HOMEMADE TOY IDEAS!
Develop your own bag of inexpensive homemade toys that encourage sensory exploration, fine and visual motor development, social interactions, speech, and gross motor play! There is a wealth of ideas on Pinterest, but here are a few…..
1. Crazy Colander Fun: Stick pipe cleaners in the holes and then string beads or dry cereal! Big hit with the kids! (See photo below.)
2. Muffin Pan Match: Work on letters, shapes, and colors. Magnets work great or have them use tongs! (See photo below.)
3. Mini Clothesline: I found old material from home and made my mini clothes! The only thing I purchased were small clothespins at the dollar store, but regular clothespins work too!
4. Homemade Piggy Bank: Have different containers with various sizes and difficulty! Kids can place coins, buttons, cards, and other objects into the slot!
5. Rubber Band Ball: I use a larger bumpy ball I purchased at a dollar store. This is an awesome two-handed skill, and kids are surprisingly motivated to remove the rubber bands after I’ve placed them!
6. Dyed Pasta: I made this at home with my kids from a recipe on the internet! I use various pastas to string onto yarn or a pipe cleaner, stick into foam, or pick up with tongs!
