Collecting things

[mum2bubba]

I think Hayley is getting pretty bored with her everyday toys, I want to get her some arts and crafts stuff such as glitter etc, she does paintings and all that at playgroup which she loves (used to love eating the paint but shes given that up now, thank God) I was also thinking about going to a craft store and getting some coloured paper, buttons, ribbons (whatever I can find) even some old material from clothes I want to get rid of and maybe some coloured feathers (bought from a craft shop rather than found on the ground because of germs etc) and putting everything in a box or container so on rainy days she can do some arts and crafts, also keeping old yogurt containers for painting. Does anyone else have some other suggestions on what I can get?

[Chickadee]

I started doing something similar with DD. I bought 2 jars of mixed buttons from an Op Shop for $5. Much cheaper than a craft store.

Other things we have stashed away include:
- Pictures cut from magazines
- landscaping pebbles/stones. DH bought these from a garden shop, they're smooth & coloured.
- shells
- popsicle sticks
- small post it notes
- cheap packs of stickers

[mum2bubba]

Thanks for that Martha, I was waiting for someone to respond to my post. I have kept some Easter egg wrappers (ones that aren't torn) and also cut up some material from old clothes so Hayley can use those. Anymore suggestions are greatly appriciated. :thumbsup:

[punkbaby]

DD will sit there with DS for hours with macoroni threading it i also cut out stars etc and other things they can thread onto the string too, i find it keeps them amused for a fair while.
DD's latest is though to help me fold the washing, i tell her to pull out all the socks and we match the pairs she loves it, i am getting my housework done and she learns how to pair things up as well

[mum2bubba]

Hayley loves helping around the house esp the washing though she doesn't know whats dirty and what isn't atm which can be quite annoying.

She loves stickers and anything she can glue onto paper (material, sparkles etc) I want to get her one of those paint/blackboard easle thingys I know she'd have a ball with that. she is a very messy toddler, she loves playing in dirt (even eating it :rolleyes: ) I also want to get her a sandpit too.

[tanni_83]

coloured sand is fun for gluing!! you can die your own, i bet if you googled it there would be instructions somewhere for it :thumbsup:

i found some instructions :D

you can color sand with food coloring. it is a little messy. But my kids love playing with it. Here is how I did it:
I put my sand in a zip lock bag and added the color that I wanted and then I kneeded the sand until all of the sand was the same color. Then I got one of those throw away pans from the dollar store and spread the sand on the pan and put it out side on a sunny day to let it dry. As soon as it dried I put each color in a different zip lock bag and my kids played with it. It is so easy and a lot cheaper than buying it at the store

hth tanni :)

[Roxy]

The easiest way to colour sand (or cooking salt too!) is to get some powder paint (you should be able to get it at a good craft store, or a good children's supplies store. This (http://www.littleredengine.com.au/1.html) store is in Canberra, but they do online orders. You don't need much either, and you can also use it to colour cornflour paste to make paint).

Get a jar with a lid - add the sand or salt to the jar, add some coloured powder, and shake!

[bunnymumma]

Anything that can be recycled eg egg cartons, catalogues. Childrens scissors are great as they can start to cut out their own stuff. Sheets of cheap ($2) stickers are also great.