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Toddler Crafts
Okay, so this whole at home with my 2.5 yr old all the time is really new to me. We'd have a day here and there, and the weekends, but they were usually so full of activities or just playing we didn't do crafts. I'm much better at baking with him. But I can't bake with him everyday. He loved doing crafts at daycare. I suck at them though. I know right now a lot of the issue is that we're both tired and frustrated with that, and getting used to each other. But what should I expect for his level of "doing" stuff? We tried to glue construction paper petals and circles on paper to make flowers, with pipe cleaner stems and suns. His stuff from daycare usually came home looking like a close version of what it was supposed to be, but our flowers were petals all over the paper. Kept him happy, but wasn't sure if that was good.
And where do you come up with ideas? I need some places to find stuff to do, with limited supplies.
Thanks!
Re: Toddler Crafts
I find a lot of our crafts at familyfunmagazine.com as well as notimeforflashcards and productiveparenting.
I generally show the girls what the end result is supposed to look like but then I let them do whatever they want with the materials. I feel like if I directed them - you put this here and that there - then I'm stifling their creativity and their ability to make decisions. It also isn't any fun if I'm all directive. They just want to play with the materials. That's fine.
I do a lot of clear contact paper crafts. Flip it sticky side up and you can stick a multitude of things to it. I also try to buy holiday shape stickers, regular dollar store stickers etc to have on hand. Katen likes to make scenes with them. Ana mostly decorates herself. Whatever.
Dot art paints are not messy and allow freedom of creativity which is easier for you. I also go through a lot of glue sticks and just random circles, squares, triangles that I keep in a tupperware container. They're usually cut from scraps and K likes to make pictures out of them. (mostly she just enjoys gluing things.) Ana uses them on the contact paper. You can make your contact paper in different shapes for holidays, seasons, themes etc.
The girls also ask me often to trace their bodies so that they can decorate them. We have a large roll of paper for that.
One of Ana's favorite things is macaroni noodles or beans. I place them in a large bowl and give her a ton of spoons, cups, bowls, etc. to fill and dump. Same can be done with shaving cream.
Paint with yogurt or pudding is messy but totally edible. I don't do that often because I don't want Ana eating our other paint.
Don't feel like your craft has to be formal every day. Sometimes crayons and paper will cut it just fine.
I'm sorry if I am being nosy, but are you keeping William home with you for your entire maternity leave?
Yup, he's staying home with me. We only get a percentage of our pay, and so it would take most of my minuscule pay to send him to daycare while I'm home. So we're adjusting to this...badly.
Where do you find the contact paper? Tell me more of this dot art paint! And where do you find the large rolls of paper?
Guess my flower art from yesterday wasn't a total fail. We also did crayons after that. And Will has a huge love for playdough, which can entertain him for hours.
Contact paper is usually used for shelf liners so it's in the aisle with laundry supplies, etc at Target.
Dot art paint I found at Michaels. Theyr'e just bottles of paint that have felt on the end to contain the mess and they wash up well.
Large rolls of paper - we ordered ours from Melissa and Doug but I'm sure there are other places.
I did notice that he loves playdough. lol!!!
Yeah, this is my least favorite part. I don't know what to do with Will for a full day anyway. add in a newborn who needs me, and a toddler who doesn't get it. You sure can't "sleep with the baby sleeps" this way at all. We're watching a lot of TV. Not my favorite thing, but I can get a few things done, and Will is ok. I managed to get a shower in, after DH went to work this am. Put C in a bouncer with a zip up cover, and left W to watch Diego. Wasn't sure what I'd go downstairs to... But I don't think he did anything too bad down here.
Make sure you have some good carriers. C has spent most of the last 3 days in the Moby and Mei Tei. And I'm going to purchase a Wrapsody Bali Baby Hybrid stretch wrap very, very soon to round out my collection.
I think you are doing great! It is so hard for me to imagine because when Michael was that little I seriously sat in a chair and nursed him all.day.long. I never even got up! I would even hold him when he was sleeping! So I think I am in for a big shock....
That is good advice about the carriers. I love my Moby but I also have an ergo so maybe I will think about an infant insert for it. When do you use your different carriers?
I did the same thing with Kellen- held him all day! Good to know about what I am going to be looking forward to. We have to pay daycare to hold our spot anyways, so I may be sending him after the baby comes. For some art projects, here are a few websites I have looked at:
http://www.toddlercraft.net/
http://stepbystepcc.com/toddlercrafts.html
http://www.teaching-tiny-tots.com/
Also, I think it was Jenners, but maybe not, posted edible dough and or paint or something a while back (I have it on my fridge to do) and it sounded like fun. (Jen, was that you?)
I have a moby, that I like the best. It's the most supportive of a newborn. I also have a custom mei tei Borst-plotz made me. It works well too, and is faster to put on. I'm going to order a wrapsody bali baby hybrid wrap, that I have high hopes for as well. I liked my ergo, but hated that it had to ride on my hips. I imagine that would not be a good place to have anything after a csection. with the moby and mei tei, I tie it so teh baby is up on my chest. makes it so I can still do stuff with W, and go pee without having to take the wrap off.
Glad to know I'm not the only one who does this!
) Thanks for the tips!! I will be filing those away for use in just a week or so!