DIY Toys - Wrapping paper memory cards

One of my girl's birthday presents came in nice, colorful wrapping paper. It was shame to throw away so I've decided to cut out pictures (images) and make a couple of memory / concentration games of it.

This is how it turned out:

This picture shows 4 sets - I have glued and laminated each of the sets on different color of construction paper for easier managing of sets.

These are really simple to make. This is what you need:

- wrapping paper with colorful pattern

- scissors

- construction paper

- glue (if you're not laminating) or double side tape (if you decide to laminate)

- laminator(optional) and laminating pouches

You cut out the images, pick two of each image for one memory game set, glue them or tape them on construction paper and laminate of you wish.

We have left one of these sets at home and gave away 3 of them to our day care center.

Note: This post is re-published from 2nd blog which I'm closing down as soon as all interesting bits and pieces are moved here since I don't have time to keep 2 similar blogs updated.

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Homemade Toys for Toddlers - Recycle Dry Markers to New Icy Watercolors!

I know you have dry markers around somewhere! Well, if you have kids, you surely have plenty of these! Somehow, no matter how often I repeat: "Close your markers when you're done, they will get dry!", my girl seams to forget to do it almost every time! :) So, I've decided to reuse some of our felt tip markers to make some watercolors! And freeze them for additional fun! It's summer after all!

What you'll need:
- old dry markers
- plastic cups (one for each color)
- popsicle sticks (one for each color)
- water
- freezer! ;)
- later on, I realized I'll need precision knife too... read it down...

What you do is:
- take apart markers and get the inserts with color
- pour water in each of the plastic cups
- cut the marker insert open with precision knife (it will help color to blend with water faster, we tried with plastic wrap on and it took ages!)
- place insert in cup with water and stir
- do it all over again with all the other markers you intended for this purpose
- you'll end up with something like this:

CAUTION: I've used some really cheap markers we received as a gift and they were not washable! If you have markers that are not washable, make sure to protect working surface as well as your own hands! I got stained with color all over my hands and now I have multicolor nails! ;)

After you're done with mixing colors, place them on the tray or directly in a freezer (if you don't have enough spare space like I usually don't!). After approximately 1 - 1,5 hours add popsicle sticks in each of the cups (or wait until water is half frozen).

I have left them over the night in our freezer and here is how they turned out:

As you can see, it's leaving really soft, watercolor like lines. Now, the biggest problem with these might be... will you have enough paper for all the artwork your kids will make with these new "old" art supplies?!

Here is one of ours finished... think it will be wonderful for wrapping paper or some background scrapbooking! ;)

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Cardboard box - never ending fun

We all know that kids love toys. Well, the thing they love as much is the package that toy comes in! Most of you have had moments in your lives when you have bough this great new toy for your toddler and you thought it will be just perfect for her / him. And what has happened? The kid loves the cardboard box or wrapping paper more than the actual toy! :)

Well, it does happens. It happened to me too. Don't be sad! It's a good thing! Cardboard boxes are perfect toys for toddlers: they are empty, they are light and with little paint and scissors, they can be turned to so many great things!

Today, we would like to invite you to check out two articles about using cardboard boxes as toys:

Think outside the box

The empty cardboard box

Also, we would like to invite you to check the Ikatbag's post about working with cardboard. This is the lady who has had so many great ideas about turning cardboard to toys and one of them is for a cardboard cake I've adopted that my toddler still plays with months after it's been created!