

47+ Handmade Toys for Hours of Creative Play

You don’t need to spend a fortune on toys. And having too many toys can create overwhelm for kids. So ditch the store-bought plastic toys and inspire your kids to be creative by creating custom handmade toys for hours of play! Here are a few ideas to get you started. You can involve your kids in the creation process for added fun.

Are you drowning in toys already? Before creating more toys, tackle the toy clutter with our guide to downsizing toys.

Baby Toys

Even the littles can enjoy homemade toys. Here are several super simple toys you can make in minutes to keep your baby occupied for hours.

10 Homemade Sensory Toy ideas

Up-cycled DIY Fine Motor Toy

Stuffed Dragon (Sewing Pattern)

Tugging Box Fine Motor Toy

Felt Toys

Handmade felt toys are soft, yet durable. It’s the perfect material for kids who are a little rough on toys. Check out these super simple felt toys!

Easy Felt Turtle Toy

Felt Mermaid

Felt Play Food

Easy Felt Whale Toy

Felt Minion Finger Puppets

Decorate Your Own Felt Gingerbread House

Felt Alien

Felt Llama

Cardboard Toys

Extra cardboard can be turned into amazing toys for kids! Try building a space shuttle or shop to encourage your kids to use their imaginations.

Cardboard Space Shuttle

Matchbox Car Cardboard Tube Garage

Cardboard Skee Ball

Cardboard Play Shop

Crocheted Toys

If you’re able to crochet, here are a couple of super easy toys your kids will love!

Bunny Finger Puppets with Accessories

Crocheted Baby Doll

Clothespin Toys

Clothespins aren’t as widely used nowadays, but a small pack of wooden clothespins can be turned into super cute creations. Check out these airplane and car toys!

Easy Clothespin Airplanes

Clothespin Cars

Homemade Dolls

Homemade dolls can be tailored to your kids! If your little one loves a specific color, outfit, or hairstyle, you can customize your dolls to perfectly please your little ones.

Peg Dolls

Angel Yarn Doll

Homemade Playdoh

Playdoh can dry out quickly, so making your own is a great way to save money! Plus, when you make your own, you know exactly what’s in it (which is especially important if you have a little one who puts everything in her mouth, like me!). Check out these super easy recipes.

Homemade Playdough

Gluten Free PlayDoh

4-Ingredient Playdough

Handmade Puppets

Puppets are so versatile. Create these super cute puppets and reuse them over and over again.

Three Little Pigs Puppets

STEM Toys

Check out these amazing educational toy ideas. From learning about science through toy rocket ships to engineering your own pom pom shooter, these toys are sure to keep kids busy for hours.

Disney’s Toy Story Inspired Rocketships

LEGO Fidget Spinner

Pom Pom Shooter

DIY Bug Jar

DIY Parachute

Water Balloon Yoyo

Minecraft Bow & Arrow Craft

DIY Bouncy Balls

Imaginative Toys

Inspire your kids to imagine their lives as rock stars or kings and queens with these imaginative play toys!

DIY Musical Instruments

Denim Play Crown

Other Fun Tutorials

Here are a couple of additional tutorials to keep your kids inspired at home.

Homemade Craft Box Tutorial

DIY Wooden Toy Tutorial

Guide to Common Household Objects as Toys!

BOOST THINKING WITH BLOCK PLAY

Do you remember those great wooden toys that used to be all the rage back in the day? I love those things and I love that you can actually make many of them yourself.

Whether you want something extra special for the holidays or your child’s birthday, or just any occasion, you are going to love the 30 DIY rustic wooden toys that I have found that you can make yourself.

Not only are some of these very reminiscent of days gone by, they are all really easy to make and your kids are going to love them.

1. DIY Wood Block Stacker

You remember those old plastic stacking toys that you played with as a kid – or that your kids played with? Well, this is a wooden version and it is spectacular. The colors alone are great to keep kids entertained and you make the blocks in different sizes to teach them stacking skills. This one is really easy and would make a wonderful DIY gift for any toddler.

Tutorial: weefolkart

2. DIY WOODEN TOY CAMERA

This little toy camera is adorable and it looks so much like the real thing! While your little one won’t be able to actually take pictures with this one, or look through it for images that are preset into it, it’s the perfect toy for toddlers who want to act like their parents and snap photos wherever they go. Plus, it’s a pretty easy plan to follow to make it.

Tutorial: lilblueboo

3. EASY WOODEN CHALKBOARD CITY BLOCKS

Kids are going to love building their own cities with these chalkboard wooden blocks. You just have to cut the blocks out and then add the chalkboard paint. The fun thing about these blocks is that they can change them up as often as they want. Let them decorate their own little cities with white and colored chalk and then use those blocks for creative play. You have to love a good chalkboard paint project!

Tutorial: hellobee

4. CASTLE BLOCKS

Create your own castle building blocks set! This is such a fun and open-ended homemade toy that kids will spend hours with. It’s also extremely easy (even if you are not crafty!) and cheap to make. It would be fun to build a set of blocks with your kids’ help, or you can assemble it as a gift.

5. DOLLHOUSE IN A BOX

This wooden dollhouse in a box is not only adorable, it is super easy to make. You just need a few standard power tools and you can build your little girl the cutest doll house. Or, you could easily convert this to a garage for little boys…it’s all in how you decorate it. The best part? This one folds up so that all of their toys stay perfectly in place when they are not playing with them.

Similar Project:  DIY Upcycled Tin Can Windchime (Easy and Frugal)

Tutorial: adventure-in-a-box

6. DIY MINI WOODEN MAGNETIC BLOCKS

These little blocks are perfect for toddlers who are learning their colors. You could also make them a bit larger and put numbers and letters on them if you wanted. You can find wooden blocks to use or make your own and paint them in numerous bright colors so that little ones will find them fascinating and want to play.

Tutorial: youclevermonkey

7. WOODEN MIRROR BLOCKS

Here’s a great idea for some mirrored blocks for babies. These would make the most wonderful baby shower gifts and they are really easy to make. Little ones love looking into mirrors and these little blocks are the perfect size for them to hold themselves. You make these from a Jenga game – buy the cheap one at the Dollar Store for less than $5 – and the mirrors come from mirrored sheets. These are great DIY sensory toys to help children to learn as they grow.

Tutorial: adventure-in-a-box

8. EDUCATIONAL WOODEN NESTING DOLLS

I love nesting dolls and these DIY wooden ones are fabulous. These are great for little ones because they are so easy to hold. You make the wooden dolls and then paint them however you want them. You could give them that great old world look or turn them into themed character dolls – choose a Disney theme or something else that your little one loves.

Tutorial: adventure-in-a-box

9. SIMPLE OPEN DESIGN WOODEN DOLLHOUSE

When my girls were young all they ever asked for was a dollhouse. You make this with plywood and a couple of 2X2 boards. It’s an all open design so it’s perfect if you have more than one little girl that will want to play with it at the same time. This would make such a wonderful Christmas or birthday gift and it’s much cheaper to make than it would be to buy.

Tutorial: ana-white

10. DIY OVERSIZED TIC-TAC-TOE

I loved tic-tac-toe as a child. We even had one of those great Toss Across games where you toss bean bags at the game to make your moves – remember those? This oversized tic-tac-toe games looks to be just as fun and you can make it yourself. This is a great toy for kids of all ages and you can totally customize the images to make them even more exciting than just X’s and O’s.

Tutorial: hertoolbelt

11. HANDMADE WOODEN PIZZA PUZZLE

This pizza puzzle is great for little ones who are learning shapes and it helps to promote hand eye coordination. You make this from plywood and it’s a pretty easy DIY project. Kids will love playing with it for creative play and it’s a great tool for helping to teach them shapes, numbers and puzzle working in general.

Tutorial: abeautifulmess

12. WOODEN PUPPET THEATER

What better way to entertain your children than with their own puppet theater? This one is super easy to build and will give your little ones hours upon hours of play time. You could also make them their own DIY puppets to go with it or if they already have puppets, then you’re halfway there. Puppet theaters are great for encouraging creative play and this one is totally customizable because you make it yourself.

Similar Project:  40 Genius Space-Savvy Small Garden Ideas and Solutions

Tutorial: adventure-in-a-box

13. WOODEN RAINBOW BUILDING BLOCKS

Building blocks have been popular with kids for decades and you can make your own with this easy to follow plan. These are done in different sizes for creative play and you paint them any number of colors and you could even make them in different shapes. A similar set will run you about $60 or more at most toy or department stores but you can make this set for the price of a 2X4 or two.

Tutorial: funathomewithkids

14. RAINBOW CITY BLOCKS

Turn that old board into these adorable city house building blocks. These are really cute and boys and girls alike are going to love playing with them. Once you have the houses and buildings cut out, you just paint them to resemble your favorite city block. You could even do these to match the houses in your neighborhood. They promote creative play and are perfect for little ones who are working on their hand eye coordination.

Tutorial: adventure-in-a-box

15. DIY WOODEN BABY ROCKING TOY

Skip paying a hundred dollars or more for a rocking horse at your favorite toy store. You can build your little one his or her own rocking toy from a few boards that you have left over from other projects – and you can customize this one however you want. It’s a pretty easy plan to follow and makes the most adorable wooden rocker. This would be a wonderful first Christmas or baby shower gift.

Tutorial: killerbdesigns

16. DIY WOODEN SIT AND SCOOT

Turn an old board and a few wheels into the most amazing scooter for your older children. These are perfect for kids in school and they are so much fun. You add handles to the sides so that your little ones are safe when they are scooting and this is a lot safer than a stand up scooter. Plus, this one is really fun to make and your kids are going to love it.

Tutorial: prettyhandygirl

17. DIY WOODEN BASED PLAY TENT

Play tents are great but they can be a bit expensive, especially the sturdier ones that will last for several years. You can build this one yourself from pine boards and canvas and it’s practically guaranteed to last as long as your children are young. The plans for building are super easy to follow and you could even adjust the sizing if you need to make it larger or smaller. And when they grow out of it, this is the perfect opportunity to repurpose those kids toys.

Tutorial: adventure-in-a-box

18. HANDMADE WOODEN SENSORY BOARD

You can turn an old piece of plywood into a great sensory board for your little one. Sensory boards are great for teaching babies and toddlers about shapes, colors, textures and so many other things. These baby activity boards run close to $100 at most toy stores but you can seriously make this one for only a fraction of that – and kids are going to love it for years.

Tutorial: funathomewithkids

19. DIY WOODEN STORY CUBES

Wooden blocks are so popular with little ones. Remember those little ABC blocks? Well, you can give your little one the same playing fun but with story blocks. Story blocks allow your little ones to tell stories as they play, which really helps to develop their creativity. Plus, these little wooden blocks are great for hand eye coordination and sensory play, as well.

Similar Project:  39 Exciting Things To Do With Orange Peels

Tutorial: redtedart

20. HANDMADE WOODEN TEXTURE BLOCKS

Texture blocks work like sensory boards to help little ones to learn shapes and textures. These handmade texture blocks are super easy to DIY and you can add any shapes or textures that you want to customize them. Textured scrapbook paper, wool felt and wooden shapes give you the textures that you add to your DIY wooden blocks for hours of fun play for your little ones.

Tutorial: firefliesandmudpies

21. FUN DIY WOODEN BALANCE BOARD

Balance boards are so much fun for older children and teenagers. These DIY balance boards are made with plywood, 2X4s and 2X3s and the plan is really easy to follow. You can paint these however you want, customizing them for your child and they are so much fun to play with. They also help to teach balance so they really come in handy if you have a child into sports or gymnastics.

Tutorial: thatsmyletter

22. DIY WOODEN TOY BOAT

Every little boy…and some little girls…wants a toy boat and this wooden one is the perfect DIY gift. These are pretty easy to make and you can add wooden people to make play time even more fun. You just need a wooden board and a few other woodworking supplies to make this one and it won’t take you long at all to have it finished. And there are some amazing DIY organization projects to help you keep those toys all put away when they’re done.

Tutorial: adventure-in-a-box

23. DIY WOODEN PLAY KITCHEN

You can make this play kitchen out of wood that you have left over from other projects or you could even do it from an old cabinet, which takes away a lot of the work. If you have a little girl, she’s going to love this play kitchen. It’s so roomy so there is space for all of her play foods and dishes and imagine how much fun she will have cooking up a storm with this. Alternatively, you could fashion it a bit differently and turn it into a workshop for little boys.

Tutorial: younghouselove

24. CHEAP AND EASY DIY NATURE BLOCKS

These nature blocks are really fun for kids. They can make so many wonderful nature scenes with these and other toys and these are probably the cheapest DIY wooden toys that you could make. You don’t need to buy any wood for these. You make them from sticks and twigs that you have outside, so they’re free to make. And, you can pair them up with cheap woodland creature sets from the Dollar Store for hours of fun playtime.

Tutorial: adventure-in-a-box

25. HANDMADE WOODEN VEHICLES

Kids are really going to love these little wooden vehicles that you can make in no time at all. These are super easy and they’re perfect for toddlers and babies because they are so lightweight and the hollowed out centers make them perfect for helping little ones to learn to grasp. These offer hours of fun creative play and are great for helping your little ones to develop hand eye coordination.

Tutorial: ana-white

26. DIY WOOD BURNED BLOCKS

These house blocks are gorgeous thanks to the wood burning that you do. These are really easy to make, despite their intricate details. They are perfect for toddlers to pre-teen and you can make them in any number of shapes and sizes to promote hours of creative play. Plus, wood burning is so much fun so you’ll have as much fun making these as your kids do playing with them.

Similar Project:  Huge Money Saver - Make Your Own Environmentally Safe Cat Litter

Tutorial: alisaburke

27. EASY DIY WOODEN RACETRACK

These wooden racetrack or car ramps are super easy to make and they are perfect for little boys who love racing or jumping cars. You could even make some homemade cars and trucks out of wood to go along with these. And, you can do them in different shapes. Straight is great for ramps but you could also make a few curves to give them an even more exciting playtime.

Tutorial: buggyandbuddy

28. DIY PERSONALIZED WOODEN NAME PUZZLE

Not only does this personalized DIY wooden name puzzle help your little ones to learn how to spell their names, it doubles as bedroom décor when they get too old to play with it. This one is pretty easy, although you will need to know how to use quite a few different woodworking tools. They’ll have hours of fun learning to put their names together and then they can hang this in a great shadowbox frame when they get older.

Tutorial: adventure-in-a-box

29. DIY WOODEN TEETHERS AND RATTLES

If you know someone who is expecting soon, these DIY wooden teethers and rattles are the perfect baby shower gift. You can make several of these from one wooden board and they really are not that complicated to DIY. Plus, since you’re making these from wood, you won’t have to worry about what chemicals may be included in their teether – plastic teethers can contain so many harmful chemicals.

Tutorial: adventure-in-a-box

30. DIY WOODEN TRAIN TRACKS

Give your little boys the most wonderful gift with this DIY wooden train track. This is such a wonderful gift idea for the holidays or any occasion. The train tracks are pretty easy to build and you can add a DIY wooden train, too or use this with just about any train set that you may already have. This would be so gorgeous around a Christmas tree to create a rustic farmhouse Christmas, as well.

Tutorial: freedblog

CONCLUSION

Don’t just stop with your little ones – make these for every child you know. There are toys in here for toddlers to teens and even a few babies.

If you have an upcoming baby shower that you are planning to attend, why not make something really special like a homemade wooden rattle?

All of these toys are fabulous and they really do take you back in time.

Plus, you can make many of these with wood pieces that you have left over from other projects. Use the pieces that you have left over after you’ve made one of these 50 DIY wooden signs.

From stackers to toy cars, airplanes and even a great DIY play kitchen – these wooden toys are going to be cherished by your little ones for years. What a wonderful way to give your child something that they could eventually pass down to their own children!

I love heirlooms and these DIY wooden toys prove to be some of the best heirlooms you could ever make. And, if you really love working with wood, be sure to take a look at these 40 eco friendly reclaimed wood projects. You can find something for every room in here.

100 HOUSEHOLD ITEMS YOU CAN USE FOR FUN KIDS’ ACTIVITIES

Inside: You won’t believe how many amazingly fun and educational kids’ activities you can set up using common household items! With this list, your kids will be entertained for hours, and they will learn a lot about creativity and thinking outside the box.

As a busy mom of four, I’m always on the lookout for items to keep them happy and engaged without spending a fortune. New toys are, of course, exciting and fun, but we all know how quickly they become old toys. Fortunately, there are lots of things right in our homes with endless entertaining and educational potential.

In fact, when I recently sat down and decided to make a list to share with you, it added up to 100 common household items that can be used for fun kid activities!

One hundred is a pretty large number and it can be overwhelming to figure out where and how to start. I placed the items in rooms where you are most likely to find them and have provided some links for activities you could try with these items.

Here is an idea: challenge yourself to use one item every day until you get through the whole list. It’s a great way to bond, learn, and grow together.

I hope this list will inspire you to try new activities with your children.

100 HOUSEHOLD ITEMS

KITCHEN

1. Dishwashing liquid (How to Make Giant Bubbles)

2. Drinking straws (Homemade Barometer)

3. Birthday Candles (Birthday Candles See-Saw Experiment)

4. Baking Soda (7 Baking Soda Activities for Kids)

5. Paper Cups (DIY Cup Amplifier)

6. Vinegar ((Dragon Spells)

7. Paper Plates (Paper Plate Maracas)

8. Spoons (Catapult)

9. Food coloring (Color Changing Milk Experiment)

10. Colander (Pasta Play Activity)

11. Empty containers (Russian Roulette with an oatmeal container)

12. Salad Tongs (50 Fun Ways to Play With Tongues)

13. Water bottles (Sensory Bottles)

14. Mixing Bowls (Fire and Ice Experiment)

15. Pots (Making Music with Pots and Pans)

16. Lids (Lid Banjos)

17. Whisk (Play with Water and a Whisk)

18. Potato masher (Potato Masher Print)

19. Aluminum foil (Foil River)

20. Toothpicks (Glow-in-the-dark Stars)

21. Chopsticks (Paper beads)

22. Cupcake liners (BathTub Science Fun)

23. Plastic bags (Surprising Science of Polymers)

24. Kitchen staples (Sensory Painting)

25. Molds (Kids’ Soap Lab)

26. Mason jars (Fairy jars)

27. Empty glass jars (T-rex Experiment)

28. Cookie cutters (3-D Heart)

29. Cookie tray (Scroll down to Hands-on Learning in this Math Activities post)

30. Muffin tin (Scroll down to Sorting and Pouring in the Flat Marbles post)

31. Wax paper (Origami Halloween Light)

OFFICE SUPPLIES

1. Markers (Chromatography experiments)

2. Highlighter (Glow-in-the-dark bubbles)

3. Newspaper (Snowman Family)

4. Paperclips (Defying gravity with LEGO science)

5. Rubber bands (Pennies and Apple Experiment)

6. Paper (DIY Rockets)

7. Index cards (STEM towers)

8. Duck tape (Notebook covers)

9. Gift wrapping paper (craft ideas)

10. School pencils (Balancing Magic)

11. Ruler (3-D Math Valentines)

12. Tape measure (How tall are you and other tape measure activities)

13. Stapler (DIY Book for Kids)

14. Binder clips (Decorate Binder Clips)

15. Post-It notes (“I love you for…” game)

16. Push pins (Push Pin Maze)

17. Clear glue (Halloween slime)

18. Ink pads (Family Tree Craft)

FOOD ITEMS

1. Flour (Bread in a Bag)

2. Mashed potato powder (Winter Sensory Play)

3. Eggs (DIY Faberge Eggs)

4. Rice (10 Rice Sensory Bins)

5. Beans (8 Activities with Beans)

6. Salt (Natural Playdough Recipe – coming up)

7. Peanut Butter (Non-Newtonian Fluid)

8. Sugar (Rock candy – coming up)

9. Pasta (Pasta Art Activities)

10. Marshmallows (Building Challenge for Kids)

11. Cocoa Powder (Harry Potter Chocolate Frogs)

12. Whipping Cream (Homemade Butter)

13. Milk (Invisible Ink Using Milk, How to Make “Plastic” out of Milk)

14. Cornstarch (Silky-Smooth Playdough)

15. Candy (STEM Structures)

16. Soda (Erupting Soda Bottle)

17. Pumpkin (40 Fun and Easy Pumpkin Activities)

18. Spinach (Green Pancakes)

BATHROOM STAPLES

1. Contact Lens Solution (Basic Slime)

2. Q-tips (Process Art with Q-tips)

3. Shaving cream (10 Shaving Cream Art Ideas)

4. Shampoo (Rainbow Shampoo)

5. Baby lotion (Baby Lotion Playdough)

6. Cotton balls (25 Cotton Balls Hands-On Ideas)

7. Laundry basket (25 Boredom Busting Laundry Basket Games)

8. Mirror (Pupil Dilation Experiment)

9. Toilet paper rolls (Membranophone)

10. Dental floss (Peanut Butter – Rubber Gloves Game)

11. Comb (Comb Paintings)

12. Bath scale (Bathroom Scale Lessons)

13. Iodine (Incredible Iodine Science)

14. Alka-seltzer (Alka-Seltzer Rockets)

15. Dixie cups (Dixie Cups Garland)

16. Tealight candles (Candle Science)

CRAFT CABINET

1. Beads or Flat Marbles (Toilet Roll Challenge)

2. Popsicle sticks (DIY Newton Cradle)

3. Balloons (Homemade Barometer)

4. String (Can You Pick up ice with a Piece of String)

5. Ribbons (15 Ribbon Flowers)

6. Dice (12 Dice Games)

7. Paper bag (35 Cool Paper Bag Crafts)

8. String (Sticky Ice Science)

9. Glitter (Glittery Painting)

10. Tissue paper (20 Tissue Paper Crafts for Kids)

11. Pliers (Homemade Compass)

12. Googly eyes (Monster Eyes Activity)

13. Pom-poms (Simple Pom-pom Drop)

14. Pipe cleaners (Magic Pipe Cleaners)

15. Watercolors (Watercolors & Oils Science Activity)

16. Tempera paints (String Art)

17. Paintbrushes (31 Kids Painting ideas)

18. Shoebox (Shoebox Treasure Chest)

ASSEMBLING SMALL WORLDS AND TRAIN SETS

How To Get Started With Creating  Simple Small Worlds By Little Lifelong Learners

Miniature worlds are fascinating and wondrous for young children! They get to be masters of these little environments, and explore beautiful materials that transport them to mysterious and amazing lands away from home. Small World Play encourages imagination, investment, and creativity, while providing so many avenues for conversation and knowledge building about people, places, animals, and more!

Parents: There is a lot of fun to be had as you provide (purchase or create) the creative elements for small worlds. When I was doing this, Hope had the ability to scour a store for the things she wanted to use in her art as soon as she walked and talked.

The produce and bakery in a grocery store were her favorite departments to discover treasures and creative tidbits. But you may need to coach your little one through the process. Work on one theme at a time for the most part. When we found a great price we would purchase ahead. You will have fun with this and hopefully you have wonderful family and friends that helped us find unique elements. But when you have a theme ready, you will need to model how to put the play scene together at first.

But let the children arrange their play set and play the way that they want to as soon as they can handle it. I did this at night after she was asleep. Your set up should include a tray to create in and a tray of organized elements. 

Small World Play on a Small Budget

Updated: Jun 28

Love small world play but not the cost of the resources? Want to see 5 easy and engaging small world set ups? Read on for some low cost, high interest ideas...

What is Small World Play?

Small world play is literally playing with small versions of things which are found (or imagined!) in the world. For example, it could be a miniature representation of a zoo, a building site, a fairy world or a woodland - the possibilities are endless!

Small world play is a wonderful way to develop your child’s imagination, creativity and story telling skills. Here are some examples of how you can create your own small world set ups.

You can use toys which you already have or easily create your own with a little imagination. Junk materials, loose parts, fabric and paper/card are all that you will need! If you have books which link to your theme, it's also a great idea to add these.

Small World Play Ideas

Zoo

You can make animals for a zoo, using this helpful page from Hobbycraft. All that you'll need are some toilet rolls, card, paints and glue! If you don't have a zoo set like this one from Argos, you can create your own enclosures from junk materials. Paint boxes to make shelters for your animals and use blocks to create zoo enclosure fencing.

Digger World

Digger world is sure to be a hit with little ones! Brown parcel paper makes an ideal base. Cut and stick on some self-adhesive felt shapes to create grass, water and sand areas. Add an assortment of rocks, gems, pom poms and blocks to keep your team busy! I've also added some Duplo items which compliment the set up. Jumbo tweezers and scoops will help to develop children's fine motor skills.

Under the Sea

An under the sea scene doesn't need to be expensive. Use blue fabric to create the sea. You can add some yellow self-adhesive fabric to create an island. Rocks, pebbles and shells will make the scene even more authentic! Cheap and cheerful bath or soft toys can be used if you don't have a set of plastic under the sea figures. You may want to add some pirate- themed toys to this set up if you have some!

Space

Space World

Space is another popular small world set up. Use a large piece of black fabric to create your miniature planet and then add some loose parts. Items such as pine cones, gems, conkers, star sequins and balled up pieces of tin foil will be great additions! Decorate a cardboard tube to create a telescope. If you don't have a spaceship, your child will enjoy creating one using junk materials.

Bear Hunt

The Bear Hunt

The Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen is a great story to turn into a small world. To make the long wavy grass, fold two thirds of a strip of green paper back and snip it. Stick the third which hasn't been snipped, onto green card. A stream can be made using a piece of card covered in blue tissue paper. Brown parcel packaging makes your squelchy mud. To create trees, cut tree shapes from card, fold the bases under and stick them to a rectangular piece of card. Snow is simply cotton wool balls and a cave can be made by bending a piece of brown card. The character puppets shown in the picture were from twinkl. A free set can be found at Early Learning HQ.

For a great selection of hands-on learning games and activities, don't forget to visit my No Worksheets Allowed shop.

Take a look at my Amazon shop for some fun tried and tested educational resources.

Small World Pretend Play Cardboard Box  

We do tons of play, crafts, and activities with recycled materials.  Cardboard boxes are a bit hit in our house!  We are very excited to join the Project Recycle & Create series each month this year as we create, explore, and play using recycled materials.  This month is all about creating with cardboard.  I don’t know about you, but since Christmas, we are well stocked on the cardboard supply!  This activity was made with a simple cardboard box and inspired so much creative play and fun.  We made a small world zoo that encouraged pretend play, fine motor skills, imagination, language development…and FUN!  Pretend Play is something we love and have done before with many themes and senses.  This zoo themed small world stayed out for a while and was a huge hit with the cousins.

I am such  a big fan of Fisher Price's Little People and playsets for small world play for my home and classroom. I buy them for Anna all the time. We pull out the Little People Learning Zoo Playset almost daily.  The animals were definitely needed for our cardboard zoo.

Using a large piece of cardboard, I drew a pathway and a few areas for the animals.  Little Guy provided great input about what we needed in our zoo.  He said we needed a few cages for the animals and an igloo for the polar bear.  He set all of the animals around the zoo and gave everyone a home.

We added a few Little People from the Fun Park
set to walk through our zoo.

This DIY zoo play mat sat out in our dining room all day and once the Toddlers were up from their nap, they were excited to get in on the play too!  What a great way to encourage pretend play and language!

We had so much fun with our pretend play zoo.  And, it doesn’t get much easier to set up a small world for hours and hours (days…) of imagination and pretend play!  How many small worlds can you create with just a few sheets of cardboard?

beach small world play  

Many years ago, we made a creative ocean and beach small world play activity and it was a Summer hit! Whether you are looking for activities to keep the kids busy at home through hands-on, sensory play, OR if you need Summer occupational therapy activities to use in skill-building, a beach small world is a fun way to play!

BEACH SMALL WORLD PLAYCreating a beach small world using miniature animal forms and homemade colored sand can be a fantastic sensory activity for children.It doesn’t take much to create a small world, and the benefits are huge:

1. Imagination and Creativity: Small world play encourages children to use their imagination and create their own narratives and scenarios. They can invent stories, develop characters, and build unique worlds, fostering their creative thinking skills.

2. Language Development: Small world play often involves storytelling and dialogue, which helps children enhance their vocabulary, expressive language skills, and communication abilities. They can practice describing objects, expressing emotions, and engaging in role-play, leading to improved language development.

3. Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking: When engaging in small world play, children encounter various challenges and obstacles. They learn to think critically, problem-solve, and find solutions to overcome these challenges, fostering their cognitive skills.

4. Fine Motor Skills: Manipulating and arranging small objects in a small world setting requires precise hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and fine motor skills. Children practice grasping, pinching, and manipulating objects, which can enhance their fine motor abilities.

5. Social Skills and Cooperation: Small world play often involves collaboration and cooperation when children engage in shared storytelling or role-playing scenarios. They learn to take turns, negotiate roles, and collaborate with others, promoting social skills and teamwork.

6. Emotional Expression: Small world play provides a safe and controlled environment for children to express their emotions and explore different feelings through their play narratives. They can process and make sense of complex emotions, develop empathy, and practice emotional regulation.

7. Sensory Stimulation:
   Small world play often incorporates sensory elements, such as sand, water, or different textures. Engaging with these sensory materials stimulates children’s senses, promotes sensory exploration, and contributes to their sensory development.

8. Knowledge Acquisition:
   Small world play can be a great tool for learning about different concepts and subjects. Children can explore nature, geography, history, and various themes as they create their miniature worlds, leading to knowledge acquisition in a fun and engaging way.
   
   

 It was a fun day at the lake 🙂   The bunny went swimming… 

 And the temptation was too great…we HAD to mix the two colors of sand together. 

Assembling a Small world on your own

OBSERVE WHAT YOUR CHILD IS INTO.

Knowing what interests your child is important. If your child likes super heroes, get a fire truck and talk about real-life heroes. You can get them a superhero costume for dress-up play. Build off of child’s interests to introduce new concepts and different kinds of play.

THINK ABOUT THEIR DEVELOPMENT.

Take note of what your child is able to do at the moment. Provide toys that allow them to feel successful and those that challenge them to advance their skills. For example, start with puzzles with large chunky knobs and then introduce the peg-piece variety. For most things, start with larger pieces and move to smaller as they develop their fine motor skills.The younger the children are, the more simple you want to keep your small world (with maybe one element of sensory play and using items they can easily manipulate themselves). Less is more in this case. The older children are, the more elaborate small worlds can become.

THEN DECIDE ON YOUR THEME.

Choose a subject for your small world that the child has experience or at least an interest in. (For a first small world animals are often a safe bet as most children have some knowledge of or interest in them or you could try and act out a favorite story like ‘Going on a Bear Hunt’) or song like “Old Mc Donald”. I also used some of her favorite television shows and movies for inspiration. But ask them about what their favorite scene was. I could have gathered materials for creating a jungle from “Jungle Book” for Hope. But knowing it was the mango scene and the girls carrying water that she really liked made me aware of her favorite elements from the movie, ensured that it would be used more often. 

COLLECT SUPER FUN MATERIALS.

Be inspired by what you have in your toy box, in your kitchen, garden or anywhere else within reach. Part of the fun of small world play is setting the scene! Children love to be involved in creating small worlds and like to hunt for items they might want to use.It’s fun to make this a collaborative effort with your little ones, giving them ownership of the process.
Remember that you can add elements of sensory play too (like sand, water, play-dough, straw, uncooked rice, rocks, …) and that you might (will!) need a box or tray of some sort to contain your items.

GO FOR A SENSORY EXPERIENCE RATHER THAN OVER-STIMULATING.
Provide a wide variety of colors, textures, sizes, shapes and sounds and let them do the exploring. Things like colorful building blocks, silky scarves and wooden cars lend themselves to a multi-sensory experience. All of these items also have a variety of ways to play in them.

1. DIVERSITY WITH OPEN-ENDED TOYS
   Open-ended toys can often be used much longer and add more variety in play. Try to pick out items you can use in 3 different ways. Can you count it, build with it, pretend with it, etc? Great! It will more than likely be a purchase you won’t regret.

But now we are ready for setting up and assembling the small world playtime

There are really only three main components to a sensory small world – the base, the figurines and the loose parts. Then all you need is something to set it up on or in! You could use a small world table or any old container really! Lately we’ve been loving the Kmart Metal Tray for our small worlds!

Let’s get stuck into the details so that you can create your very own small world tray in no time!

THE BASE

This is my favorite part – the sensory element of the small world! There are so many wonderful materials you could use as your base such as:

• Colored water dyed with just a drop or two of food dye

• Kinetic sand or sand from the sandpit

• Small garden pebbles

• Dirt from the garden

• Dyed rice (click here to read instructions)

• Play dough in various colors 20 Play dough Small Worlds 

• Cloud dough (click here for the recipe)

• Split peas or corn

• Black beans

• Oobleck

• Dyed brown rice and yellow split corn made this African Small World very enticing!

THE ANIMALS OR FIGURINES

Next you add your animals or figurines! We buy pretty much all of our animal figurines from Mini Zoo! They are so realistic and will last a lifetime of play for each of our three children. They are definitely worth the investment! Some of our favorite figurines for play include:

• Schleich or CollectA animals – We have a set of farm, jungle, ocean, dinosaur and wild animals!

• Wild Republic polybags – These ones are still large enough for little hands while still being realistic. We love our Aquatic Animals and Insect sets!

• Safari brand Toobs – These smaller sets of animals are perfect for small worlds on a smaller scale. They’re also great for adding to a kit to take out and about too!

• CollectA Minis – We recently got our first few sets of Minis and they are gorgeous! They are smaller versions of the very realistic larger animals!

• Construction Vehicles

• Fairy figurines

• Peg dolls and little people – We love the little Hape brand people from The Creative Toy Shop.

My little learners loved this Construction Small World! The small pebbles were such a hit!

THE LOOSE PARTS + EXTRAS

The final step is adding your loose parts, plants or any other little extras. But keep in mind, this totally isn’t necessary! Often the sensory element and figurines are enough to invite lots of engaged play!

Natural Loose Parts – Collect things from nature that you can use in your small worlds. Shells from the beach or twigs and pebbles from the park make wonderful additions to your small worlds. You can also get gorgeous wooden pieces from Mini Minds Australia and Made With Altitude that add such a gorgeous natural touch to your tubs!

Fake Plants – We have quite the collection of fake plants for our small worlds. We find them at dollar shops, Ikea and our local Aquarium!

Our lizard small world was made up from natural treasures we collected at the park the day before! I added them to a tub of brown dyed rice with our lizards and our Mini Minds Australia natural wood slices

I hope these tips get you excited to get started with creating small worlds!

NEVER SET UP SMALL WORLD PLAY BEFORE?

Never fear! It is simple! Small worlds lend themselves to all themes, materials, and situations.
There is no right or wrong way to set up small world play. 

Pick a theme that you know your child will be interested in. If you made discovery baskets when your child was an infant, then you have a lot of supplies that your child is familiar with to consider. Then you can get started. First decide where you set up our materials. It might be in a plastic bin. In a sand play table. Or even in a recycled pizza or shoe box or even in a simple tray. It will determine your base and what size your treasures will need to be. The most important (and best) step is saved for last. PLAY!

If you are both new at this you can start simple. If you’ve built a farm scene for instance, you can start by feeding the animals, cleaning the barns, let the farmer check up on them etc. You can use simple actions and simple words (go on, make some animal sounds!). I’m sure children will join in fairly soon and you can play alongside each other for a while mirroring his (her) actions and following his lead (if he wants the cows to go to sleep: night time it is!) until they are ready to play on their own.

It’s good to keep in mind that all children are different. Some children only need a little help getting started and will be completely absorbed by their little worlds for a while. My little ones always loved having everything in one bin. Others will rather not play alone or lose interest quickly. That’s all ok. Don’t be discouraged (after all the effort of setting up this amazing small world!), you can leave it out for a couple of days and chances are they’ll want to revisit soon.

In general: as the child grows their play will evolve, become more abstract (being able to play out scenes they are not necessarily familiar with) and the play will become predominantly child-led. (Milestone!)

Link to Small World Supplies

Simple Small Worlds

Reptile Small World Sensory Play (Twodaloo)

Tropical Island Water Table (Craftulate)

Ocean Sensory Table (Stir the Wonder)

Frog Sensory Bin (Coffee Cups and Crayons)

Beach Play (The Boy and Me)

Beach Small World (Fantastic Fun and Learning)

Brown Grocery Bag Small WorldTown Play Mat 

Simple Small Worlds

Simple Small Worlds: Fizzing Hidden Ocean World

Safari Ltd sent us a TOOB free of charge at my request.  My review of their products is not swayed by this as I already loved them! One of the most classic subjects for a small world is the ocean.  Full of amazing, ...

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Simple Small Worlds: Butterfly World

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Froggy World Insect World
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Simple Small Worlds: Dragon World

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Simple Small Worlds: Insect World

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Simple Small Worlds: Dinosaurs Island

When I presented the tray to him, I reminded him that he found all of the sticks, leaves and rocks and had him touch the different leaves. We talked about textures like how the leaves with jagged edges looked a lot like the dinosaur's teeth. 

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Simple Small Worlds: Farm World

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Hidden Ocean World
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Simple Small Worlds: Dinosaurs and Frozen Sensory Snow

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Guided Experiences and Activites FOR Littles

Have a toddler? Be sure to check out 40+ Top Play Ideas for Toddlers.

• THE IMPORTANCE OF SENSORY PLAY FOR KIDS

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SENSORY PLAY HOME KID ACTIVITIES FOR TODDLERS

When we first began sensory kids- creative activities at home, I quickly realized it wasn’t working. Beans were sprouting from our deck cracks, and rice had been under the fridge for months. And we certainly don’t want that for you!

Instead, I am happy to be your guinea pig and guide you to success. I put together this Introduction to Sensory Play page to help you get set up like a boss. I want you to list what to put inside a toddler sensory bin.

Inside this post, you will learn how to set up your buffer zone, prompt your toddler back to the sensory bin when they walk off with oats in hand, and better understand when it is time to put the sensory bin away. – This is a sure way to begin fun at-home kid activities.

SENSORY KID ACTIVITIES FOR PRESCHOOLERS AT HOME

Okay! Now that the training is over, let’s keep the momentum going with our preschoolers at home. Ready to try sensory play in your house? You’ll adore these easy-to-put-together sensory kids- creative activities at home ideas.

• Cloud Dough – whip up some cloud dough and construction toys for a fun play scene.

• Color Mix – A play on ketchup and mustard, just with paint!

• Color Squirt – the fun way to repurpose shredded bills.

• Cut the Play Dough – Have a child that enjoys play dough? Grab the blunt-edge scissors for some cutting practice. 

• Dry Noodle Sensory Play – a simple way to color noodles.

• Fill the Lines – this one kind of looks like sweets! See if your child can scoop pom poms into plastic bottles up to the different measuring lines.

• Glue the Noodles – An effortless way to practice gluing skills through sensory play.

• Kinetic Sand – grab some kinetic sand and put it in a sensory bin for hours of fun.

• Ice Rescue Game – add ice to anything to win Christmas kid activities at home. Freeze plastic toys in ice and watch your child experiment with water to release them.

• Ice Skating Bears – a wintery way to bring sensory play inside. 

• Nature Sensory Hunt – Use contact paper to collect and chat about nature. A fun way to spend some time outside with minimal prep. 

• Sand Sensory Play – pop sand in a sensory bin and add scoops, jugs, and anything else lying around.

• Scissor Sensory Cut – chuck some cooked spaghetti in a sensory bin and watch them cut away.

• Water Beads – see our favorite brand of water beads here.

WATER GAMES AT HOME ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

Water kid activities are one of my very first WHOA. I just got 40 minutes of parenting from the sideline realizations. I ensured the water level was low and watched them closely as they poured and scooped. Water games are a genius way to catch a break at home. But before you dive in, I want you to know my best tip.

My boys are allowed ONE refill. They know this from practice. Need more water? Sure. One time. Once it is gone, it is gone. These quick tips will avoid numerous trips to the sink, and your child will better understand how to assess play so it doesn’t all go to waste.

Now you are ready! Dive into water kids- creative activities at home that can be played indoors or in the backyard for endless fun.

RELATED: Head outside with these outdoor toys for kids.

ACTIVITIES FOR ONE-YEAR-OLDS AT HOME

Having a one-year-old can be tricky! I get it. They are too old to sleep all day yet too young to emerge in self-guided play for extended amounts of time. We may notice our one-year-old exploring a color-matching game and then quickly becoming distracted by wanting a snack again.

With all this said, I firmly believe that babies, toddlers, and preschoolers should explore the environment and different textures. You do not have to buy out Amazon for 12 months. So how can we use our environment to encourage baby play as we catch our breath?
I searched the internet, so you don’t have to.

RELATED: Here is a list of the best toys for one-year-olds.

Days with Grey participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.

LEARNING KID ACTIVITIES AT HOME

Let’s give it up for the independent play school ideas that allow us to drink our morning coffee. As we get our preschoolers thinking about important concepts, they will explore them throughout their lifetime. Since we all understand that playing is learning, let’s plant seeds and watch our children dive in.

I call these play school kids- creative activities at home Breakfast Invitations.

Simply put, these play invitations:

• Are a quick and easy setup – think under 5 minutes.

• Engage play to create a powerful morning routine – so you can have a relaxing morning.

• Use supplies – items like markers, painter’s tape, etc. Find everything in our supply list here.

• Align with lifelong learning skills – giving your little one the best start in life.

Craving a calmer morning?

Breakfast Invitations are play-based, hands-on, and designed with an intentional introduction to learning through play. Each set of activity cards has an inviting image on the front and set up, what to expect, and language to use with your child on the back.

I WANT TO GET STARTED!

Messy Play Kids- Creative Activities at Home Kid

Eek! I see you looking at this image and shrieking in fear, so I am here to give you a quick messy play tip. Right now, go fill up your washing machine with water and detergent. Get it ready to toss the clothes in once your preschooler is done exploring.

I assure you, it’s as simple as that. – Get messy, strip them down, and toss the messy play clothes in the wash.

Why is Messy Play  Important at Home?

Messy play kids- creative activities at home encourage children to explore substances. These are the same substances that will be what they will revisit in grade school. If you encourage children to touch and feel now, they will make dynamic discoveries as they connect the dots later. You will help spark connections such as:

‘I know this! I remember when I poured the liquid into the tall, narrow squirt bottle that it overflowed faster than the large pitcher.

Try these messy play kids- creative activities at home:

• Color Mixing; A Play on Ketchup & Mustard – add red and yellow paint to squeeze paint bottles and let them go wild!

• Color Mixing Shredded Paper Bin – adding paint to shredded paper couldn’t make an easier messy activity. Plus, it’s a great way to reuse your recycling!

• Decorate the Cake – Use shaving cream or an alternative taste-safe whip cream to make your own cake using a box. 

• Eyeball Shaving Cream Play – kids love shaving cream. Add some spooky eyeballs so they can play away.

• Eyeball Soup  – popping some fake eyeballs in water and seeing if your tiny terrors can scoop them out make great Halloween activities for kids at home.

• Hidden Hearts Cloud Dough – sometimes cloud dough gets outside the bin. Play with cloud dough in a space that can quickly sweep away the mess. 

• Muddy Water Messy Play – grab a few items from the kitchen for water play with nature.

• Neon Squirt – they’ve done normal paints, but what about neon?! Try them out; it’s amazing.

• Shaving Cream Car Tracks – cars and shaving cream is great for exploring textures and patterns.

• Shaving Cream Duplos – what happens when you mix Duplos with shaving cream? Messy play comes to life, and the kids need a hose down. -pure joy.

• Shaving Cream Foam Block Sensory Play – Are kids tired of using blocks? Add some shaving cream and see what they come up with!

• Squirt the Ice – paint on ice shards makes a fun and colorful science experiment.

• Sweet and Tasty Edible Bin – kids need to taste and touch, so add something to your sensory bin to get them started.

RELATED: Read what healthykids.org shares about how play helps kids thrive.

Outdoor Kids- Creative Activities at Home

As adults, we know when we need a restart, it is helpful to walk outside, breathe in the fresh air and get some sunshine. Being outdoors stimulates the senses and wakes up the brain. These outdoor ideas make great summer activities for kids at home.

Check out these ways to play with kids- creative activities at home – outside edition!

• Backyard Hunt and Sort – hide a collection of items in the yard and see if your kids can seek and sort them. 

• DIY Movement Dice – grab an empty tissue box, cover it in paper and draw colored dots on each side with an activity. For example, red means jump!

• Fall Leaf Painting – keep the drops of paint outside with this large mural of fall. 

• How Balance Can Improve Reading – check out why balancing helps your little ones literacy skills, then pull out some balancing activities. 

• How to Paint with Kids Outside – painting with kids can be…tricky! Learn a fuss-free way to paint with them outside.

• Musical Scavenger Hunt – put that sidewalk chalk to good use with this musical color-sorting game. 

• Nature Mural – easy as it looks. Collect nature and add it to a large piece of wood to make a nature mural. 

• Outdoor Sensory Supplies – in need of some supplies? Check out my recommended outdoor sensory supplies.

• Paint the Rocks – have a child that loves to collect rocks? Try painting them! 

• Practice Prewriting with Movement – draw some dots outside with chalk, then connect them to make spirals, curves, and lines. Ask your toddler to follow the lines to get comfortable with the shapes.

• Pumpkin Balance – nothing beats a relay race. Grab the mini pumpkins and try to get to the other side.

• Stick Painting – Gather some sticks and paint them to combine nature with fine motor skills.

• 51+ Things to Do for Spring – you’ll love this great list of sensory, crafts, and field trip ideas for Spring.

RELATED: Read what the NAEYC says about why outside play is important for the whole child.

KIDS – CREATIVE ACTIVITIES AT HOME ARE A MUST FOR LITTLE LEARNERS

I hope you find some fantastic activities from these lists to start your kids- creative activities at home!

How are cognitive development and sensory play helping our babies, toddlers, and preschoolers? Be sure to read this from Michigan State University.

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Play is individualized and can involve anything from building with blocks to pretending to be superheroes. It is a natural and important part of childhood and is something that parents, caregivers, and educators can encourage and support by providing opportunities for unstructured play and by allowing children to explore their own interests and ideas.

KID PLAYDate IDEAS

Try these creative ideas to support development, but also to add fun and engaging activities!

Process-vs-Product Focused Play
Indoor Play: Baby Pool in Living Room
Messy Play Date details
Learning colors
Golf Tees and a Hammer: Fine motor and manipulatives
Growing Memories
Halloween Sensory Bin
Indoor Play Series (#1)
Light Bright Sensory Play

Rainbow Fine Motor Play
DIY wrapping paper
Rainy Day Play
Learning Apples/Red
Fall Nature Adventure
Recycle Bin Project
A day at the farm
Learning about emotions through play
Indoor Play: 3D Drip Paint
Paint with a baggie- Letter Formation
Treasure Map
Homemade Puffy Paint
Indoor Snow Play
Valentine’s Day Play Dough
Potato Stamps- Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Fine Motor Skills with Pom Poms
Teaching Body Parts to Toddlers Thfrough Imagination Play

Fine Motor Play with Pipe Cleaners
Using Stickers to Help with Cutting Skills
Painting Snow

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Painting Rainbows
Fine Motor with Crafting Pom Poms
Pipe Cleaner FIne Motor Play

DIY Props,  Components and Small parts For Play and Art Activities

Figure out and select your own family or classroom  terminology and language to be used for building and constucting different elements for play. This type of activities allow for improving both their language and social skills.

Most "parts or bits" can be imagined as a component in art project for play by itself or it can be added to or combined with other components creating or making a new object.  The elements used to make her kaleidoscope were colorfull and decororative but then her kaleidoscope could become an element in pirate play. See how confusing that can be.

Let's consider this picture of Anna below and her "Yes" bucket. Her basket is full of pre-screened items that are so safe that she can explore sort and play with on her own. At age one, she is learning that she can move them on her own too. Her favorite toys are tasty, moveable, brightly colored, make a crunchy sound, fit in her hands, and things that resemble what she see's her dad use on the farm. She is totally fascinated by watching her dad drive the farm equipment. She absolutely loves animals and playing in grass and dirt...just like her mom.

Anna spends alot of time tasting, looking over, sorting, shaking, banging, squishing, combining and moving the toys  and household items. (Oh and laughing at or laying on her pets.) All of the random toys in her bucket can be played with with individually or as a part of a larger grouping of toys with similar features...which makes them great loose parts since she is familiar with them. Now that she has a cart to move them we are starting to see more grouping and combining them as she moves them to another spot as she is just starting to move them on her own.  

As you can see Anna's mom bought her toys with assembling discovery baskets and Small World pretend play in mind. 

Playful Storytelling &
Book activities–

Using a Story Bag, Basket or Prop Box

Have you ever tried using a story bag , basket or prop box to help you share a story with young children? If you sometimes get frustrated trying to keep a child's attention while reading stories why not try making this time a little more playful and interactive for those short attention spans and put together a few story bags that you can use over and over.

Story bags are a fantastic literacy resource (especially useful for those children who might be reluctant readers, not very interested in books or ‘sitting still' to listen!) and the best part is you can keep adding to your collection over time for very little cost.

What is a Story Bag, Basket or Prop Box?

You can build a story bag, basket or box around a new story or old favourite. You will want to include a copy of the book (of course!) and then a small collection of props that will help you to give the story life – to lift the words off the page and stimulate imaginations and interest while making sure the story is meaningful and fun! They also introduce a wonderful tactile experience to storytelling and this can help educators and parents introduce and engage visually impaired children as well. A story bag or basket provides a hands on learning opportunity for all children no matter their age group or developmental stage.

The fun part is deciding what will go into your story bag and what items you can use to represent and correspond to scenes, characters and special moments in the book you have chosen. Some common materials used in story bags and baskets that you could start with include:

• Soft toys

• Farm/zoo animals

• Little people/Lego figures

• Small boxes

• Sticks/grass/hay/wood cookies

• Finger and hand puppets

• Visual aids, cards, calendar pictures, coasters

• Textured material

• Mats, cloths, placemats.

The suggestions above include just a small selection of what you might include in your story bag. It really is up to you and how you want to engage the children and tell the story. Don't feel you need to be limited to what will fit into a bag or basket though – there is no reason you can't incorporate larger materials and props into your storytelling ‘bag' and set up using a tray, large floor space or a table.

How do I know what to put in a story bag?

To help you decide what to look for to begin compiling and using your first bag try answering the following questions:

1. What 3 stories are you most familiar with and confident reading at the moment?

2. What is the age of the child/children you are reading to the most often?

3. Name the main characters in each of those stories – do they have a special tool/toy/magical item/saying etc that makes their character unique and well known?

4. If you had to set up a play for each of the books what scenes and props would you identify as ‘must have?'

You also need to decide on the type of story bag you want to put together. There are of course many fancy sets you can purchase already done for you but why spend money on something you can easily put together yourself  in less than half and hour and use over and over again! All you need to start is a canvas bag or large pillowcase, or an old basket or even a cardboard box!

NEED FREE ACTIVITies FOR YOUR PROGRAM?

Here are some ideas to get your creative educator mind thinking about the possibilities and the direction you want to take as you compile your Story Bag.

1. You just want a story bag that uses simple everyday materials as the props that correspond clearly to the book and will help you to tell the story as you read(this bag type works well for babies and toddlers).

2. You want the story bag to be an interactive sensory experience for the children. For this type of bag think about how you will stimulate and engage the senses through the materials you choose. Going on a Bear Hunt is a fantastic book to explore with the senses. You might set up something outside using grass, mud etc or perhaps place items into zip lock bags or similar so younger children can squish and investigate. Keep an eye out for some clever Bear Hunt bag ideas further down.

3. You want the children to help you to tell the story through dramatic play and larger scale materials and props.

4. You want to create a story bag that has the capacity to provide more playful learning and extension experiences after the story has been told. So it might contain some additional activity ideas, craft materials, fiction books relating to the story (e.g Bear Hunt/Where do bears live?)

5. You want to challenge current language and speaking skills so you will want to put together a story bag with props that will help children to make up or re-tell their own version of the story if they want to while you introduce topics for discussion. Can they change the ending of the current story? What characters do they like the best? Why? What character would they like to change if they could? Why? You get the idea! Obviously you need to make sure you are keeping your expectations age appropriate when introducing this type of story bag, basket or box.

How do I use a Story Bag, basket or Box?

Look at the 5 different types of story bags I have mentioned above and decide on what type of bag you are setting up or wanting to use as part of your learning outcomes today.

1. You might sit down with the children and ask what they think is inside the bag as you give them clues about the story.

2. You could set all of the bag items out on the floor and invite children to choose the materials to help tell the story as you read.

3. You could tell the story just using the props you have rather than reading from the book or you could combine a little of each.

4. You could provide the bag and ask if the children want to tell you the story instead.

5. You could tell the story then follow up with some themed activities and craft.

6. You could leave a couple of story bags or baskets on shelves or hanging up in the room for children to choose as they wish and perhaps add to their own dramatic play experiences.

7. You could use the story bag props as a writing prompt for older children to create their own story. Or perhaps as a prompt towards oral storytelling.

8. You could set up the story bag props as a hands on sensory experience that goes beyond just the words of the story and invites creative thinking, gross motor play and tactile stimulation.

Introducing story bags to your learning resources can provide children with a fun hands on approach to exploring interests and extending on emerging skills and learning outcomes including:

• Story sequencing.

• Public speaking.

• Enjoying listening to spoken written words and then using that language in their play and learning.

• Listening to stories with increasing attention and recall.

• Gaining confidence.

• Using new words in different contexts.

• Taking turns in a conversation.

• Solving problems.

• Listening to others.

• Negotiating roles.

• Being able to sequence and clarify their thinking, ideas and feelings. 

• Using language to imagine and re-create story roles, real life and imaginary experiences.

Are you ready to try creating and using your own story bags,baskets and boxes? Remember that the objective is to make reading and using language fun…not complicated! So start small with your favourite story and just a few props (especially if reading to babies and toddlers) . Throw it all in a bag or basket then sit down and enjoy together. Observe how the children respond, engage and enjoy the storytelling.

If you are stuck trying to think of a book or theme to start with I have you covered with this huge list of ideas and inspiration below that I have collected for you from around the web. Make sure to click on the links under each photo collage to learn more about how each bag, basket or prop box was put together and how the children played with them. I've even separated them into book titles and themes for you to make it even easier to find that favourite!

Dear Zoo Theme

Inspiration Sources:

Adventures and Play created their own Dear Zoo animal enclosures to help them explore the story.

Very Messy Mummy shared these special Dear Zoo packages with her 12 month old – imagine the fun unwrapping to see what is inside!

Stimulating Learning with Rachel created this simple story basket. Make sure to click through and take a look at the rest of her basket photos for even more fantastic inspiration!

Natural Beach Living put together this toddler friendly Dear Zoo box for hours of play.

It's All About Stories set up a ‘Communication Friendly Space' and then made props with the children so they could take home and retell the story to family.

I loved the use of different coloured and sized boxes in this collection of story props found on Pinterest.

Going on a Bear Hunt

Inspiration Sources:

Little Worlds, Big Adventures used their Playmobil family and interesting sensory elements to explore this classic story in a hands on way!

Over on Childhood 101 Lauren showed us how to make a going on a bear hunt story sensory tub.

Lauren also shared her DIY Bear Hunt sensory bottles (as well as lots of other activities to bring the story alive) on  Teacher Types

Stimulating Learning with Rachel created this inviting Bear Hunt small world for the children to explore using natural materials and simple props.

Reading Confetti used these household objects to provide the children with opportunities to create sound effects for the story. Use this idea to create your own ‘sound effects' team as you read.

Goldilocks and the 3 Bears

Inspiration Sources:

The Imagination Tree put together a simple storytelling basket and also introduced real life bowls, spoons and porridge oats for some wonderful hands on dramatic play and story re-telling.

To extend the play why not try their sensory porridge oats playdough recipe!

Sun Hats and Wellie Boots created this sweet little story box for the children to explore and play with in their own way. Love that little red teacup!!

The 3 Little Pigs

Inspiration Sources:

Turn boxes into stick, straw and brick houses…simple but fun! Found on Pinterest here.

Stimulating Learning with Rachel  shows us how simple it can be to put together a story basket with her 3 Little Pigs version. make sure to view the rest of her baskets and story small worlds here.

Adventures and Play turned their wooden blocks into clever and interactive storytelling props. Children will find so may ways to use these!

Make sure to pop over and visit Sun Hats & Wellie Boots to see how they took the storytelling outside using nature and lots of wonderful outdoor dramatic play. Loved these ideas and the houses they built!

Storytelling Props added to tuff spot trays create literacy and language small worlds easily modified for both younger and older children.

Pinterest Source

Pinterest Source

3 Billy Goats Gruff

Inspiration Sources:

The Imagination Tree created this inviting little storytelling basket with just a few goat figures and rainbow arches. Pop over to take a closer look at how Anna put together the felt play mat!

It All About Stories shares some interesting activities and props to have fun with this classic story!

Little Worlds introduced playdough as a sensory element and a dish of little loose parts to invite engagement in this story tray invitation.

Toddler Favourites

Inspiration Sources:

Toddlers love farm play, songs and stories and this story basket from Little Worlds is sure to be a fun (yet probably noisy!) experience.

A Few Shortcuts shares some ideas for putting together preschool story baskets – make sure to visit the other baskets in the collection for more ideas!

Small Potatoes shows us how the children worked hard to help create the props for one of my all time favourite stories – The Little Mouse, The red ripe strawberry and the big hungry bear! I have been reading that book to different generations of children for years and love how you can create a sense of anticipation and the children feel they are part of the story too.

Goodnight Gorilla is another favourite story here and Little Worlds turned it into a dramatic play storytelling experience with just a few simple props. Make sure to visit this page to see all of their other story baskets too!

Miss Polly is always a lot of fun to act out and most children already know the rhyming song so why not add some simple materials to extend to storytelling play like Adventures and Play did here.

The Thoughtful Spot Day Care used a flip lid bin to help tell the story of ‘the old woman who swallowed a fly'– can't you just imagine the fun with this one!! A clever and creative resource idea.

Another story often read over and over is the classic ‘Are you my mother?‘ Inspiration Laboratories reminds us that even babies and toddlers love story props and being given the opportunity to recreate a favourite in their own way!

Jack & the Beanstalk

Inspiration Sources:

A simple hands on storytelling tray that invites children to direct their own story, play and roles. Sourced via Pinterest.

So many opportunities for children or educators to set up and tell the story using some or all of the creative props in this story basket compiled by Sun Hats and Wellie Boots!

Such a creative invitation to play, build and re-tell the story of Jack and the Beanstalk story using Lego. Sourced via Pinterest.

Wombat Stew

Inspiration Sources:

Children will enjoy exploring and using the props and materials in this dramatic play invitation to help tell this classic story. Lots of sensory and loose parts fun here! Sourced via Pinterest

@Ronniecraft over on Instagram shared her small world tray set up ready to tell the story of Wombat Stew. Love the colours and old teapot!

Kate from Laughing Kids Learn provided the opportunity for her children to learn more about Australian animals and plants while getting messy and creative as they made their own wombat stew.

Owl Babies

Inspiration Sources:

Rachel from Stimulating Learning put together this story basket filled with materials of different textures and sizes. Story stones, soft animals and leaves all play a role.

Make these very cute pom pom baby owls to add to your story bag or basket. The Fairy and The Frog tell you how here.

See what Paths to Literacy included in their version of an Owl Babies story box for deafblind or visually impaired children.

These story spoons would make a cute addition to an Owl Babies story bag, basket or prop box. See how the very creative Imagination Tree made them here.

The Tiger Who Came To Tea

Inspiration Sources:

Another of my long time favourite stories to tell for a range of age groups!

Learning 4 Kids provided a story sensory tub and materials to help the children set up a special tiger tea party! Lots of interesting investigation occurred with the addition of real teabags and little cups of tea to pour.

It's All About Stories set up a ‘story cafe' around this book. Tiger snacks, craft activities and story props like real china cups added to the fun of story re-telling, imaginative and open ended play!

Who could resist this sweet tea party invitation with a tiger in the garden?  Sourced via Pinterest

The Gingerbread Man

Inspiration Sources:

Who doesn't love telling and acting out the story of The Gingerbread Man? 3 very different story basket and tray ideas for you to explore over at Sun Hats & Wellie Boots, Pinterest and Stimulating Learning with Rachel.

I'm rather in awe of the story basket tree over at Sun Hats & Wellie Boots – beautiful idea we can all try outdoors!

Author Julia Donaldson Favourites

I decided one of my favourite authors for young children deserved a category of her own – I hope you find a few ideas to try with some of these well known stories!

Inspiration Sources:

See how Treading on Lego uses those Lego pieces creatively to help set up and tell the story of A squash and a Squeeze!

Room on a Broom is always fun to read – make it a little more interactive by putting together a story basket similar to this one from The Imagination Tree or this one from Play & Learn Everyday.

Play & Learn Everyday also shares a Stick Man snowy adventure scene to invite exploration, anticipation and storytelling.

Who doesn't love the gruffalo? Why not try telling the story using these shadow stick puppets and DIY box featured over at Ecole Petite Section.

Smiling like Sunshine used a few everyday soft toys and props to set up a role play area to help her son act out and re-tell his favourite story ‘Monkey Puzzle'.

Oceans & Water

Inspiration Sources:

The Snail & the Whale is another Julia Donaldson story book but I wanted to include this example in my ocean category because I just love how all the little elements come together to help tell this lovely story. Beautiful resources for a story bag. Shared on Instagram by Heather @A Reusable Life.

The OT Toolbox explored the book ‘Make way for Ducklings' using some hands on props set up as a story sensory table. Lots to engage the senses and vocabulary here!

Loving this small sensory tray put together by Little Fish to help spark imagination and storytelling. Another interesting way to introduce the book Snail and the Whale.

80+ DIY Toys to MakeByLizUpdated onMay 12, 2023

Don’t spend a ton of money on toys when you can make toys for kids. Toy making crafts are so fun and there are easy homemade toy ideas from baby toys, STEM toys, pretend play toys and more fun toys for kids! We’ve gathered the best DIY toys we could find.

Let’s make DIY toys!

DIY TOYS YOU CAN MAKE

We love DIY toys! It’s so much fun taking things from around the house and turning them into a fun toy for our kids. You might have thought of toy making as something done by elves, but these homemade toys are toy crafts that are surprisingly easy.

80+ DIY TOYS TO MAKE

Making kids toys also can help save money. We have all had the experience where a toy is purchased, taken from the package and only played with a couple of times.

We’ve been gathering lots of ideas and tutorials on how to make toys at home and are sharing our favorite ways how to make toys today!

DIY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

1. Homemade Drum Kit

Formula tins, cake pan both small and big, and a kitchen roller is what you need for this homemade drum kit.

2. Junk Jam Music

Make your own instruments using string, bottles, and a stick! This active musical experience is a great auditory processing activity for kids.

3. DIY Drum

You can make your own drum out of an old plastic bucket!

HOMEMADE GAMES

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4. Balancing Popsicle Stick Game

Stack popsicle sticks on a wobbly platform without it toppling over.

5. The Fishing Game

Go fishing with this fun fishing game. Make your own cardboard or cloth fish and a fishing hook to promote pretend play! What a fun little game.

6. Cardboard Sling Puck Game

Oh my goodness! This cardboard sling puck game is so cute! It’s almost like air hockey, but requires a little more precision.

7. Throw The Dice and Draw

Throw the dice, and whatever the number it lands on you have to draw that many of that particular picture. Simple and cute!

8. Ice Hockey

No, this isn’t the traditional ice hockey, but rather this ice hockey it is played with a baking sheet, ice, plastic cups, popsicle sticks, and a penny.

HOMEMADE PLAYDOUGH TOYS

9. DIY Playdough Toys

This is a really fun Play Dough Toys to use with play dough and if you have little ones at home, you probably have the special ingredient!

10. Making Playdough

Make your own playdough. This homemade playdough is super easy to make and you can make all your favorite colors!

HOMEMADE EDUCATIONAL TOYS

11. Blue Ringed Octopus

Make your own toilet paper roll octopus and promote pretend play as they not only get to play with their new cardboard toy, but learn about this animal as well!

12. Shape Sorter

Take a cardboard box and whatever blocks you have around the house and make your kids a Shape Sorter.

13. Jumbo Shape Sorter

Use a large box to make a jumbo shape sorter for your toddler. Make holes for balls, blocks, and other toys.

14. Mix And Match Paper Robots

Print off these paper robots (or use cardstock), color each side, cute out, and assemble. Then let your toddler or preschooler try to make as many matches as they can!

15. DIY Velcro Toys

These nesting Velcro lids are not only fun, but a great way to practice fine motor skills and learn colors.

16. DIY Word Search

Make these DIY word searches to keep your little one busy and to teach new words!

17. 3D Shape Sorter

Use a box, paper, and fabric to make a 3D shape sorter. Then get this free printable to make these paper 3D shapes to put into it.

DIY TOYS – BUSY BAGS

18. DIY Busy Zipper Board

Make a board full of zippers! Not only will it keep your kids busy, but it will also allow your child to embrace quiet time and practice fine motor skills.

19. DIY Busy Buckle Pillow

Make your own colorful pillows and add buckles to them to create these DIY busy buckle pillows. Great for fine motor skill practice and for quiet time.

HOMEMADE PUPPETS

20. Henry The Octopus

Make your very own friend named Henry the Octopus! Give him a fancy hat, black shoes, and a red and blue suit! 

21. Sock Puppet Horse

I love sock puppets, they’re simple and fun! You can make your very own sock puppet using a sock, pom poms, and googly eyes.

22. Finger Puppet Owl

Promote pretend play with this finger puppet owl! This felt puppet does require some sewing and super glue, so kids will probably need assistance. This is properly better for older kids to make.

23. DIY Dog and Frog Hand Puppets

Using construction paper, googly eyes, glue, and markers you can make your very own dog and frog puppets.

24. Monster Felt Finger Puppets

Make monster finger puppets! These homemade monster felt finger puppets are better for older kids to make as it includes some sewing.

25. How To Make A Cat Puppet

Want to know how to make a cat puppet? It’s easy, cute, but does require some sewing.

26. Itsy Bitsy Spider Puppet

The Itsy Bitsy spider is a beloved children’s song, now a foam puppet! This foam spider puppet is cute, fuzzy, with big googly eyes!

27. How To Make Minion Finger Puppets

Um, who doesn’t love minions? Now you can promote pretend play with these super cute minion finger puppets.

DIY SENSORY TOYS

28. DIY Sensory Rugs For Kids

Sensory play is so important! Which is why we love these DIY sensory rugs for kids. There are so many to choose from. This would be great for toddlers and preschoolers.

29. Touch And Feel Box

Another fun sensory toy! This touch and feel box is full of surprises and textures.

30. Mini Adventure Sandboxes

These mini adventure sandboxes are perfect for sensory play. Add different toys and pieces of nature to find in the sand.

31. Rainbow Sensory Bottles

Learn to calm down and regulate emotions with these rainbow sensory bottles. They are also known as calming bottles.

32. Feel Bag Find It Letters

Fill a bag with colored rice, add beads and letters, and seal the bag well and then let your child find all the letters. A feel bag is a great way to keep your little one busy.

HOMEMADE TOY PUZZLES

33. Popsicle Stick Puzzles

Use simple popsicle sticks, pencil, and paint to create a super cute popsicle stick puzzles.

34. DIY Free Puzzle Games 

Don’t throw away those old paint samples! You can cut them up and turn them into DIY Free Puzzle games.

DIY PRETEND PLAY TOYS

35. DIY Play House

This is so cute! Use a big cardboard box, paint, and fabric to create the cutest little playhouse! 

36. Cardboard Cellphone

Does your toddler or preschooler love your phone? Well, now they can have their own! All you need is cardboard and a marker to make this cardboard cellphone.

37. Popsicle Stick Fence

Does your child love toy animals? Then make your own popsicle stick fence to keep all the animals caroled. 

38. Chalkboard Toys

Make a whole city complete with houses and people by painting old boxes and bottles with chalkboard paint. Then use chalk to decorate the houses and make faces on the people. These chalkboard toys are amazing.

39. Waldorf Inspired Nature Blocks

Your toy animals can play in the forest once you make these super simple Waldorf inspired nature blocks.

40. Robot Mask

Use paper bags, tin foil, pipe cleaners, and cups to make a robot mask. Beep boop bop.

41. Paper Plate Thor Helmet

Pretend to be Thor with this super cute paper plate Thor Helmet!

42. Felt Play Food

Don’t buy the expensive plastic play food when you can make your own out of felt. This felt play food are so cute, realistic looking, and soft!

43. Easy DIY Playhouse

Use cardboard and paint to make a really awesome easy DIY playhouse. What a great way to promote pretend play.

44. DIY Tea Set

What does a play house need? It needs a DIY tea set! This wooden tea set is so cute! It has a tray, cups, popsicle sticks, pretend cookies, and more.

45. DIY Bandages

Your pretend play animal hospital isn’t complete without these DIY bandages for their ouchies!

46. DIY No Sew Tent

Don’t want a play house? What about this DIY no sew tent! It’s so cute, use fabric, rope, and wood. It is perfect for indoors and outdoors.

47. Pack And Play Stove

This is my favorite! A Tupperware is not only storage for the plastic toys, but doubles as a pack and play stove.

HOMEMADE OUTDOOR TOYS

48. Bubble Wand

Use this household item as a Bubble Wand.

49. DIY Kite

Nice windy day? Perfect for flying kites! Don’t have one! Then you’ll love this DIY kite tutorial.

50. DIY Pool Raft

Help your kids feel more secure in the pool while having fun! This DIY pool raft can be used as a pool chair, pool float, and keep your child safe.

51. Outdoor Kitchen

I love this so much! Have a muddy spot in your yard? Then set up a mud pie kitchen! Add old utensils, a small table, and more!

52. Glamarous Sock Horse

Glamorous and pretty sock hobby horse is so easy to make! Make the face out of a sock, add a boa, and beads to a stick to make a lovely hobby horse to hop around on.

53. Homemade Farm Play Mat

Grass, ponds, mud, fields, this homemade farm play mat has it all and is textured.

54. Nature Tic Tac Toe

Play tic tac toe using a piece of cloth with the lines painted on and then sticks for x’s and stones for o’s.

55. Exercise Animals

These exercise animals are essentially hobby horses but with different pictures. They’re perfect to get your kids up and moving.

DIY INDOORS TOYS

56. Miniature Soccer Game

Can’t play outside? Play this Miniature Soccer Game indoors without knocking over the living room lamp.

57. Balloon Play House

Make this Balloon Play House for a fun and inexpensive birthday party activity.

HOMEMADE STUFFED ANIMAL TOYS

58. Easy Sock Pony 

Why buy a stuffed animal when you can make this easy sock pony! It’s pink, white, very pretty, and very soft!

59. Pet Pal Craft

Make your very own pet pals! Using big pom poms, small pom poms, markers, and googly eyes, you can make soft fluffy caterpillars!

60. Superworm

Make your own stuffed animal based on the story Superworm. It’s soft, striped, and has googly eyes!

61. No Sew Sock Bunny

How cute is this no sew sock bunny. It’s soft, fluffy, with floppy ears and a big green bow.

62. Homemade Felt Heating Pad

While this felt owl is a heating pad, it can double as a stuffed animal. But, this homemade felt heating pad owl is warm, perfect for snuggles on a cold night.

63. Waldorf Knit Lamb Pattern

Do you knit? If you do you have to make this Waldorf knit lamb pattern. How precious!

64. Teddy Bears

Everyone loves teddy bears and now you can make your own with this teddy bear pattern.

65. Daddy Doll

This is great for parents who have to travel for work! A daddy doll is a great way for the kids to be less sad while their father is way.

HANDMADE DOLLS

66. Doll House Furniture

Got an empty doll house? Make your very own miniature Dollhouse Furniture!

67. DIY Paper Dolls

Make your own paper dolls using old cards. Cut out the pictures from old cards and stick them to old toilet paper rolls for simple paper dolls.

68. DIY Dress Up Peg Dolls

Use wooden pegs, yarn, Velcro, paper, and lamination to create your very own DIY dress up peg dolls.

69. Clown Doll

Make your own soft clown doll for cuddling. Given them colorful clothes, bows, and a colorful hat!

70. How To Make Nesting Dolls

Nesting dolls are so neat. I used to have some when I was a little girl. Now you can learn how to make nesting dolls! You can paint them anyway you want!

DIY TOY VEHICLES

71. Car Parking Garage

All you need to make your kids a really fun Car Parking Garage is a marker and a couple manila folders.

72. DIY Road Table

Turn your light table into a homemade road table! Add trees, ponders, grass, and of course roads for your hot wheels to drive around on!

73. DIY Airplane and Train

Use toilet paper rolls, popsicle sticks, and egg cartons to make a DIY airplane and train toy. Don’t forget about the paint and cotton balls to decorate them!

74. DIY Toy Car Tracing Track

Don’t spend a lot of money buying toy car tracks at the store. You can make your own using cardboard!

75. Fine Motor Dashboard

Make your own car dashboard to drive around! All you need is simple things from around the house like lids, cardboard tubes, bottles, and a paper plate.

76. Shower Curtain Racetrack

You can get a shower curtain cheap from the Dollar Tree. Then use markers to make a huge shower curtain racetrack for your child’s hot wheels.

77. DIY Fun Road Signs

Every race track needs DIY fun road signs! Name your streets, stop signs, yield signs. It’ll make your race track more fun.

78. DIY Wind Car

It turns out you can make a DIY wind car using cardstock, craft sticks, wooden wheels, stickers, tape, and playdough. Then watch them go as you blow on them or use a fan.

79. DIY Toy Mini Traffic Signs

Download this traffic sign printable, cut them out, laminate them, and stick the on toothpicks and foam. Your race tracks need DIY toy mini traffic signs.

DIY STEM TOYS

80. Magnetic Moon and Stars

Love the night sky? Now you can look at the moon and stars anytime you want. How? By making moon and star magnets.

81. DIY Marble Run

Don’t throw out those toilet paper rolls! Rather, use them to make your own DIY Marble run.

82. Lighthouse Keeper Pulleys

These light houses and pulleys are based on the book series “The Lighthouse Keepers” and is a great STEM toy to learn about physical science.

83. Velcro Dot Craft Sticks

Build and create art with these Velcro dot sticks. They’re super easy to make. What a great STEM activity.

84. DIY Geoboard Maze

This DIY geoboard maze is so much fun! Run your finger through the maze, toys, or marbles through this maze.

85. DIY Fabric Marble Maze

We’ve seen cardboard marble mazes, but have you ever seen a DIY fabric marble maze? It does require some sewing, but it’s so much fun and so unique.

86. DIY LEGO Table Top

LEGOs are great STEM toys. Your kids can build and work on fine motor skills with this DIY LEGO Table Top.

HOMEMADE BATH TOYS

87. Foam Bath Toys

Use Foam Bath Toys to make sea creatures to play with during bath time.

88. Foam Stickers

Foam Stickers are perfect for bath tube play! You can stick them to the tub or the wall.

HANDMADE BABY TOYS

89. DIY Baby Toy

This is a sweet DIY Baby Toy that an older sibling can make for a new baby.

90. Thrifty Toys For Babies

Looking to make some thrifty toys for babies? Make your own noise maker, let them play with boxes, tear up old magazines, there are lots of different fun DIY thrifty baby toys.

91. Homemade Fabric Blocks For Babies

Personalize these homemade fabric blocks for babies. They’re large, soft, and colorful.

92. Wooden Teethers

These sweet little wooden teethers and rattlers are so precious!

MISC DIY TOYS

93. DIY Bouncy Ball

Yes, you can easily make your very own Bouncy Ball right at home!

94. Chalkboard Board Book

This DIY chalkboard board book is not only super cute, but a great way to practice fine motor skills. This is great for toddlers, preschoolers, and even kindergarteners.

95. DIY Light Table

Playing with a light table makes play time more unique and fun especially when it comes to colors. But they’re expensive! However, this DIY light table will save you money.

96. Butterfly Family

Toilet paper tubes, cupcake papers, pipe cleaners, paint, and markers are what you need to make this butterfly family. They even have pretty wings to help them “fly.”

MORE DIY TOYS FROM KIDS ACTIVITIES BLOG

• Learn how to make bouncy balls! Making your own toys is so easy and fun to do!

• Don’t know what to do with an empty box? Make DIY Toys!

• Look at these diy fidget toys.

Which DIY toy is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!

Recommended

• This Mom Glued Pennies To Her Kids Shoes and The Reason Is Brilliant

• 80 Things to do with 2 Year Olds

• Costco Has A Strange New Bakery Item and People Are Saying It Is The Best

LizLiz chronicles her adventures in mommyhood at Love & Marriage.I'm just a mom keeping it real about how little I sleep, how often I get puked on and how much I love them.

Toddlers love STEAM Activities disguised as play!

What’s STEAM? The acronym stands for science, technology, engineering, art, and math. Usually, STEAM activities are activities that combine art with math and science in a fun and unique way.

By combining these subjects, we can help our kids learn to love math, science, and art too. Plus, it’s a whole lot of fun!

Understanding the world around them is one of the strongest predictors of young children’s later science learning and reading, and a significant predictor of mathematics.

I’ve put together a huge list of STEAM activities to encourage your little learners to explore, build, invent, and get creative in fun new ways this year.

Choose just a few of your favorite activities, spend a month focusing on STEAM, or challenge yourselves to do the whole list of awesome STEAM activities together this year!

Why Kids Need STEAM

STEAM Activities are integrated learning activities that encourage kids to think outside the box. These projects help kids begin to consider solving real-world problems, creating new tools with creative thinking. Combining disciplines in this way has led to many amazing discoveries!

Are your kids asking “why do we need to learn this?” or “when will we ever use this?” Then you need a STEAM project!

These projects and activities are the perfect way to get kids engaged and help them understand how what they’re learning can come together to help create real-world solutions.

Everyday Science with Toys

Young children don't need highly specialized or expensive equipment to learn how to explore the natural world scientifically. They do need, as Rachel Carson mused in The Sense of Wonder, “the companionship of at least one adult who can share it.”

Simple toys and tools can engage children as they explore natural phenomena in ways that will support their later science learning. Adults who allow children to play and work through small difficulties by themselves support children as they build an understanding of how the world works. Resist the temptation to “fix it” or “make it go faster” or “use it the right way,” and you will build your child’s self-confidence and problem-solving ability.

1. Spinning Tops

Concept: Use these toys as tools to explore motion.

How to support exploration: Ask your child open-ended questions (questions with more than a yes or no answer). How hard do you have to push each type of top before it begins to spin? Are light or heavy tops easier to spin? Are tall or short tops easier to spin? Can a top with a penny taped to it maintain a spin?

Where to purchase: Look for tops in party stores or in catalogues that sell small plastic party favors.

Sensory Science Tools Life over C’s

Concept: Tools can extend our senses, allowing us to obtain more information than we would be able to on our own. Magnifiers extend our sight by making objects look bigger.

How to support exploration: This tool is fun to use to make the world look blurry and our eyes look huge, and to look closely at everything! Magnifiers reveal aspects of nature that are too small to see with just our eyes. Examine skin, coins, flower or plant structures, and insects—all objects with small parts that make up the whole.

Variation: Fill a round, clear plastic jar with water and have your children look at their hands or a picture through the jar. Children often notice the change in apparent size. Ask them, “Did your hand look bigger?” Then let them examine it and ask, “Did my hand really get bigger, or did it just look bigger?” Take another look so children can be certain of their answer. Have your children pinch the lens of a magnifying glass between two fingers and gently run their fingers across it to notice that the magnifier is not flat but has a curved surface, just like the jar!

Where to purchase: Drug stores and discount stores sell inexpensive plastic magnifiers, or you can order them from a scientific supply company.

3. Eye Droppers or Pipettes

Concept: As children use eyedroppers and pipettes to move liquids, they learn a lot about how liquids behave. For example, they learn that when they squeeze the bulb the dropper pushes air out, and when they release the bulb it pulls water in. Children this age can also observe that water forms drops.

How to support exploration: Show your child how to squeeze the dropper to force the air out of the bulb and how to release it to allow it to pop back into shape, drawing in air or liquid as it reforms. Your child can feel the air as it leaves the dropper by holding the dropper up to her cheek (away from her eyes) as she squeezes the bulb. Use the dropper to suck up small amounts of rain from a puddle or to mix colored water from one dish with water of a different color in another. Turn the dropper upside down to create a fountain. All of these activities have the added benefit of helping your child develop small motor control.

Where to purchase: Buy just a few at a pharmacy or dollar store or order many from a scientific education supply company.

4. Bubbles and Bubble Wands

Concept: Bubbles teach children about geometry (shapes) and give them an awareness of air movement. How long will the bubble last, and where will it float?
How to support exploration: Bend a pipe cleaner into a square-shaped bubble wand and ask your child to predict what shape the bubbles will take. Introduce less common words like “sphere” as you blow bubbles to give your child the ability to describe a three dimensional shape and to expand his vocabulary.

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Science Activity: Observing & Examining

This week we spent some time with a simple $1 grown animal. I set up a very simple invitation to observe, examine, measure and talk about the changes we saw happen. What a simple, fun, and very inexpensive way to encourage curiosity!

Build a dollar store engineering kit!

Supplies Needed:

• grow animal

• water

• tongs

• ruler

• paper towels and a small tray (optional)

Invitation To Observe Set-Up:

We set up a small table for observation this week. He was excited to add him to the water and we discussed what might happen. Time to wait and see.

Watch to learn more

EXAMINE AND OBSERVE

I can’t tell you how many times this little guy was taken in and out of the water. He was measured and examined thoroughly. We used our science tools to make observations and predictions. I didn’t push him to write or draw as he was so excited to do it “his way”. Right now his way is just fine!

This young age is an amazing time to let him wonder, predict, think, and imagine what is happening and what could happen! I simply want him to enjoy the ideas he is learning and when the time is right, take it a bit further.

This activity could be adapted easily for older children with charts, journals, and graphs. We simply checked in on the grow animal and marveled at his growth.

We have been working on simple science concepts, repeating similar types of experiments to build knowledge and reinforce learning skills. Young children need simple concepts repeated for greater understanding, so try a few ways and you will be amazed at how much they remember. This will build confidence for new learning experiences and curiosity to try new experiments!

STEM for Infants and Toddlers Infants, toddlers and twos naturally approach the world with the same curiosity required to learn and explore the foundations of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). 

What is Early Stem All About...

Brain Building in Progress 

• Science is a way of thinking. 
• Technology is a way of using tools
• Engineering is a way of problem solving
• Math is a way of measuring.

Understanding the world around them is one of the strongest predictors of young children’s later science learning and reading, and a significant predictor of mathematics.

How do Infants and Toddlers develop science skills and knowledge?

Natural curiosity (such as intently watching an adult’s expressions and actions) Readiness to repeat actions that have an interesting effect Need to explore and make sense of the world Children Learn STEM

• Through their five senses and hands-on experiences 

• Babies communicate interests through kicking their feet or hands in excitement. • Smiling, gurgling, and squealing 

• As they get older, they ask questions. 

Encourage Open Ended Questions 

• Why? 

• When? 

• Where? 

• What? 

• How? 

How Can We Support STEM for Infants and Toddlers 

• Provide materials 

• Join your infants and toddlers in the exploration as a peer
• Connect experiences to what children have done or experienced before Experiential Learning
• “Young children build their learning and understanding about the world through everyday play experiences.”
• Experiential learning begins at birth.
• Introduce STEM to babies and toddlers by talking, reading and playing with them.

• Babies and Toddlers learn STEM by actively engaging with their caregivers and through their sensory experiences.
• The foundation for future experiences is formed through everyday sensory activities. 

•Babies investigate the world through their five senses. 

•As they grow older and more independent, their world changes.

18 Playful Learning Activities for One-Year-Old Babies

play & learning

Amazon Links are provided

Parents and educators often wonder how to play with an 8-month-old baby. This blog post will answer the question. I am sharing 18 play-based activities for 12-month-old babies.

Let’s check out activities to target each learning domain and stimulate each of the seven senses. These activities engage babies in imaginative and sensory-rich learning experiences that promote cognitive, language, social, emotional, and physical development skills.

Sensory Activities For 12-Month-Olds

Starting the activities for 12-month-olds list are seven easy, low-mess DIY sensory learning activities. One infant activity each of the seven senses. Learn more about the vestibular and proprioceptive senses.

Vestibular

Skills + Behaviors:

• Shifting weight to balance body while sitting, crawling, or pulling-to-stand

• Learning what it feels like to move body at different speeds

Exploring Hula Hoops

A hula hoop is a perfectly versatile toy that can grow with your baby. For an 12-month-old, a small, light-weight hula hoop is a chance to develop and stimulate the vestibular sense. While sitting or crawling, babies can reach for, lift, and shake the toy. The thin hula hoop ring makes it the perfect size for tiny hands.

Babies will test their balance while trying to pull the hula hoop towards them or lifting it above their heads.

For babies still spending time on their tummy and rolling, caregivers can attach ribbons, toys, or plastic loofahs to the hula hoop. A baby can play inside the ring, reaching and pulling on toys.

After some research, I’d recommend a small 26-28″ hoop if you are ordering online. A larger hula hoop could be better for creating a tummy time sensory ring.

Proprioceptive

Skills + Behaviors:

• Understanding where a body part is without being able to see it

• Knowing how close or far away an obstacle is

• Learning own strength

Weighted Sensory Bottles

Parents and educators can create sensory bottles for babies to explore. Sensory bottles are made by filling an empty plastic bottle with different materials. Almost any type of plastic bottle will work, but the small globe-shaped apple juice bottles are great for small hands. 

To create weighted sensory bottles, choose materials to make a noticeable weight difference between the bottles. Babies can practice how much strength they need to use to manipulate objects of different weights.

Possible materials for heavy bottle:

• Sand

• Stones

• Water (can add food dye or liquid watercolor)

• Coins
  
  

Possible materials for light bottle:

• Cotton balls

• Ribbons

• Leaves

• Flowers

• Twigs

• Corks
  
  

An alternative option is to create sensory bottles out of 2-liter pop bottles.

You can hot glue or superglue the lid on for extra security.

Taste

Babies spend plenty of time each day eating and mouthing toys. You can easily turn it into a more intentional learning activity.

Tasty Talks

If your baby has started trying new foods, you should talk about the textures and flavors of what they are eating. Pick a particular snack or food and make a point to focus on the sensory-rich experience of eating.

• “The applesauce feels cold in your mouth. It was in the fridge.”

• “That cracker is salty and crunchy. It feels different than your applesauce, doesn’t it?”

Because smell is so intertwined with the sense of taste, you can also talk about the flavors of the foods you are eating near your baby. They will be able to smell your food and begin making connections between food on their senses.

• “Can you smell the orange I’m peeling? It smells citrusy and might taste sour. Let’s find out.”

If your baby is not tasting new foods yet, talk about the flavor of the toothpaste you use to brush their teeth. You can point out the textures of their favorite toys.

• “Your toothpaste tastes cool and minty, just like the one I use.”

• “You put the pokey corner of your block in your mouth. It could poke your tongue. Be careful.”

Tactile/Touch

Wet + Dry Sponges

This super versatile activity gives your baby a chance to explore many different sensations. Simply adjust the activity to what materials or setting you are in.

Options:

• wet vs. dry sponges

• damp vs. soaking wet

• scratch sponges vs. soft sponges

• warm water vs. cold water

Control how messy you want this activity to be by controlling how much water you soak into the sponges.

Caregivers can introduce this activity to babies indoors or outdoors. For less mess, try the activity in the bathtub or a highchair at the end of mealtime.

Sight

Colorful Sunbeams

Choose a window in your home to create a colorful collage. You will need a roll or two of cellophane wrapping paper (the transparent wrapping paper you accidentally bought last minute when trying to get gift wrap).

First, cut out shapes, squares, or strips of the wrapping paper. Then tape the cutouts onto a particularly sunny window. As sunbeams come through the window, your baby will be treated to a colorful sensory play experience. The floor, the furniture, the ceiling, and the walls will temporarily transform into a multi-color light show.

Hearing

Sound Treasure Baskets

Treasure baskets are small collections of compelling toys or objects children can explore. You can create a sound-themed treasure basket to encourage your baby to explore noises.

Sound-Themed Treasure Basket Ideas:

• Metal Measuring Cups or Spoons on a Ring

• Toy Rattles

• Spice Bottle Shakers

• Bell Sensory Bottles

• Toy Instruments

• Metal Lids

• DIY Rain Sticks
  
  

Talk to your baby about the sounds they are making.

• “That clanged so loud when you hit it.”

• “I hear something rattling when you shake this.”

• “We can make a loud sound or a quiet sound. Let’s try.”

Smell

Explore Scents Outside

Exploring smells with your baby is super simple. While outdoors, begin to point out each new and interesting scent.

• Pick up your baby and step outside after a summer rain shower.

• Literally, stop and smell the flowers while out on a walk.

• Point out how the sunscreen smells while getting ready to play outside.

• Talk about the smell of fresh air when you play outside.

• Point out the unique scents while visiting a pool or beach.

Learning Domain Activities For 12-Month-Olds

Language

Skills + Behaviors:

• Babbling

• Saying consonant-vowel sounds like “baba,” “mama,” “dada”

Have a Lovely Talk-Out-Loud

While completing chores or daily tasks, talk through what you are doing out loud for your baby to hear. The more language your baby hears, the greater the benefit to their language development skills.

If your baby begins to babble while you talk, pause and listen to them. Then verbally respond in a way that feels natural. If it feels entirely unnatural, keep practicing with it. Soon your baby will be a toddler with more language to add to the conversation.

This back-and-forth exchange (often called serve-and-return in early childhood education) teaches babies the cadence and rhythm of conversation.

Literacy

Skills + Behaviors:

• Gazing at pages of a book while reading together

• Holding and exploring books as objects

Books in the Bath

Soapy, floating books add an extra sensory element to exploring books. Your baby is still figuring out books will be familiar objects with specific purposes. For now, babies are building interest in books and are enjoying the experience of reading with a caregiver.

Cognitive

Skills + Behaviors:

• Banging toys together

• Looking for things out of view

Wood Blocks

I adore wood blocks. A quality wooden block set can grow up with your child. For babies, blocks are a chance to explore textures, sounds, and weight. 

• Put a couple of blocks into a basket, and your baby can enjoy tipping it over, spilling the blocks out.

• Place a small stack of blocks just out of reach to entice your baby to reach out and knock them over.

Cognitive skills fact: Babies start playing peek-a-boo at around eight months old. At this age, babies begin to understand object permanence. Learn more about stages of play theories.

Gross Motor

Skills + Behaviors:

• Moving into a sitting position

• Sitting without support

• Crawling

• Pulling-to-stand

Lumpy, Bumpy Obstacle Course

Create a cozy, engaging space on the floor with layers of blankets and pillows.

Babies who are starting to crawl will use gross motor skills to move around the lumps of pillows. Crawling babies may be able to master moving over cushions or large blanket piles.

Babies who are sitting or learning to sit can tug and pull at pillows and blankets. The small bumps and lumps of the blankets and pillows also create a mini obstacle course for babies who are rolling.

Adjust the space to fit the developmental level of your baby.

Fine Motor

Skills + Behaviors:

• Using hands to explore and manipulate objects

• Banging toys together

• Passing toys from one hand to the other

Themed Treasure Baskets

Treasure baskets are small collections of interesting toys or objects children can explore. For an 8-month-old baby, most items are still novel and exciting. Curious babies will instinctively want to hold and investigate any new items.

Infant Treasure Basket Themes:

• Bangle Bracelets

• Textured Blocks

• Monochrome Objects

• Variety of Balls

• Measuring Cups + Spoons

• Link Toys

Find more ideas on themed treasure baskets in the ultimate guide to loose parts materials.

Emotional

Skills + Behaviors:

• Learning to shake head no

Baby Says No

Around 12-months-old, a baby will be learning how to shake their head no. Caregivers can show respect and reinforce the importance of consent by being considerate when a baby communicates no.

Shaking the head no is a huge step in learning how to communicate. Babies need plenty of practice because sometimes, naturally, they will not be able to share what they want and feel with this gesture.

Create opportunities for your baby to communicate by “saying” no. Some things like diaper changes or bedtimes have to happen. 

Other things are chances for your baby to express what they want and have their requests met.

• Can your sister hold you?

• Can I have this toy?

• Are you all done eating?

Little Feminist has a great article dedicated to books about consent with babies and children.

Self-Identity

Skills + Behaviors:

• Responding to own name

Exploring Mirrors

Babies absolutely love exploring mirrors. At 12-months-old, babies will start responding to their own name.

Use a mirror to play with reflections. Sit in front of the mirror with your baby. Then look at them while saying their name. They may turn to see you or look at you through the mirror.
“I see you looking at me in the mirror!”

Ask your baby, “Where is [baby’s name]?” Observe out loud where they look.
“You can see yourself right here, can’t you?”

Gently continue to invite your baby to find themselves in the mirror. Each time, point out something about them.
“There is [baby’s name] wearing his blue shirt.”

“I see [baby’s name]. She is kicking her feet.”

Social

Skills + Behaviors:

• Recognize familiar faces

• Learning to wave hello

Photos of Loved Ones

Post photos of loved ones at child eye level. Choose a place where your baby can see the photos, such as at eye level while sitting on the floor or a place where they often pull to stand. You can even create a photo collage on the floor or a playmat. 

You can use pictures of family members, family friends, pets, or other people personally close to your baby. Adding labels with each person’s name can expose your baby to printed words.

From experience, the best way to post photos is first to tape them to the surface. Then seal the photos to the surface using a large piece of clear contact paper. 

Alternative: use two pieces of clear contact paper to “laminate” photos for your baby to hold.

Art

Investigate Art Supplies

At 12-months-old, babies are still learning about objects and how to use their hands to manipulate them. To help them prepare for more complex art experiences, you can start introducing art materials.

Babies can explore art objects by:

• Crumbling, shaking different types of paper

• Exploring capped markers or paintbrushes

• Investigating materials like felt, tissue paper, ribbons

Music

Routines with Rhythm

Connect a song or nursery rhyme to a daily task. Each time you and your baby participate in the routine, sing the song or even play it from your phone.

Ideas could be:

• good morning song

• toothbrushing song

• bedtime lullaby

• getting dressed

• diaper changing

Music can help soothe your baby during tough transitions too. 

Final Thoughts On Activities For 12-Month-Olds

At 12-months-old, babies are reaching many developmental milestones such as sitting, crawling, and babbling. They begin to refine their fine motor skills and use their fingers to explore objects. At this age, there is a wide range of what is “normal.” 

If you’re worried about your baby’s development, you can check out the CDC Milestone tracker PDFs or phone app. Reach out to your child’s pediatrician, or (if you’re in the United States) you can contact your local early intervention service for a free evaluation. 

Want more ideas? Sensory Learning Activities for Babies.

Everyday Science with Toys

Young children don't need highly specialized or expensive equipment to learn how to explore the natural world scientifically. They do need, as Rachel Carson mused in The Sense of Wonder, “the companionship of at least one adult who can share it.”

Simple toys and tools can engage children as they explore natural phenomena in ways that will support their later science learning. Adults who allow children to play and work through small difficulties by themselves support children as they build an understanding of how the world works. Resist the temptation to “fix it” or “make it go faster” or “use it the right way,” and you will build your child’s self-confidence and problem-solving ability.

1. Spinning Tops

Concept: Use these toys as tools to explore motion.

How to support exploration: Ask your child open-ended questions (questions with more than a yes or no answer). How hard do you have to push each type of top before it begins to spin? Are light or heavy tops easier to spin? Are tall or short tops easier to spin? Can a top with a penny taped to it maintain a spin?

Where to purchase: Look for tops in party stores or in catalogues that sell small plastic party favors.

Sensory Science Tools Life over C’s

Concept: Tools can extend our senses, allowing us to obtain more information than we would be able to on our own. Magnifiers extend our sight by making objects look bigger.

How to support exploration: This tool is fun to use to make the world look blurry and our eyes look huge, and to look closely at everything! Magnifiers reveal aspects of nature that are too small to see with just our eyes. Examine skin, coins, flower or plant structures, and insects—all objects with small parts that make up the whole.

Variation: Fill a round, clear plastic jar with water and have your children look at their hands or a picture through the jar. Children often notice the change in apparent size. Ask them, “Did your hand look bigger?” Then let them examine it and ask, “Did my hand really get bigger, or did it just look bigger?” Take another look so children can be certain of their answer. Have your children pinch the lens of a magnifying glass between two fingers and gently run their fingers across it to notice that the magnifier is not flat but has a curved surface, just like the jar!

Where to purchase: Drug stores and discount stores sell inexpensive plastic magnifiers, or you can order them from a scientific supply company.

3. Eye Droppers or Pipettes

Concept: As children use eyedroppers and pipettes to move liquids, they learn a lot about how liquids behave. For example, they learn that when they squeeze the bulb the dropper pushes air out, and when they release the bulb it pulls water in. Children this age can also observe that water forms drops.

How to support exploration: Show your child how to squeeze the dropper to force the air out of the bulb and how to release it to allow it to pop back into shape, drawing in air or liquid as it reforms. Your child can feel the air as it leaves the dropper by holding the dropper up to her cheek (away from her eyes) as she squeezes the bulb. Use the dropper to suck up small amounts of rain from a puddle or to mix colored water from one dish with water of a different color in another. Turn the dropper upside down to create a fountain. All of these activities have the added benefit of helping your child develop small motor control.

Where to purchase: Buy just a few at a pharmacy or dollar store or order many from a scientific education supply company.

4. Bubbles and Bubble Wands

Concept: Bubbles teach children about geometry (shapes) and give them an awareness of air movement. How long will the bubble last, and where will it float?
How to support exploration: Bend a pipe cleaner into a square-shaped bubble wand and ask your child to predict what shape the bubbles will take. Introduce less common words like “sphere” as you blow bubbles to give your child the ability to describe a three dimensional shape and to expand his vocabulary.

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Science Activity: Observing & Examining

This week we spent some time with a simple $1 grown animal. I set up a very simple invitation to observe, examine, measure and talk about the changes we saw happen. What a simple, fun, and very inexpensive way to encourage curiosity!

Build a dollar store engineering kit!

Supplies Needed:

• grow animal

• water

• tongs

• ruler

• paper towels and a small tray (optional)

Invitation To Observe Set-Up:

We set up a small table for observation this week. He was excited to add him to the water and we discussed what might happen. Time to wait and see.

Watch to learn more

EXAMINE AND OBSERVE

I can’t tell you how many times this little guy was taken in and out of the water. He was measured and examined thoroughly. We used our science tools to make observations and predictions. I didn’t push him to write or draw as he was so excited to do it “his way”. Right now his way is just fine!

This young age is an amazing time to let him wonder, predict, think, and imagine what is happening and what could happen! I simply want him to enjoy the ideas he is learning and when the time is right, take it a bit further.

This activity could be adapted easily for older children with charts, journals, and graphs. We simply checked in on the grow animal and marveled at his growth.

We have been working on simple science concepts, repeating similar types of experiments to build knowledge and reinforce learning skills. Young children need simple concepts repeated for greater understanding, so try a few ways and you will be amazed at how much they remember. This will build confidence for new learning experiences and curiosity to try new experiments!

STEM for Infants and Toddlers Infants, toddlers and twos naturally approach the world with the same curiosity required to learn and explore the foundations of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). 

What is Early Stem All About Brain Building in Progress 

• Science is a way of thinking. 

• Technology is a way of using tools
• Engineering is a way of problem solving
• Math is a way of measuring.

Understanding the world around them is one of the strongest predictors of young children’s later science learning and reading, and a significant predictor of mathematics.

How do Infants and Toddlers develop science skills and knowledge?

Natural curiosity (such as intently watching an adult’s expressions and actions) Readiness to repeat actions that have an interesting effect Need to explore and make sense of the world Children Learn STEM

• Through their five senses and hands-on experiences 

• Babies communicate interests through kicking their feet or hands in excitement. • Smiling, gurgling, and squealing 

• As they get older, they ask questions. 

Encourage Open Ended Questions 

• Why? 

• When? 

• Where? 

• What? 

• How? 

How Can We Support STEM for Infants and Toddlers 

• Provide materials 

• Join infants and toddlers in exploration
• Connect experiences to what children have done or experienced before Experiential Learning
• “Young children build their learning and understanding about the world through everyday play experiences.”
• Experiential learning begins at birth.
• Introduce STEM to babies and toddlers by talking, reading and playing with them.

• Babies and Toddlers learn STEM by actively engaging with their caregivers and through their sensory experiences.
• The foundation for future experiences is formed through everyday sensory activities. 

•Babies investigate the world through their five senses. 

•As they grow older and more independent, their world changes.

18 Playful Activities for 12-Month-Old Babies

play & learning

Amazon links provided

Parents and educators often wonder how to play with an 8-month-old baby. This blog post will answer the question. I am sharing 18 play-based activities for 12-month-old babies.

Let’s check out activities to target each learning domain and stimulate each of the seven senses. These activities engage babies in imaginative and sensory-rich learning experiences that promote cognitive, language, social, emotional, and physical development skills.

Sensory Science For 12-Month-Olds

Starting the activities for 12-month-olds list are seven easy, low-mess DIY sensory learning activities. One infant activity each of the seven senses. Learn more about the vestibular and proprioceptive senses.

Vestibular

Skills + Behaviors:

• Shifting weight to balance body while sitting, crawling, or pulling-to-stand

• Learning what it feels like to move body at different speeds

Exploring Hula Hoops

A hula hoop is a perfectly versatile toy that can grow with your baby. For an 8-month-old, a small, light-weight hula hoop is a chance to develop and stimulate the vestibular sense. While sitting or crawling, babies can reach for, lift, and shake the toy. The thin hula hoop ring makes it the perfect size for tiny hands.

Babies will test their balance while trying to pull the hula hoop towards them or lifting it above their heads.

For babies still spending time on their tummy and rolling, caregivers can attach ribbons, toys, or plastic loofahs to the hula hoop. A baby can play inside the ring, reaching and pulling on toys.

After some research, I’d recommend a small 26-28″ hoop if you are ordering online. A larger hula hoop could be better for creating a tummy time sensory ring.

Proprioceptive

Skills + Behaviors:

• Understanding where a body part is without being able to see it

• Knowing how close or far away an obstacle is

• Learning own strength

Weighted Sensory Bottles

Parents and educators can create sensory bottles for babies to explore. Sensory bottles are made by filling an empty plastic bottle with different materials. Almost any type of plastic bottle will work, but the small globe-shaped apple juice bottles are great for small hands. 

To create weighted sensory bottles, choose materials to make a noticeable weight difference between the bottles. Babies can practice how much strength they need to use to manipulate objects of different weights.

Possible materials for heavy bottle:

• Sand

• Stones

• Water (can add food dye or liquid watercolor)

• Coins
  
  

Possible materials for light bottle:

• Cotton balls

• Ribbons

• Leaves

• Flowers

• Twigs

• Corks
  
  

An alternative option is to create sensory bottles out of 2-liter pop bottles.

You can hot glue or superglue the lid on for extra security.

Taste

Babies spend plenty of time each day eating and mouthing toys. You can easily turn it into a more intentional learning activity.

Tasty Talks

If your baby has started trying new foods, you should talk about the textures and flavors of what they are eating. Pick a particular snack or food and make a point to focus on the sensory-rich experience of eating.

• “The applesauce feels cold in your mouth. It was in the fridge.”

• “That cracker is salty and crunchy. It feels different than your applesauce, doesn’t it?”

Because smell is so intertwined with the sense of taste, you can also talk about the flavors of the foods you are eating near your baby. They will be able to smell your food and begin making connections between food on their senses.

• “Can you smell the orange I’m peeling? It smells citrusy and might taste sour. Let’s find out.”

If your baby is not tasting new foods yet, talk about the flavor of the toothpaste you use to brush their teeth. You can point out the textures of their favorite toys.

• “Your toothpaste tastes cool and minty, just like the one I use.”

• “You put the pokey corner of your block in your mouth. It could poke your tongue. Be careful.”

Tactile/Touch

Wet + Dry Sponges

This super versatile activity gives your baby a chance to explore many different sensations. Simply adjust the activity to what materials or setting you are in.

Options:

• wet vs. dry sponges

• damp vs. soaking wet

• scratch sponges vs. soft sponges

• warm water vs. cold water

Control how messy you want this activity to be by controlling how much water you soak into the sponges.

Caregivers can introduce this activity to babies indoors or outdoors. For less mess, try the activity in the bathtub or a highchair at the end of mealtime.

Sight

Colorful Sunbeams

Choose a window in your home to create a colorful collage. You will need a roll or two of cellophane wrapping paper (the transparent wrapping paper you accidentally bought last minute when trying to get gift wrap).

First, cut out shapes, squares, or strips of the wrapping paper. Then tape the cutouts onto a particularly sunny window. As sunbeams come through the window, your baby will be treated to a colorful sensory play experience. The floor, the furniture, the ceiling, and the walls will temporarily transform into a multi-color light show.

Hearing

Sound Treasure Baskets

Treasure baskets are small collections of compelling toys or objects children can explore. You can create a sound-themed treasure basket to encourage your baby to explore noises.

Sound-Themed Treasure Basket Ideas:

• Metal Measuring Cups or Spoons on a Ring

• Toy Rattles

• Spice Bottle Shakers

• Bell Sensory Bottles

• Toy Instruments

• Metal Lids

• DIY Rain Sticks
  
  

Talk to your baby about the sounds they are making.

• “That clanged so loud when you hit it.”

• “I hear something rattling when you shake this.”

• “We can make a loud sound or a quiet sound. Let’s try.”

Smell

Explore Scents Outside

Exploring smells with your baby is super simple. While outdoors, begin to point out each new and interesting scent.

• Pick up your baby and step outside after a summer rain shower.

• Literally, stop and smell the flowers while out on a walk.

• Point out how the sunscreen smells while getting ready to play outside.

• Talk about the smell of fresh air when you play outside.

• Point out the unique scents while visiting a pool or beach.

Learning Domain Activities For 12-Month-Olds

Language

Skills + Behaviors:

• Babbling

• Saying consonant-vowel sounds like “baba,” “mama,” “dada”

Have a Lovely Talk-Out-Loud

While completing chores or daily tasks, talk through what you are doing out loud for your baby to hear. The more language your baby hears, the greater the benefit to their language development skills.

If your baby begins to babble while you talk, pause and listen to them. Then verbally respond in a way that feels natural. If it feels entirely unnatural, keep practicing with it. Soon your baby will be a toddler with more language to add to the conversation.

This back-and-forth exchange (often called serve-and-return in early childhood education) teaches babies the cadence and rhythm of conversation.

Literacy

Skills + Behaviors:

• Gazing at pages of a book while reading together

• Holding and exploring books as objects

Books in the Bath

Soapy, floating books add an extra sensory element to exploring books. Your baby is still figuring out books will be familiar objects with specific purposes. For now, babies are building interest in books and are enjoying the experience of reading with a caregiver.

Cognitive

Skills + Behaviors:

• Banging toys together

• Looking for things out of view

Wood Blocks

I adore wood blocks. A quality wooden block set can grow up with your child. For babies, blocks are a chance to explore textures, sounds, and weight. 

• Put a couple of blocks into a basket, and your baby can enjoy tipping it over, spilling the blocks out.

• Place a small stack of blocks just out of reach to entice your baby to reach out and knock them over.

Cognitive skills fact: Babies start playing peek-a-boo at around eight months old. At this age, babies begin to understand object permanence. Learn more about stages of play theories.

Gross Motor

Skills + Behaviors:

• Moving into a sitting position

• Sitting without support

• Crawling

• Pulling-to-stand

Lumpy, Bumpy Obstacle Course

Create a cozy, engaging space on the floor with layers of blankets and pillows.

Babies who are starting to crawl will use gross motor skills to move around the lumps of pillows. Crawling babies may be able to master moving over cushions or large blanket piles.

Babies who are sitting or learning to sit can tug and pull at pillows and blankets. The small bumps and lumps of the blankets and pillows also create a mini obstacle course for babies who are rolling.

Adjust the space to fit the developmental level of your baby.

Fine Motor

Skills + Behaviors:

• Using hands to explore and manipulate objects

• Banging toys together

• Passing toys from one hand to the other

Themed Treasure Baskets

Treasure baskets are small collections of interesting toys or objects children can explore. For an 8-month-old baby, most items are still novel and exciting. Curious babies will instinctively want to hold and investigate any new items.

Infant Treasure Basket Themes:

• Bangle Bracelets

• Textured Blocks

• Monochrome Objects

• Variety of Balls

• Measuring Cups + Spoons

• Link Toys

Find more ideas on themed treasure baskets in the ultimate guide to loose parts materials.

Emotional

Skills + Behaviors:

• Learning to shake head no

Baby Says No

Around 8-months-old, a baby will be learning how to shake their head no. Caregivers can show respect and reinforce the importance of consent by being considerate when a baby communicates no.

Shaking the head no is a huge step in learning how to communicate. Babies need plenty of practice because sometimes, naturally, they will not be able to share what they want and feel with this gesture.

Create opportunities for your baby to communicate by “saying” no. Some things like diaper changes or bedtimes have to happen. 

Other things are chances for your baby to express what they want and have their requests met.

• Can your sister hold you?

• Can I have this toy?

• Are you all done eating?

Little Feminist has a great article dedicated to books about consent with babies and children.

Self-Identity

Skills + Behaviors:

• Responding to own name

Exploring Mirrors

Babies absolutely love exploring mirrors. At 8-months-old, babies will start responding to their own name.

Use a mirror to play with reflections. Sit in front of the mirror with your baby. Then look at them while saying their name. They may turn to see you or look at you through the mirror.
“I see you looking at me in the mirror!”

Ask your baby, “Where is [baby’s name]?” Observe out loud where they look.
“You can see yourself right here, can’t you?”

Gently continue to invite your baby to find themselves in the mirror. Each time, point out something about them.
“There is [baby’s name] wearing his blue shirt.”

“I see [baby’s name]. She is kicking her feet.”

Social

Skills + Behaviors:

• Recognize familiar faces

• Learning to wave hello

Photos of Loved Ones

Post photos of loved ones at child eye level. Choose a place where your baby can see the photos, such as at eye level while sitting on the floor or a place where they often pull to stand. You can even create a photo collage on the floor or a playmat. 

You can use pictures of family members, family friends, pets, or other people personally close to your baby. Adding labels with each person’s name can expose your baby to printed words.

From experience, the best way to post photos is first to tape them to the surface. Then seal the photos to the surface using a large piece of clear contact paper. 

Alternative: use two pieces of clear contact paper to “laminate” photos for your baby to hold.

Art

Investigate Art Supplies

At 8-months-old, babies are still learning about objects and how to use their hands to manipulate them. To help them prepare for more complex art experiences, you can start introducing art materials.

Babies can explore art objects by:

• Crumbling, shaking different types of paper

• Exploring capped markers or paintbrushes

• Investigating materials like felt, tissue paper, ribbons

Music

Routines with Rhythm

Connect a song or nursery rhyme to a daily task. Each time you and your baby participate in the routine, sing the song or even play it from your phone.

Ideas could be:

• good morning song

• toothbrushing song

• bedtime lullaby

• getting dressed

• diaper changing

Music can help soothe your baby during tough transitions too. 

Final Thoughts On Activities For 12-Month-Olds

At 12-months-old, babies are reaching many developmental milestones such as sitting, crawling, and babbling. They begin to refine their fine motor skills and use their fingers to explore objects. At this age, there is a wide range of what is “normal.” 

If you’re worried about your baby’s development, you can check out the CDC Milestone tracker PDFs or phone app. Reach out to your child’s pediatrician, or (if you’re in the United States) you can contact your local early intervention service for a free evaluation. 

Want more ideas? Sensory Learning Activities for Babies.

{STICKY FLOWERS} LIGHT TABLE
Activities for playdates

& family time

If you’re new to Happily Ever Mom, you may not know that we love light table activities for kids.

We’ve experimented with different light table activities over the years, but we’re always finding new ways to learn and to play!  Part of that is because we have amazing friends who love to learn with light table activities, too.  And, today at the Light and Reflections Series, we’re experimenting with flowers!

The sweetest thing that I’ve seen in a while was when my husband got home from work while we were making our sticky flower activity.  He walked over to my husband, held his hand, and *attempted* to tell him about our flower project.

He pointed to the pedals and said, “b-ue” (blue), “ur-ple” (purple), and he named other colors, too.

It was priceless.

I love that a simple activity that takes minutes to set up can turn into such a fun learning experience for little ones!

What You Need for {Sticky Flowers} Light Table Activities

• Light Table <— aff link to our favorite light panel!

• Flower pedals – we picked flowers around our yard.

• Contact Paper

We made our first sticky light table around Valentine’s day.

It was a fun new way to use our light table, but I love how this flower version allows kids to study the anatomy of flowers, too.  The light shining through offers a whole new way to study plants (plus, it’s gorgeous!).

How to Make {Sticky Flowers} Light Table Activities

1. Stretch contact paper over your light table with the sticky side up.

2. Tape down the edges.  I use painters tape.  Make sure it’s nice and tight so that the contact paper doesn’t roll up.

3. Let kids add flower petals!

Tip: Don’t put out a huge bowl of flower petals (like I did…) ~ kids will probably just dump them out and the activity will be over. Try scattering the flowers around the edge of the table so that they can pick and choose what they want to put on the sticky light table.

The results are gorgeous, don’t you think?

Add another sheet of contact paper to the top to hang in your window or to use as your child’s placemat!

Water Bead Play for Babies

I love, love, love water beads and because Sam absolutely loves anything big or small that is ‘ball’ shaped, I knew he’d love them too.  The trouble is that we’re still very firmly planted in the put everything in the mouth stage.  Old food bits on the floor, dry crunchy leaves, shoes, tissues, sand…it all goes straight into his cute little mouth.  So we’re definitely not ready for awater bead sensory bin just yet.  That being said, a water bead sensory bag – YES!  Putting different activities and materials into a large zip-close bag and taping the top shut is my go-to move when it comes to fun for this little one of mine.  It allows him to explore so many things that would normally either be unsafe or at the very least, extremely messy {not that there’s anything wrong with mess – getting messy is important too} and this little water bead play for babies set-up has been a total hit so far!

Read More

Discovery Baskets for Babies and Toddlers

1 / 3 / 17

 Grace and I have been having such fun putting together fun little discovery baskets for our sweet Sam to discover and explore.  He loves them because it means that he gets to put his curious little hands all over all kinds of things he may not often have the opportunity to explore, and I love them because they’re fun and super easy to pull together.  Plus I get to watch him very carefully inspect each object independently, which in my mama opinion, is the cutest thing ever.

Read More

THEMED ACTIVITIES IN A BASKET

Create color themed baskets for baby to explore | Natural Beach Living

Theme an entire play date around an Itsy Bitsy Spider basket | House of Burke

Keep a small, travel basket to take  on the go | The Imagination Tree

Gather favorite photos for a family themed basket | Montessori ici

Bring nature inside for babies to explore | An Everyday Story

Take everyday items from your kitchen for a quick and easy treasure  basket for baby | Living Montessori Now

Simple circles  are such a wonderful shape for baby to grab and explore  | The Imagination Tree

Create a sound basket for baby | Happily Ever Mom

This is a big hit in our house ~ a ball themed basket! | Living Montessori Now

A scented basket is sure to be a big hit with babies (and older children, too!) | An Everyday Story

STEAM ACTIVITIES IN A BIN OR BOX

Simple sensory bins  are the perfect entertainment for babies!

Kids will love playing in a bin  with this edible snow recipe | Fun at Home with Kids

Use  a box with ping pong balls as easy entertainment.

Toys in a  water bin are the perfect way to entertain baby on a hot day | Wildflower Ramblings

Make a baby ball pit | Carrots are Orange

This cardboard car will entertain little ones for hours! | Craftulate

Make a  beach bin with edible sand! | Fun at Home with Kids

STEAM ACTIVITIES IN A BOTTLE

Make an amazing glowing bedtime bottle for baby (or any age!)

Simple sensory bottles for baby with items from around the house | Sugar Aunts

Rainbow sensory bottles are perfect for little hands | Fun at Home with Kids

Use ingredients from your kitchen to make amazing sensory bottles for baby | Modern Parents Messy Kids

Put an ocean with seashells in a bottle for baby to explore | Childhood 101

Use only 3 ingredients to make an ocean sensory bottle | Happy Hooligans

Make night and day sensory bottles | Twodaloo

Let baby explore color mixing with these galaxy sensory bottles | Lemon Lime Adventures

Make a music themed sensory bottle | House of Burke

This gorgeous spring flower sensory bottle  is a perfect way to bring Spring inside for babies | My little 3 and Me

DIY Sensory Blocks for Baby

Goodness…  I’m pretty sure I put making these simple little sensory science blocks on my to do list about 3 months ago.  It’s ridiculous that it’s taken me this long to get to them given the fact that the entire project took about 10 minutes from start to finish, but I feel like that’s just my current state of life.  Non-priority tasks aren’t happening as quickly as I’d like them to, but it is what it is.  Either way, they’re made now, and I’m so happy with how they turned out!  Sam loves them too, which is exactly what I’d hoped for.  

They’re sort of like a combination of a miniature sensory science bottle {making them perfect for little hands} and these really fun little sensory science blocks that I was highly considering buying online late one night {making them  perfect for stacking and crashing}.  They’re also part musical instrument, so multi-purpose indeed {hah – have I sold you on making a set for your bub yet??}

They allow babies to examine and play with all sorts of fascinating little bits up close. So they can encourage them to  engage and explore sciency things that would normally wait until older stages.
Don’t forget that nature provides  all sorts of fabulous little bits and botanicals that are free. 

Read More

{Baby Play} Exploring Hot and Cold

Oh goodness… Have this little guy and I ever been having fun lately!  When Miss G was this same age, we were in a major state of transition {hello packing up an entire life overseas, moving home to Canada, staying with family for several months, and then resettling in a different city} and doing fun little activities probably wasn’t at the very top of my priority list.  But this time around, things are different…  We’re a year into being back in Canada {for the second time}, Miss G is now in school full days {*gasp*}, and I get to spend my days with our sweet little preemie babe who seems to be curious about almost everything.

Today’s fun?  Exploring hot and cold – a very simple activity inspired by the curious little hands wanting to investigate my cup of morning coffee.

Read More

Baby Sitting Practice Using Sensory Bags

We did it!  At 10 months actual age and 7 months corrected, our little preemie baby born at 27 weeks is sitting up independently!  It took some time obviously, but my goodness – being able to sit up was a game changer!  And not only for him and his play either…  For me too- hello, being able to set your baby down on the ground for just a minute while you put on your shoes!  Have I mentioned that I’m so proud of this little guy?  The moment a ‘oh goodness, he’s so behind’ thought even considers creeping into my head, I remind myself that there was a time not very long ago that I wasn’t even sure we’d be leaving the hospital with our baby and gain some quick perspective.  And so we celebrate each new milestone {whenever they happen} instead.

Read More

Since our tummy time painting was a hit a few days ago, I figured we’d give a sensory bag a go this time around. My initial thought was to create a quick and easy bag that was clear gel or shampoo based, but we had neither on hand… so water it was!

Read More

Tummy Time Baggie Painting

This little bub.  Gosh, he melts my heart.  At 8 months old {and 5 months corrected} now, we’re working hard on building his strength and motor skills and he’s already come so far!  According to his physiotherapist, the number one thing we can do at this point to help his development is tummy time.  I’m absolutely not a professional, but according to her, it’s sort of ‘the gateway’ to many of the other skills he’ll be working on mastering in the upcoming months.   

Read More

When you start doing guided STEAM activities together it is important that you select activities where they can just scatter materials over a creative endeavor. Because they may not have the fine motor skills required for accuracy in placing or moving materials into a certain spot. 

During art challenges, focus on one repeated physical motion at a time in order to develop eye hand coordination as in smushing, spreading or pressing..

Respectfully assist them and connect with them as a buddy or playmate would.. Modeling appropriate social and problem solving skills while they are young allows them to assimilate and use the same playing skills with you and other playmates.  

I am safety minded so I really do not like marbles in my classroom and home. Although they add color to your light table activity, they are also very dangerous for any STEAM or sensory project for a baby.

However, I did see something on Amazon yesterday that can be used in the same way, but they are safe to use at 18 months and up. This is a perfect spot to add the information to my manuscript.

Textured Shaped Sorter with Art & STEAM applications, Sorting and Physics with dough

Textured Shapes for Art For STEAM Physics with dough, art and sorting

Large Transparent Shells for STEAM Light Table and Physics with Dough

Transparent blocks for STEAM Patterns and building city towers 

Large Rainbow Pebbles for STEAM physics, stacking and patterns, & Light table STEAM

{STICKY FLOWERS} LIGHT TABLE
Activities for playdates

& family time

If you’re new to Happily Ever Mom, you may not know that we love light table activities for kids.

We’ve experimented with different light table activities over the years, but we’re always finding new ways to learn and to play!  Part of that is because we have amazing friends who love to learn with light table activities, too.  And, today at the Light and Reflections Series, we’re experimenting with flowers!

The sweetest thing that I’ve seen in a while was when my husband got home from work while we were making our sticky flower activity.  He walked over to my husband, held his hand, and *attempted* to tell him about our flower project.

He pointed to the pedals and said, “b-ue” (blue), “ur-ple” (purple), and he named other colors, too.

It was priceless.

I love that a simple activity that takes minutes to set up can turn into such a fun learning experience for little ones!

What You Need for {Sticky Flowers} Light Table Activities

• Light Table <— aff link to our favorite light panel!

• Flower pedals – we picked flowers around our yard.

• Contact Paper

We made our first sticky light table around Valentine’s day.

It was a fun new way to use our light table, but I love how this flower version allows kids to study the anatomy of flowers, too.  The light shining through offers a whole new way to study plants (plus, it’s gorgeous!).

How to Make {Sticky Flowers} Light Table Activities

1. Stretch contact paper over your light table with the sticky side up.

2. Tape down the edges.  I use painters tape.  Make sure it’s nice and tight so that the contact paper doesn’t roll up.

3. Let kids add flower petals!

Tip: Don’t put out a huge bowl of flower petals (like I did…) ~ kids will probably just dump them out and the activity will be over. Try scattering the flowers around the edge of the table so that they can pick and choose what they want to put on the sticky light table.

The results are gorgeous, don’t you think?

Add another sheet of contact paper to the top to hang in your window or to use as your child’s placemat!

Water Bead Play for Babies

I love, love, love water beads and because Sam absolutely loves anything big or small that is ‘ball’ shaped, I knew he’d love them too.  The trouble is that we’re still very firmly planted in the put everything in the mouth stage.  Old food bits on the floor, dry crunchy leaves, shoes, tissues, sand…it all goes straight into his cute little mouth.  So we’re definitely not ready for awater bead sensory bin just yet.  That being said, a water bead sensory bag – YES!  Putting different activities and materials into a large zip-close bag and taping the top shut is my go-to move when it comes to fun for this little one of mine.  It allows him to explore so many things that would normally either be unsafe or at the very least, extremely messy {not that there’s anything wrong with mess – getting messy is important too} and this little water bead play for babies set-up has been a total hit so far!

Read More

Discovery Baskets for Babies and Toddlers

1 / 3 / 17

 Grace and I have been having such fun putting together fun little discovery baskets for our sweet Sam to discover and explore.  He loves them because it means that he gets to put his curious little hands all over all kinds of things he may not often have the opportunity to explore, and I love them because they’re fun and super easy to pull together.  Plus I get to watch him very carefully inspect each object independently, which in my mama opinion, is the cutest thing ever.

Read More

THEMED ACTIVITIES IN A BASKET

Create color themed baskets for baby to explore | Natural Beach Living

Theme an entire play date around an Itsy Bitsy Spider basket | House of Burke

Keep a small, travel basket to take  on the go | The Imagination Tree

Gather favorite photos for a family themed basket | Montessori ici

Bring nature inside for babies to explore | An Everyday Story

Take everyday items from your kitchen for a quick and easy treasure  basket for baby | Living Montessori Now

Simple circles  are such a wonderful shape for baby to grab and explore  | The Imagination Tree

Create a sound basket for baby | Happily Ever Mom

This is a big hit in our house ~ a ball themed basket! | Living Montessori Now

A scented basket is sure to be a big hit with babies (and older children, too!) | An Everyday Story

STEAM ACTIVITIES IN A BIN OR BOX

Simple sensory bins  are the perfect entertainment for babies!

Kids will love playing in a bin  with this edible snow recipe | Fun at Home with Kids

Use  a box with ping pong balls as easy entertainment.

Toys in a  water bin are the perfect way to entertain baby on a hot day | Wildflower Ramblings

Make a baby ball pit | Carrots are Orange

This cardboard car will entertain little ones for hours! | Craftulate

Make a  beach bin with edible sand! | Fun at Home with Kids

STEAM ACTIVITIES IN A BOTTLE

Make an amazing glowing bedtime bottle for baby (or any age!)

Simple sensory bottles for baby with items from around the house | Sugar Aunts

Rainbow sensory bottles are perfect for little hands | Fun at Home with Kids

Use ingredients from your kitchen to make amazing sensory bottles for baby | Modern Parents Messy Kids

Put an ocean with seashells in a bottle for baby to explore | Childhood 101

Use only 3 ingredients to make an ocean sensory bottle | Happy Hooligans

Make night and day sensory bottles | Twodaloo

Let baby explore color mixing with these galaxy sensory bottles | Lemon Lime Adventures

Make a music themed sensory bottle | House of Burke

This gorgeous spring flower sensory bottle  is a perfect way to bring Spring inside for babies | My little 3 and Me

DIY Sensory Blocks for Baby

Goodness…  I’m pretty sure I put making these simple little sensory science blocks on my to do list about 3 months ago.  It’s ridiculous that it’s taken me this long to get to them given the fact that the entire project took about 10 minutes from start to finish, but I feel like that’s just my current state of life.  Non-priority tasks aren’t happening as quickly as I’d like them to, but it is what it is.  Either way, they’re made now, and I’m so happy with how they turned out!  Sam loves them too, which is exactly what I’d hoped for.  

They’re sort of like a combination of a miniature sensory science bottle {making them perfect for little hands} and these really fun little sensory science blocks that I was highly considering buying online late one night {making them  perfect for stacking and crashing}.  They’re also part musical instrument, so multi-purpose indeed {hah – have I sold you on making a set for your bub yet??}

They allow babies to examine and play with all sorts of fascinating little bits up close. So they can encourage them to  engage and explore sciency things that would normally wait until older stages.
Don’t forget that nature provides  all sorts of fabulous little bits and botanicals that are free. 

Read More

{Baby Play} Exploring Hot and Cold

Oh goodness… Have this little guy and I ever been having fun lately!  When Miss G was this same age, we were in a major state of transition {hello packing up an entire life overseas, moving home to Canada, staying with family for several months, and then resettling in a different city} and doing fun little activities probably wasn’t at the very top of my priority list.  But this time around, things are different…  We’re a year into being back in Canada {for the second time}, Miss G is now in school full days {*gasp*}, and I get to spend my days with our sweet little preemie babe who seems to be curious about almost everything.

Today’s fun?  Exploring hot and cold – a very simple activity inspired by the curious little hands wanting to investigate my cup of morning coffee.

Read More

Baby Sitting Practice Using Sensory Bags

We did it!  At 10 months actual age and 7 months corrected, our little preemie baby born at 27 weeks is sitting up independently!  It took some time obviously, but my goodness – being able to sit up was a game changer!  And not only for him and his play either…  For me too- hello, being able to set your baby down on the ground for just a minute while you put on your shoes!  Have I mentioned that I’m so proud of this little guy?  The moment a ‘oh goodness, he’s so behind’ thought even considers creeping into my head, I remind myself that there was a time not very long ago that I wasn’t even sure we’d be leaving the hospital with our baby and gain some quick perspective.  And so we celebrate each new milestone {whenever they happen} instead.

Read More

Since our tummy time painting was a hit a few days ago, I figured we’d give a sensory bag a go this time around. My initial thought was to create a quick and easy bag that was clear gel or shampoo based, but we had neither on hand… so water it was!

Read More

Tummy Time Baggie Painting

This little bub.  Gosh, he melts my heart.  At 8 months old {and 5 months corrected} now, we’re working hard on building his strength and motor skills and he’s already come so far!  According to his physiotherapist, the number one thing we can do at this point to help his development is tummy time.  I’m absolutely not a professional, but according to her, it’s sort of ‘the gateway’ to many of the other skills he’ll be working on mastering in the upcoming months.   

Read More

When you start doing guided STEAM activities together it is important that you select activities where they can just scatter materials over a creative endeavor. Because they may not have the fine motor skills required for accuracy in placing or moving materials into a certain spot. 

During art challenges, focus on one repeated physical motion at a time in order to develop eye hand coordination as in smushing, spreading or pressing..

Respectfully assist them and connect with them as a buddy or playmate would.. Modeling appropriate social and problem solving skills while they are young allows them to assimilate and use the same playing skills with you and other playmates.  

I am safety minded so I really do not like marbles in my classroom and home. Although they add color to your light table activity, they are also very dangerous for any STEAM or sensory project for a baby.

However, I did see something on Amazon yesterday that can be used in the same way, but they are safe to use at 18 months and up. This is a perfect spot to add the information to my manuscript.

Textured Shaped Sorter with Art & STEAM applications, Sorting and Physics with dough

Textured Shapes for Art For STEAM Physics with dough, art and sorting

Large Transparent Shells for STEAM Light Table and Physics with Dough

Transparent blocks for STEAM Patterns and building city towers 

Large Rainbow Pebbles for STEAM physics, stacking and patterns, & Light table STEAM