And the Answer Is . . .

Here are the answers to the Christmas Trivia Game Quiz.  If you want a print out to use for a party just go to lilluna.com.

See how many you got right!

1. YES
2. SUGAR PLUMS
3. UNITED STATES
4. TINY TIM
5. I'LL BE BACK AGAIN SOMEDAY
6. ANGEL
7. IT DOES NOT SAY
8. EGYPT
9. COMING
10. TREES
11. THE WAR OF 1812
12. JINGLE BELL SQUARE
13. WHAT CHILD IS THIS
14. BACHELORHOOD
15. CABBAGE PATCH DOLL
16. 6
17. FLOUR
18. HIS WINGS
19. DELAWARE RIVER
20. ROCKIN' AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE
21. BETHLEHEM
22. CHRISTMAS, FLORIDA
23. SILVER & GOLD
24. BARNUM'S ANIMAL CRACKERS
25. TEDDY ROOSEVELT

Lil' Things

I will begin with the "stuff".  One of our December Community activities for the past few years has been Lil' Flippers Gym in Kaysville.  This is a popular activity because LIL' FLIPPERS GYM IS AMAZING!  They are so great with our kiddos and provide great activities.  They also offer a class for special needs kiddos from 4 months to 3 years.  These classes are on Wednesdays at 11:00 am.  You can sign up for a free trial class if you want to check it out.  They focus on large and small motor skills, cognitive learning, social skills and behaviors and listening skills.  If you are interested, call Brittanie at 801 593-8484.

And now, your quiz.  I came across this Christmas Trivia Game on Lil' Luna and it looked so fun, I had to find a way to share it with you!  Here are the questions.  I will share the answers tomorrow!  Enjoy!

Thanks to You

Our December Community Activities have been a success so far!  Thank you families for attending the activities and for sharing your little ones with us!  We have had so much fun interacting with our early intervention kiddos and their families in a different way.  We are especially grateful to:

• Station Park who provided Santa, Mrs. Claus, photo opps and cute stuffed mice for everyone who attended, 
• SeaQuest Interactive Aquarium for their willingness to have LOTS of little ones and their families come and enjoy an amazing experience, 
• Layton City Hayrides for starting their scheduled activity 45 minutes early so our little ones didn't have to wait in a long line to enjoy a hayride around the beautiful lights and they also provided hot chocolate and cookies and Santa!
• Davis Early Intervention Staff who organized, planned, and carried out great activities at our centers including sensory activities, art projects, play dough, singing time and an opportunity for families to meet other families.
• Lil' Flippers who will welcome our families tomorrow for a variety of activities in their gym.

Over the past few years, we have collaborated with these businesses and organizations to provide fun activities for our families to enjoy in December.  At the conclusion of each activity, I have been contacted with the invitation to "do it again next year".  Wow!  I love that we are letting others know what we do and providing them the opportunity to enjoy our families as much as we do.

Thank you for your participation!  Interacting with our early intervention families makes December great!

December Community Activities

I love to see families and kiddos at our December Community Activities!  I hope you are enjoying getting out with your little ones and seeing our service providers in a different environment.  Please be sure to let us know if you need extra support with your young children as you participate in any of our December Community Activities.  We are there to help you have a great experience!  

I would love to have feedback about the activities and any suggestions of other activities that you might enjoy with your family next year that we should include in our offerings.

4 Things Your Children Do Not Need

I spend a little time each week looking for information to post on this blog.  When I find another blog post that I really like I save it to re-post on here.  When I came across this one, I was so excited!  This is from a post on the blog For Every Mom (link at the bottom) and talks about what children do and don't need to be happy, healthy, social and to grow up in today's world.  Of course this is the opinion of the writer, Karen duBarry.  My soapbox is built out of cardboard boxes, crayons, dirt, recycled containers, paint brushes, and imagination.  I don't like toys for little ones that have batteries and just require the pushing of a button.  Children need opportunities to figure things out and be creative.  Of course children also need guidance, experience, love, opportunity, nurturing and to be allowed to fail as well as succeed.  What else do you think children need?  Feel free to add to the list in the comments section!

4 Things Your Children Absolutely Do Not Need (and What to Give Them Instead)

Here are a few things I think children do NOT need:

1. They absolutely do not need hundreds of toys that light up, play “music” or require batteries.

2. They do not need the latest gadget, just because you know someone else (“everyone” else?) who has one.

3. They do not need many different pricey outfits, all color-coordinated from charming boutiques with French names.

4. They do not need expensive “enrichment” activities every night of the week.

So, what do I think a kid might need?

—They need physical nourishment. This means different things for different people, of course (especially around the world), but here in the U.S. it might mean lots of yummy fruits and veggies, some macaroni and cheese every now and then, some chocolate chip cookies for a treat, your favorite meal that your grandma used to make, and dinners inspired by different places around the world. It does not mean mom needs to be a short-order cook and make every child only their favorite foods every meal.

—They need classic, open-ended toys: wooden blocks, Legos, paper and colored pencils (markers, if you’re feeling brave), a stuffed lovey, a baby doll, and the encouragement to use their imaginations and play with anything. (Leaves for outside tea-party plates. A cardboard box can be anything. Old egg cartons and wrapping paper tubes seem to be especially prized.) They need a safe place to keep collections (buttons, rocks, leaves, shells, foreign coins, stamps, etc. Some children will try to collect all of the above.)

—They need clothes they’re allowed to get dirty. They need an outfit or two for dressing up on special occasions (this seems to be especially important for some little girls). They need aprons to wear so they can help you in the kitchen. They need your old dresses and old hats and scarves to play dress up.

—They need time with their parents and siblings. They need to play outside. They need to go to a zoo. They need to visit a farm (if they’re city kids) or the city (if they’re rural). They should visit an art museum or two. They need to see a great body of water. They need to get messy. They need to go swimming. They need to walk quietly on a nature trail. They need cuddling and tickling, joking and gentle teasing. They need to be around many different kinds, types and ages of people. They need grandparents or great-grandparents or an older family friend to spend time with.

—They need to ask questions. They need you to teach them how to find the answers in a book or by observation, and not just by “asking Siri.” They need to hear you say, “I don’t know. Let’s find out.” They need you to say, “That’s a great question, I’m glad you asked.” They need you to ask them silly questions like, “If you were an animal, what would you be?” or “If you were a color, what would you be?” or “If you could spend the night on the moon, what would you do?”

—They need to explore. They need to climb too high. They need to swing so hard the swingset rocks. They need to poke things with sticks and lift up rocks. They need to splash in some water. They need to ride something (a bike, a horse) that intimidates them at first. They need to be out of your sight part of the day. They need to solve their own conflicts. They might need to wrestle or jump on a trampoline. They need to run until they’re out of breath. They need to try a small business like selling lemonade or something they’ve made. They need to spend their own money, sometimes unwisely. They need to give to someone less fortunate. They need to take some object apart (an old radio? a clock?) and try to put it back together.

—They need sleep. They need to go to bed in time to be rested for the next morning. They need time with no screens flickering in their faces. They need to build a pillow fort. They might need to pitch a tent outside and sleep under the stars. They need to stay up late for a special occasion and then sleep in the next morning. They need a quiet time, when they can hear their own thoughts. They need the chance to be noisy, with drums and marching and exuberant singing (this should probably happen outside, for mom’s sanity).

—They need books. They need adults to read to them. They need to read to each other. They need gorgeous books to admire and funny books to laugh at. They need rhymes to jingle in their minds. They need familiar characters who are just like family (Frances, Harry, Angus,Stuart Little, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle) and historical figures who inspire (Laura and Mary Ingalls, George Washington, Florence Nightingale). They need tall tales (Paul Bunyan) and small creatures who make a big difference (Charlotte). They need to thrill over heroes and mourn over martyrs lost too soon.

http://www.foreverymom.com/4-things-children-absolutely-not-need-give-instead/#.VOy8aCwLtF8.facebook

Christmas Shopping 101

This post is from http://preschoolexpress.com/learning-station07/toys-that-teach-dec07.shtml

 and was found by Vicki Kettenring, a developmental specialist.

TOYS THAT TEACH

Your child already has the most important toy he or she could want or need – YOU!
Other toys, however, can be very important for helping your child to learn through play.
Here are some things to consider when considering toys for your children.

 IS THE TOY SAFE?  Is it sturdy, with no small pieces to break off?  Will it become a dangerous toy in the wrong hands?

 WILL THE TOY LAST?  We often buy disappointment for children when we give them toys that will break in a couple of days.  All around them, children see that they live in a throw-away world.  Let’s give them some things that will last and upon which they can depend.

DOES THE TOY MEET A DEVELOPMENTAL NEED?  
           PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT--  Toys can aid in the physical development of children by encouraging coordination and the use of both large and small muscles.  Toy suggestions:  balls, toys that fit together, button books; toys to push, pull or climb upon.
           MENTAL DEVEOPMENT  -- Toys can aid in the mental development of children by encouraging reasoning, problem-solving and creative thinking.  Toy suggestions:  puzzles; games; blocks.
           LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT – Toys can aid in the language development of children by helping them learn new words, and word sounds, and sentence structure.
Toy suggestions:  Books, video’s, alphabet toys.
           SOCIAL (& IMAGINATION) DEVELOPMENT  - Toys can aid in the social development of children, by giving them opportunities to understand how others feel and act.  Toy suggestions:  Dress –up clothes; puppets, tea sets, doll houses.
           CREATIVITY DEVELOPMENT – Toys can aid in helping your child learn creative expression and to become problem solvers.  Toy suggestions: Open-ended art materials, play dough, dance costumes, musical instruments, blocks.
            DISCOVERY (CURIOSITY) DEVELOPMENT – Toys can lead to discovery and  foster experimentation. Toy suggestions:   Magnets, magnifying glasses, color viewers, toys for playing in water, mud or sand.

IS THE TOY APPROPRIATE FOR THE AGE OF THE CHILD?
            THE INFANT (0-1) is busy learning about himself, his body control and the use of his senses.  He responds to touch, sounds and smells.  Toys can provide an infant with the stimuli for motor and sensory development.  An infant needs safe, simple toys that he can master, toys that are easy to hold onto and toys that can be touched, felt and watched.  Toy suggestions:  mobiles, rattles, teethers, squeeze toys, musical toys, baby mirrors, water toys, washable stuffed animals and dolls.   

            THE TODDLER (1-2) has learned about herself and  now feels confident in learning about the world.  She is especially interested in learning how to control other people.  The toddler recognizes the existence of others but is still self-centered.  She generally plays alone, even when surrounded by others.  The toddler is busy developing large muscle control and learning to imitate the sounds and actions of others.  She is very adventurous and needs toys that can be safely pushed, pulled, climbed on and taken in and out.  Toy suggestions:  wooden blocks, sand box with scoops, small cars, trucks and people, large durable trucks to push, water toys, simple dress-up toys, such as hats and scarves, ball, hardcover books, simple wind-up toys, beginning puzzles, stuffed animals and dolls.

            A PRE-THREE (2-3) is concerned with self-expression and the beginnings of socialization.  Toys suggestions:  any of the toys mentioned above, plus small riding toys (not a trike), table top easel, creative materials, such as paper, crayons and marking pens, play dough, rhythm instruments, tapes, puzzles, simple storybooks, play phones, a small wagon.

            A PRESCHOOLER (3-5) is still experimenting with the senses, coordination and self-expression, but now he has more social awareness of others.  Toy suggestions:  any of the previously mentioned toys, plus tricycles, large blocks, balance beams, flannelboards, magnetic boards, pencils, paint, scissors, paste, collage materials, pounding toys, real tools, nuts and bolts, puppets and a puppet stage, dolls and doll houses, play centers, sewing cards, puzzles, learning games, magnets, magnifying glasses, storybooks.

DOES THE TOY HELP THE CHILD LEARN TO REASON?  In looking for toys that help children learn to reason, keep in mind that there are four different kinds of toys for this purpose.  Examine your child’s toys and see that she has at least one toy that fits into each of the four categories below.  Children need a balance of toys from which to learn different skills.
            COORDINATION TOYS – are designed to incorporate practice for a motor task that may be difficult for a child.  They enable a child to become self-sufficient in their  day-to-day environment.  Examples:  sewing cards, button frames, interlocking blocks, balls, putting pegs in holes.
            CONSTRUCTION TOYS -  are designed so that the end product is deliberately left undetermined by the materials being used.  Example:  Blocks and shapes.
            RECONSTRUCTION TOYS – are self-correcting materials that can be taken apart and reassembled.  These have degrees of difficulties.  Examples:  stacking toys, puzzles.
            CLASSIFICATION TOYS – are materials that require matching, patterning and grouping.  They include most games.  Examples:  lotto, dominoes, beads, board games, etc.

IN CONCLUSION – Children learn through play and the use of a variety of toys.  But as I stated at the beginning, nothing can replace interaction with adults, especially parents.

What Can You Do Now to Help Your Baby Later?

This was taken from www.adam-mila.com/brain-development-children-0-6-years/#brain-development-during-pregnancy  You can click on the link to read the complete article.

Stages of Brain Development from Birth to 6 Years Old (and How You Can Help!)

While we are not able to offer an exact brain development timeline, we will do our best to give you an idea of the different stages of brain development during early childhood.

When your little one arrives, a lot of work and growth has already been done. However, there’s still a lot more growing to do. At birth, your child already has almost all of the neurons they’ll need for the rest of their lives, even though their brains are only 25% the size of an adult brain.

Because your baby is rapidly creating and pruning out synapses, this is a critical period for learning things.

You’re probably familiar with the “soft spot” on a baby’s head. These soft spots are called fontanelles, and they exist because your child’s skull is not fully fused at birth. This serves the dual purpose of helping the head fit through the birth canal and allowing room for the brain to grow quickly during early childhood. At just three years old, your child’s brain will be about 80% the size of an adult brain.

Early in your child’s life, they will start to form synapses at a faster rate than at any other time of life. They’re actually producing many more than they need, and not all of them will make it to adulthood. This allows them to learn things more quickly than adults do.

Anyone with kids knows that they come with their own personalities, but brain development can also be heavily influenced by external things. What we understand about nature vs. nurture is that the genes fuel this mass synapse formation, while the the environment fine tunes the brain and helps it make decisions about which pathways to keep and which to get rid of. The more often a synapse is used, or the more often a skill or idea is practiced or heard, the stronger that synapse gets. This means that things that are used often, like language, and walking, stay ingrained in a child’s brain, while things that are neglected disappear. This process also happens in adult’s brains, but at a much slower rate.

Because your baby is rapidly creating and pruning out synapses, this is a critical period for learning things. It also means that without practice, certain skills will disappear. If you want to create lasting skills in your child (like a second language) it’s imperative that their exposure and practice is constant. Children’s “flexible” brains provide a unique opportunity to create a solid foundation on which to build for the rest of their lives.

What’s Growing?

A lot is going on in that little head! Here are a few interesting things to know about your baby’s brain development right now.

Visual Cortex

At birth, your little one can’t see very well. Baby vision is fuzzy and they can only recognize a few colors. But through the first six months, cells in their brain will specialize to make up the visual cortex, neurons will lengthen and axons will become myelinated. Along with physical improvement in their eyes, they’ll be able to see things more clearly by three months. At six months, rapid improvement brings depth perception and focus to your little one’s repertoire, and they can see nearly as well as an adult.

While they can’t see a whole lot in the beginning, they recognize bright colors, interesting and dramatic patterns, and human faces during early brain development. Engage their developing sense of sight by looking into their eyes, making funny facial expressions, and exposing them to different objects and patterns.

Cerebellum

During baby’s first year, their cerebellum triples in size, allowing for rapid development of their motor skills. Your child will quickly progress from rolling over, to crawling, and then to taking their first steps. Encourage them to use their arms and legs while you play with them, and allow them the space and time to practice their new skills. For more information about these baby milestones, you can read more in our fine motor skills and gross motor skills articles, which include fine motor activities and gross motor activities.

Myellination

Myelination of nerve cells allows for faster transfer of electrical signals, meaning baby’s brain can receive and transmit messages faster, and deal with multiple signals more effectively. Myelination is incomplete in many parts of the brain after birth, but rapidly develops during the first year of childhood. This explains why older children have an easier time processing and reacting to input than young infants, and can determine what kind of activities are age appropriate activities for infants.

How to Create an Enriched Environment for Brain Development

So now that we know how important environment is for your child’s early brain development, we can discuss how to promote optimal brain development through environment. Here are a few things you can do to help encourage good brain development in your little one.

Social Interaction

Humans are social creatures, so it’s not surprising that social behavior has a profound effect on our brains and is important to child development. Social activities where a child is actively engaged by their parents or other children help encourage healthy brain development and social skills and are one of the most effective ways your little one learns. Talking to your little one directly not only encourages growth in the language center of their brain, but it also helps them become a better learner through making and strengthening connections in their brains.

Pre-Kindergarten Programs

Whether or not to enroll children in a pre-kindergarten program (also known as Pre-K or sometimes even PK) is a tough decision for many parents. While it’s a very personal choice and there are many factors that go into the decision, research compiled by Urban Child Instituteshows that children enrolled in pre-kindergarten class have improved cognitive skills, decreased risk of developmental delays, and improved kindergarten readiness.

Diet

Although the brain’s relationship with food is complex, it is clear that proper nutrition during early childhood is an important part of proper brain development. Our brains require immense amounts of energy and nutrients in order to develop and run properly, and at no time is this more important than during the rapid development period of early childhood. A diverse, healthy diet full of things like irons, proteins, vitamins and minerals helps leave lasting effects on your child’s brain.

Proper nutrition during early childhood is an important part of proper brain development.

If your newborn baby is being breastfed, you’ll want to use a vitamin D supplement to avoid vitamin D insufficiency. This is because breastmilk does not contain adequate concentrations of this vitamin and because babies usually experience a lack of sunshine in their early life. Try to maintain proper nutrition while breastfeeding, slightly inadequate nutrition will likely affect you more than your baby, your body is prioritizing the nutrition content of your milk. Some great foods to serve your toddler to help provide them with baby brain building blocks are eggs (for protein), leafy greens (for vitamins), and fish (for Omega-3 fatty acids).

Physical Activity

The health of the brain is tied to the health of the rest of the body, and vice versa. Studies suggest that exercise in early childhood can improve cognitive function and even contribute to a bigger hippocampus. You can exercise with baby from a young age with activities like tummy time, which also help him develop muscle strength in his stomach and neck muscles and improve head control. You can encourage a more active lifestyle in children by getting them involved in sports and other play activities that they’ll enjoy. Fun summer activities and fun outdoor activities are great places to start.

Novel Experiences

A creative environment where children are exposed to a variety of new ideas, objects, and experiences helps them develop healthy, curious baby brains. In animal studies, the effect of a more experience rich environment was most prominent when the subjects were exposed earlier in life. Interactive experiences that are appropriate for a child’s age are most effective and enriching.

Avoiding Toxic Stress and Developing Positive Relationships

Toxic stress constantly triggers the stress response in a child. Stress, is a natural part of our biology that allows us to respond quickly to potential dangers, but when the stress response is engaged constantly, it starts to damage the mind and body. Toxic early life stress is triggered by things like family poverty, exposure to violence and neglect and can become truly toxic when the child does not have recourse and strong, comforting family bonds.

Halloween for Little Ones

Here are some things to think about when those cute little goblins and ghouls come visit your home on Halloween.  Let's make sure everyone has a fun Halloween experience by being aware of the struggles some kiddos are overcoming.

70 Days Till Christmas!

This post is taken from Happy Hooligans blog at http://happyhooligans.ca/70-awesome-toys-make-kids/.  These are all simple, yet amazing ideas of homemade toys for toddlers and little ones.  If you are looking for ideas for Christmas presents, these are great!  They may take a little time to make, but none require batteries (my #1 rule for toys for kiddos).

All of these toys are fairly easy and inexpensive to make.  Some are knock-offs of brand name toys, and some of these toy ideas are truly original.  One thing is certain – they’re all perfect if you like to give kids handmade gifts at Christmas, birthdays or any day!

 Homemade Lacing Toys:

These simple lacing frames are easy to make and great for helping little ones develop their fine motor skills.  - Babble Dabble Do

Shaped foam lacers are easy for little hands to grip and a fun way to practice threading skills.  - Powerful Mothering

I adore this all-natural, stick threading game by Mini Eco.

Homemade Felt Toys for Toddlers:

Here’s a soft and colourful way for toddlers to explore the alphabet: stuffed, hand-sewn felt letters by Buggy and Buddy.

Make a no-sew, alphabet pocket chart to help little ones learn their letters. – Lalymom

I see countless hours of creating and re-creating here with this gorgeous potato head felt set. – jocelynandjasonblogspot

DIY Activity boards for the playroom or classroom:

Babies and toddlers will LOVE exploring all the textures and gadgets on these awesome sensory boards by Fun at Home with Kids.

Make a latch board like Domesticesq did with random bits and bobs from the work shop or hardware store.

My boys would’ve LOVED a life-sized dashboard  like this one made from used parts. – And Next Comes L

Upcycled Homemade Dollhouses:

Got cardboard? Handmade Charlotte shares 6 ways to make a dollhouse out of a cardboard box. 

Mama Papa Bubba shows you how she and her daughter made this simple but beautifuldollhouse from an inexpensive bookshelf. 

Check out how Roadkill Rescue turned an old dresser into a larger-than-life Barbie house. Handy storage drawer in the bottom!

Upcycle the drawers from an old bedside table into this adorably charming dollhouse by Semi Proper.

Homemade Stamps:

6 ways to make homemade stamps for toddlers using common household items. – Happy Hooligans

Help your little one learn to spell his name with this simple homemade name stamp by Mama Papa Bubba.

Decorate homemade cards, wrapping paper or fabric projects with this spring flower wine-cork stamp.  Happy Hooligans

Kids can make imprints in play dough with these rustic tree block stamps by Two-da-loo.

Toys from upcycled furniture:

I adore this workbench/tool station that The Frugal Granny made from an old bedside table.

How about this AMAZING upcycle?  A deluxe play kitchen made from an old tv/entertainment cabinet! – Giggleberry Creations

Fresh Crush transformed a night-stand into a play kitchen for about $30 using cast-offs and inexpensive accessories.

Homemade toys for babies:

Turn your recyclables into a variety of colourful, fine-motor toys for babies and young toddlers. The Imagination Tree

Crafts on Sea has a homemade tag blanket that will delight babies with its crinkling sound and soft, satiny tags.

Childhood 101 shows you how to turn your family photos into a cloth baby book for your little one to enjoy.

Homemade Sock Toys:

Attempting Aloha transforms a sock into a glamorous hobby-horse that any little rider would love.

Turn a sock into an adorable baby rattle with some stuffing and a few simple stitches. – Homemade by Jill

Toys from the Recycle Bin:

An empty plastic bottle + 3 basic kitchen ingredients = a mesmerizing “ocean in a bottle”. – Happy Hooligans

Kids who love to build will enjoy this homemade construction set made from a few pieces of sturdy cardboard – Happy Hooligans

Teach shapes, colours, letters and numbers with this cardboard box turned drop box.  The kids have been using ours for years.

Homemade Toys for Outdoors:

It would be so dreamy to spend an afternoon reading in one of these Hula Hoop Hideouts. – Alanna George

Ok, I totally want to hang out on this DIY water blob by Homemade Toast.  Bonus:  It’s leak-proof!

Check out how Dyan turned a few dollar-store shower curtains into this awesome toddler parachute. – And Next Comes L

Homemade Quiet Books:

A quiet book is perfect for those times when you need to keep your kids busy… and quiet. I lovethis no-sew version by Powerful Mothering.

This busy book by Mouse House has “pages” of colourful quiet activities to keep little hands busy and learning.

Homemade Activity Boards:

Turn an inexpensive oil-drip pan into a gigantic magnet board for the playroom or classroom. – Mama Miss

Make an outdoor easel for your kids to get artsy and creative with in the backyard. – Fantastic Fun and Learning

See how Mama Papa Bubba quickly turned an inexpensive frame into a homemade felt board.

*Want to know an easy way to cut your own felt pieces for your felt board?  Check out this awesome felt-cutting tutorial by Juggling with Kids.

Homemade Doll Toys:

Make a fabric doll sling for your little one to carry her babies around in. – Mama Smiles

Check out this whimsical family of wooden spoon dolls decorated by Jess Quinn.

Paint up a set of wooden alphabet dolls for play and learning. – No Time for Flashcards

This really is the best-ever play dough!  It keeps for months, so it’s perfect to make ahead and give as a gift.  - The Imagination Tree

Did you know you can make your own silly putty? - Coffee Cups and Crayons shows us how.

Homemade Indoor Hopscotch:

I had fun making this homemade cardboard hopscotch.  Laying the tiles out helps the hooligans with their number recognition and ordering skills.

Make a new-sew hopscotch mat that you can roll up and tuck away when not in use.  There are games on the reverse side too!  - A girl with a Glue Gun

Homemade Forts and Tents:

Set up a 5-minute teepee in the backyard!  What a magical place for a little one to spend a summer afternoon. – Mama Papa Bubba

For those of you who like to sew, Cakies shows you how to make a simple A-frame tent for the kids to use indoors or out.

Homemade Puzzles for Toddlers:

Adventure in a Box shows you how to make a wooden name puzzle for your child.  You’ll have this lovely keepsake for years.

Turn a set of wooden blocks and some family photos into these nifty, interchangeable people puzzles. – Meaningful Mama

Homemade Toys for Gross Motor Development:

See how Hello Wonderful turned a skateboard deck into homemade balance board to help develop core and large-motor strength.

Build a set of simple wood block stompers.  They can be used at two different heights depending on the age of your child. – I Can Teach My Child

This bucket and rope contraption was free to make, and it’s provided hundreds of hours of open-ended play here in our backyard.

Homemade Coloured and Textured Blocks:

Fun with Kids at Home shows us how to easily add a pop of vibrant colour to a set of plain wooden blocks.  So gorgeous!

Babies and toddlers will love exploring the colours and textures of these homemade sensory blocks. – Fireflies and Mudpies

$3 bucks, a trip to the dollar-store, and some hot-glue will get you this fab set of coloured light blocks. -And Next Comes L

Fine Motor Toys to Make for Kids:

A colourful button snake is easy to make and helps little ones develop their fine motor and buttoning skills. – Happy Hooligans

Put together a sewing basket  filled with lots of goodies for a preschooler to explore and practice early sewing skills with.

I just love Crayon Box Chronicles’ homemade geo board.  Little ones can sharpen their fine motor skills while learning about shapes and geometry with rubber bands or fabric loops.

Stones for Play:

Make an adorable stone tic-tac-toe game to match your child’s favourite colours, like this one from Eighteen 25.

Paint up a set of non-traditional, rock dominoes for the kids to play and learn with. – Childcareland Blog

Story Stones are fun and easy to make, and great for narrative play, and developing story-telling skills. – Happy Hooligans

Alphabet stones are perfect for a game of outdoor “hangman” or to simply teach your child their letters through open-ended play.

Homemade Toys for Car-Loving Kids:

Turn your old jeans into fabric roads!  Easy to make, and to stash in the diaper bag when you’re going out. – Lil Mop Top

Visit Picklebums to get these free, printable roads.  Your kids can build a whole city!

Buggy and Buddy painted up a set of simple wooden roads and ramps for her son.  Think of the hours of fun these would provide.

If you love to sew, this amazing car mat would be a super project and keepsake to make for your child or grandchild. – Homemade by Jill

Homemade Play Kitchen Toys:

And Next Comes L has some great felt food ideas that you can make for your child’s play kitchen.

Turn a package of inexpensive kitchen sponges into colourful foam cakes and cookies like the ones Inner Child Fun made.

LOVE this!  Turn a plastic storage container into a pretend cook-top.  Store the baking instruments inside! – And Next Comes L

Make an inexpensive, portable light box using a kitchen storage container and an LED light.  Store the toys inside!

And Next Comes L shows you how to turn a basic pegboard into a light bright game for your home or classroom.

Want a full-size light table for much less than it costs to buy one? Check out this step-by-step tutorial from And Next Comes L.

More homemade blocks to make:

I love these colourful magnetic blocks that You Clever Monkey made for their magnet board.

How inviting are these Waldorf-inspired nature blocks that Adventure in a Box made.  What a lovely way to build and create.

And last, but not least:  take your block building into a new dimension (literally) with a set of these homemade velcro blocks by Chasing Cheerios.