With our first son we spent many hours playing and crafting together each day. I set up things specifically for him to do when he woke from his nap. Our second son hasn’t been so lucky, his brother takes up a lot of my time and often requests things to make himself, so I don’t do as much with Mr 19 month old.
I’m trying to change this now that A is getting older and capable of more cratf’y’ toddler activities. Today I set up a simple little craft just for A, while his big brother was busy playing outside.
I collected a few sticks from the garden and layed them on his high chair table with paint brushes and paint on a plate (easier for him to handle paint in a plate than in a pot).
He immediately got to work painting his little sticks. Of course O came to supervise for a short while, but then went back outside again.
I also gave A some white glitter to sprinkle on his sticks, he loooves glitter and happily shook it all over everything!
He eats less paint than his brother did at the same age, which is good, although a little had to be tasted, and a stick too…
When the sticks were dry I tied them together with string and hung up the stick mobile for everyone to admire.
Do you craft with your littlest?
J x
Mummy on a Budget says
What a great craft activity. Great idea for little ones! #ToddlerApprovedTuesday
Bethany says
I was only saying to hubby yesterday how I need to craft regularly with my lil’ ones and I love this idea as combines getting out and about to collect sticks and arty crafting. x
Jenny Eaves says
Thank you! 🙂 x
Jenny Eaves says
Yes! With O we actually went on a proper stick hunt to collect them to paint. Lots of fun! 🙂 x
Let kids be kids says
Love this activity! Such a simple, fun craft for toddlers, but strung together it looks great.
Thanks for linking #LetKidsBeKids
Jenny Eaves says
Thank you Karen! 🙂 x
Suz says
Aww what a lovely idea! We will defo have to do something like this! Thanks for sharing! Suz x Beauisblue.com
Claire says
Such a cute and simple idea… definately going to give this one a try!
Becky, Cuddle Fairy says
This is such a fun idea! We love crafts from items around the house – this is right up our alley. It turned out beautiful! #KidsCorner
Sara | mumturnedmom says
This is a lovely craft! I do craft with all three of mine, especially my youngest now as she is the most interested 🙂 #kidscorner
Morna says
Aw supercute!!
I had a bit of the same with our two. I remember the Christmas when Sally was 15 months I let her make handprint Xmas cards along with Helen. I was washing off the gold paint for several days!!
Erin @ Nourishing My Scholar says
These are adorable! We’ve done something like this before but we added pine cones to hang from the sticks. It was fun. Thanks for sharing at the Let Kids Be Kids linky.
Jenny Eaves says
Pinecones would be a great touch! Thank you for visiting. 🙂 x
Jenny Eaves says
Ha ha! That sounds familiar! I let A make some handprints with O at 7 months old and I had to be quick to clean his hands before it went on his face. I feel sorry for him when he keeps squealing and pointing at the bottles of paint and glitter! 🙂 x
Jenny Eaves says
Thank you! I do think it’s my littlest who loves to craft most too. 🙂 x
Jenny Eaves says
Thank you Becky! 🙂 x
Jenny Eaves says
Thank you! You can make them more intricate with older children too. 🙂 x
Jenny Eaves says
Yes, I started letting A use normal paint at around 15 months old, he does put a little in his mouth, so I’m constantly telling him not to, but they have to learn sometime! If you’re worried about her eating it there are loads of edible paint recipes on pinterest? 🙂 x
Jenny Eaves says
Thank you! It’s lovely and easy for little ones. 🙂 x
becky says
Oh this is lovely, what a lovely little craft 🙂 Thanks for sharing 🙂
#ToddlerApprovedTuesday
Jenny Eaves says
Thanks Becky! 🙂 x
Everything Mummy says
oh that looks lovely hung up and what a fun simple activity for him to do! I don’t do as much as i’d like to with Lottie at the moment must start thinking of some fun new ideas when the kids go back to school! Thanks for linking up to #kidscorner x
Jenny Eaves says
It’s hard when they’re little and you’re so used to doing big kid things all the time! 🙂 x