Craft ideas for young toddlers?

[*Liz*]

At what sort of age did you start doing some things other than 'just toys'?

IS there anything I can do while he is still so young? Could he try paints and crayons - and if so what type?

Just looking for some different things to do in the day - especially now it is cold and we can't spend all day outside anymore  .

We are past the 'everything in the mouth stage' now, but obviously his hand skills are not that good really.

[anna*]

Definitely finger painting! Stan found crayons a bit frustrating but chunky felt tip pens give a nice bold line without you having to push really hard, and you can get some very washable ones. Make sure the piece of paper is big enough, he won't be able to contain his drawing to just a small piece of paper! It's not really 'craft' but Stan loved holding a long piece of ribbon while he toddled along, watching it following him.

[LucySol]

Liz-we do all sorts.painting,colouring glueing etc

- childrens paints cos they are non toxic,they wash out and wont harm them if they eat them!you can do sponge painting,finger painting,D loves printing with oblects like puttin toy cars in paint and running the wheels across the paper.
 -wax crayons i find are best tho D loves DS's feltpens! -chalks
 -PVA glue or pritstick-D loves to spread this o the paper and stick bits onto it. glitter is a new favourite
-playdough

look in places like 'early learning centre' they will have alsorts.
will be back with more when i have more time xx

[LucySol]

just thought of another loved one here! cornfour mixes with water on a tray.my kids love getting there fingers in it cos its runny but goes hard too.Lots of sensory play is gr8 so jelly,pasta.beans,etc..depends how much you can cope with mess!!!

[Mashi]

I've been terrified to start crafts with DS, his attention span is so low, his curiosity so high and his determination to do what he wants is unlike anything I have seen!  Lucy maybe I will try some corn flour on a tray....if I lock the kitchen door he can't make too much mess! 

Not craft at all Liz but something I started in the summer is filling the kitchen sink with water, bit of dishsoap and a few plastic tubs and wooden spoons and letting DS stand on a chair and play. Have to put towels all down the floor, and I have to stand there and hold him so he doesn't walk off of the chair but he gets loads of fun out of it, and it can waste 2 hours!  Biggest problem I have is telling him it's finished, I need to make sure there is something even better waiting for him or he freaks

[*Liz*]

We do the dishes in the sink thing. I actually just brought J one of those boxes he can stand in and not need as much supervision as he will happily watch someone cooking or washing up, or scream when we won't let him go through the cutlery drawer for the 8th time in a day. It is currently at my Mums house though as she was stuggling with Jacob and the puppy again  . He is driving her mad with it though everytime she goes near something he can't reach he waddles off and swings off his box moaning until someone gets the box and puts him in it.

Apparently that is how she got her Christmas presents all wrapped as he was messing with ribbon, sellotape and bits of paper  .

He spent 40 mins putting chopped carrots in and out of a pan of water for sunday lunch - bit at least half of them and still screamed when if was time to finish.

Lucy - can Daisy really do stuff with all those things  . Can she really glue and stick? What sort of things do you give her to stick?

I did try a crayon but he can't really make lines that are impressive enough to hold his attention.

I think it may be time to try a little mess!

I guess I'd best go to the elc then!!

[rach]

Definitely go for it with the painting or chunky crayons.

How about making rice krispie cakes too - Cam loved 'mixing'.  Yes there will be a mess, but its all good fun!

Playdough is another good one!  Or how about on a not so cold day - taking a chunky paint brush outside with a pot of water and drawing pictures on the wall/ground.

[LucySol]

she loves it!!! we stick anything! i have a box with bits in to stick like cut up bits of paper,shiny sweet wrappers,wool etc.it took a while for her to 'get' that things stick on the glue she spent a while just covering the paper with glue! she likes going outside with her bucket collecting things which we then stick on paper.obviously she needs a lot of my input but i think she likes to do what ds is doing!!

ds has a painting easel which D loves too!

Mashi-Daisys attention span is about the size of a knats with most things but creative play she sit for ages!!!

[Mashi]

Ohhh I know the boxes you are talking about, are they called kitchen pods? or something of that nature?  LOOOVE them, I thought DS would be too little for one yet but will have to start hunting around...not that I will find one in this crappy town we live in

Lucy I am also intrigued at Daisy's sticking abilities.....!

[*Liz*]

Rice crispie cakes are a good idea as well - J had a blast mixing all the fruit for the christmas cake (and sampling a few raisins - fine until I added the brandy  ).

Hmmmm... just need a slightly more healthy recipe than chocolate as J isn't a good enough eater to let him get a taste for that  .

What are they called again? Little helper funpod, I think. I love it as well, but too me a while to agree to buy one! Jacob just fits - but isn't quite tall enough to do everything on the kitchen worksurface - but is just fine on the table. Jacob is 29 inches tall, so I would imagine your DS would fit just fine.

[scucci1979]

What about Crayola First Marks. They are washable and non toxic.  You can also try Foam.

[Peek-a-boo]

I used to cover our coffee table entirely with brown craft paper and color with DS with chunky crayons--that way no worry about coloring off the paper, etc. 

I also did edible play do recently by mixing equal parts peanut butter and marshmallow cream--it works and isn't too sticky, shockingly--and DD (then 16ish months) had fun playing with that with cookie cutters and no worries if she ate it.

[anna*]

Oh! Bethany's comment reminded me - yes, cooking. I've got a really nice recipe for simple cookies, we use the cutters that came with Stan's playdough. Yum, and also, keeps him busy for minutes on end!