Shapes

Idea from 365 Days of Baby Love, by Sheila Ellison and Susan Ferdinandi.

MATERIALS

• Flat sponges
• Washable liquid paint
• Paper
• 3 flat pans or plates to put paint in

ACTIVITY

• Cut sponge into geometric shape(s) of different sizes.
• Pour paints into three flat containers and put a sponge in each.
• Help baby dip sponge in paint and press it to the paper to make any design you want.

Optional additional activity

• Once paint is dry, cut the sheet of paper into the shapes you used.
• Take a walk while holding up the shaped piece and find other things that are the same shape.
  

Tube Slide

Idea from 365 Days of Baby Love, by Sheila Ellison and Susan Ferdinandi.

MATERIALS

• Different sizes of cardboard tube, the longer the better.
• Small cars or balls

ACTIVITY

• Balance one end of the tube on a couch, stool, pillow, etc..
• Put the other end of the tube on the ground so that the tube is angled downward like a slide.
• Put balls, cars, etc.. in the tube at the top and watch them come out at the bottom.
• For a more permanent structure, cut holes through a box and push the tubes through at various angles.
  

Noise Maker (rain maker) - Fourth of July Craft

This idea was found on the Toddler Crafts blog: http://www.toddlercraft.net/toddler-craft/fourth-july-craft-noise-maker/

MATERIALS

• Paper towel Holder
• Saran Wrap
• Tape
• Rice/pasta
• Glue Stick
• Red/White or Blue Construction paper
• Red/white/Blue Paint
• Star Sponge (you can cut this out of a regular sponge if you don’t have one)

ACTIVITY

1. Stamp Blue and White stars on Red construction paper
2. Let it Dry
3. On bottom of papertowel roll hold saran wrap and tape around it to make a bottom to the Paper towel holder
4. Fill Paper Towel 1/4 way with rice/pasta
5. Put Saran Wrap on top, tape around to seal
6. Take Dried Star Print Construction paper, and tape end of it to Paper towel roll
7. Cut off Extra that goes above Paper Towel Roll
8. Glue Print construction paper to paper towel roll

Enjoy your fun music maker and noise maker for the Fourth of July!

* You can do this activity anytime, just decorate differently and enjoy :)

Rice Play

My daughter spent a good 20 minutes completely enthralled with the rice, pouring, feeling the rice between her hands, etc.. She had a blast! At one point she tried to climb out of the pool with rice in her hands. I asked her if she was "all done?" She sat right back down and signed "more" then continued on playing! :) MATERIALS

dry rice (beans would work well too)
plastic bowls (I used 3 bowls, 1 lid)
measuring scoops, deep spoons or shovels
dry kiddie pool (for easy clean-up and less mess!)

ACTIVITY

Place toddler in kiddie pool with bowls, scoops and lids.
Show rice, pour it from one bowl to another, place hands in rice and play, place lid on bowl and shake, etc..
Let toddler explore and play. Sometimes with guidance, sometimes without.
Keep a close eye so rice doesn't go in mouth!

* toddler should be able to follow simple directions such as "not in mouth" or "spit it out".

Clean-up is super easy! All I did was move the kiddie pool to the kitchen table and I used my hand to scoop out the rice into a ziplock bag for later use. I then tipped the pool to the side and hand-vacuumed the few rice pieces that were left. Then quickly hand-vacummed the floor where we were playing!