Toddler Activities: Fancy Nancy Bucket

I just realized that my last post showed a picture of this pink fuzzy bucket in the picture of materials. Let me explain what that is!



So this may sound like a "girls only" project, but there are several ways you can adapt this to little boys. For Christmas last year, I made my two year old, an avid Fancy Nancy fan, a Fancy Nancy bucket. It holds her glue, scissors, ribbon, stickers, beads, glitter, and anything else she needs to be creative.

I saved my formula cans and covered them with hot pink fabric. I edged the top of the can with part of a hot pink feather boa. I filled it with the basic necessities listed above and voila!
Now you can tell your kiddo to go get their bucket when its time for a crafty activity time.

(If you make one of these, send me a picture! I'll post em.)
janellerphipps@gmail.com

Toddler Activities: Counting Wands

Materials:
wooden dowel
ribbon
stickers
hot glue
other decorations

This activity is similar to the "I spy"oscopes in that it's quick and simple so you can start using them for your activity time. We only used our number stickers and ribbon for the end of the dowel. Then we went to work!

We started around the house, counting the number of apples in the fruit bowl and the windows in the house.

Then we went outside in the snow! We got as far as counting the trees in our backyard before we were frozen and had to go inside.

Other suggestions:
Count items of a specific color or shape.
Write numbers 1-10 on a poster board and have them trace the numbers
with their wands, so they can learn to identify each number.

Send me your ideas!

Toddler Activities: Family Portraits

Materials:
construction paper
glue
family head shots
markers

I remember the first time my daughter attempted to draw our family. We each looked like mini potatoes with arms and legs and I was glowing with pride. It was fun to see her first artistic impression of the world around her.

For this activity, we cut out the faces of each family member.
(While you cut out the faces, you can give your toddler the rest of the photo to cut up
or let her look through other pictures while she waits.)


Then we glued each face onto a yellow background.



We cut them out with some fun scissors and glued them onto our white paper.



Then she went to work! We talked about each person as she started to draw: their eyes, short or long hair, their smile. Then I showed her how to draw a body and legs and feet, etc.





We ended up with her own personal interpretation of the Phipps family.

You could also have your toddler just draw the bodies under the head shots or add a pet.
Happy Activity Time!

Toddler Activities: "I spy"oscopes

This is one of my favorite activity times because we use our "I spy"oscopes often.

Materials
toilet paper rolls
stickers
markers
string or ribbon
your favorite decorations

Once we decorated our toilet paper rolls,
we poked holes in the tops to make them into necklaces.

This is a relatively quick activity so that you have time to use your "I spy"oscopes.
We hold them up to our eyes and say,
"I spy with my little little eye...
something blue!"

You can use them to spy colors, shapes, numbers, or animals.
You can hide certain objects around the house and have a mini scavenger hunt.
You can take them outside and spy birds in the trees or little bugs in the grass.
Be creative and have fun!

Happy "I spy"oscoping.

Toddler Activities: Easter Sock Bunnies

Materials Needed:
Sock
Dried lentils or rice
Rubber band
Ribbon
Sticky-back felt
(or regular felt and tacky glue)
Scissors

I found this idea here and since I have several socks without mates lying around,
it was the perfect "quick and easy" Easter activity.

You can fill your sock with rice or dried lentils; I used rice.
Your toddler can pour the rice while you hold the funnel.
I couldn't find my funnel, so we just made a mess!
Fill the sock just past the heel and secure with a rubber band.

I found these sticky-back felt sheets at Roberts
(did you know they're going out of business? big sale).
They were perfect for the eyes, nose, & cheeks.
You can also use regular felt with tacky glue.



On the first bunny, we did a nose with cheeks and whiskers. Because of the sticky backing, the whiskers stuck to everything, but my daughter insisted.