Easy Home made Toys

The timeless toy - a cardboard box!

It's a well-known fact that young children would often rather play with the box than the toy that came in it. Save cardboard boxes for free toddler games.

• Let her explore a large box. She'll probably be really happy to climb in and out and may enjoy herself just sitting inside one.
• If you're feeling energetic you could push your toddler around in one. Beware though, you won't get away with just doing it once. ;-)
• You could let your toddler decorate the box by colouring, painting or sticking things on it. He will probably be more interested in this activity after he has had a free play session or two with it, though.

First 'shape sorters'

Most commercial shape sorters are rather hard for a one-year-old to master. Your toddler will most likely go through a phase where he enjoys taking objects in and out boxes. It's only after lots of practice of this that he's ready to fit the shapes through snug holes. These home made toys fill a hole that is lacking in toy shops. They also make good toys for autistic children since they love repetition and order.

• Find a container and some smaller objects so your toddler can fill it with things. This could entertain him for ages.
• Get an empty tissue box and some small food package boxes or lids from jars that will fit through the hole in the top. This is brilliant for making this game slightly more challenging.
• Wash out fabric conditioner bottles or other wide neck containers and use to fill and empty blocks. Make sure the blocks can be easily removed, or it will be too frustrating for him.
• Wash out large coffee or infant formal cans, cut a long slot in the plastic lid and cover any sharp edges with duck tape. Coasters posted through this slot make a very satisfying 'clung'.
• Bring out a pack of playing cards and cut a slot for them in the lid of a shoe box.
• Put thin scarves into empty wipe, tissue boxes or shape sorters for her to pull them out. This is a perfect activity for distracting her from emptying a whole box of tissues. That's a way of turning no's into yes's - a good example of playful parenting

Matching fabric square games

These home made toys can turn fabric cuts offs from projects and old clothes or rags into educational resources your little one. Textured squares also make excellent toys for blind children.

Collect different types of fabric. Cut out small squares with pinking shears. If you don't have pinking shears, sew the edges so they don't fray. Make sure you cut two squares from each fabric so your toddler can match them up.

There are several games you can make using fabric squares. This may depend on the material you have.

• Colour matching
1. Start off with two or three pairs of squares then gradually add more
2. After mastering this game an older toddler could match two different shades of the same colour.
• Matching by sense of touch
1. Choose one colour that you can find lots of different textured fabric in (e.g. white). And make two squares of each fabric.
2. Introduce this activity by giving your toddler 4 pieces. (2 pairs of contrasting textures.)
3. Encourage you child to stroke the pieces to feel the difference in texture.
4. Ask your toddler to make pairs that feel the same.
5. Gradually increase the amount of pairs.

Feely 'bean bag' socks

Fill socks with lentils, tapioca, pasta, shredded paper, plastic bags and pompoms. Seal them by sewing the opening or tying the socks tightly. And viola another home made toy!

If you use socks all the same colour, you can fill two socks with the same contents and your toddler can match them up by feel. How many feely socks can your toddler stack, fit into different sized containers or toss on to a tray? I always supervise the feely socks due to the small parts. Feely socks are brilliant toys for blind children as well.

Stringing big 'beads'

This is another valuable free toddler game that is also not available commercially! Use a short rope or thin scarf. Tie an ice lolly stick or another short rounded stick to one end so it will stop the objects. Sticky tape wrapped around the other end, stops fraying and helps to thread the rope or string through holes.

Show your toddler how to thread cardboard tubes sliced into rings or large wooden curtain rings on them. After practice with this home made toy, an older toddler can thread large beads or pasta tubes on string.

A unique toy

A thermal blanket (thin flexible aluminium, from a outdoors/camping shop). Your toddler will love the rustling sound as she crawls or walks on it, shakes and plays peek-a-boo with it. I've seen many excited toddlers and babies playing with a thermal blanket. I always closely supervise toddlers when this toy is in use.

Dressing up

Traditional dressing up collections are probably the most well known easy home made toys. Give your toddler some of your old clothes. An old shirt or cardigan, scarf, hat and shoes. He will enjoy putting them on and parading round in his 'new' outfit. He will also enjoy draping a plain piece of material over and around him too. Old net curtains are great because they are see through.

As you've probably found out toddlers love accessories as much or more than we do. Even boys like to play with keys (I give them a clean first), phones (old or locked), bags (especially small ones), large beaded necklaces, bangles, cameras and hats. Collect a few in front of a mirror fixed to a wall for some supervised exploration.

I hope you have loads of fun with these easy home made toys.

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