Play School & other Homemade toy ideas

[Vacation Lover]

Thought some might be interested in this as a fun project or even a homemade Christmas gift. My DD6 really wanted this $30 play school toy: http://www.alextoys.com/product/794W so we decided to make one today.

A quick trip to the dollar store and for about $6 we got supplies for this board and some extra "teacher" stuff.

We got 2 foam boards and cut one in half and duct taped the halves to the main board to make the side flaps. We printed out ABCs, a clock (we used a pin to make moveable hands), and a calendar onto colorful paper, and taped on some sticky notes. Add a pack of pencils or crayons, stickers and a pad of writing paper and class can begin!


ETA: I changed the title because some more cute homemade toy ideas are posted below. Thought this could become a great homemade toy thread!

 

[iluvtheworld]

That looks fabulous! What a great idea. Thanks so much for sharing...my kids would LOVE this!

 

[ORDisneyfans]

Love this! My dd 8 is really into playing school and I think she would like it too, thank you for sharing!

 

[wtrmlnlabs]

I use something like this FOR school. We home school, I cut large cardboard boxes and made them. I painted them with magnetic paint, but that's not working so well. It only lets very light weight magnets stick. I put some dry erase peel and stick stuff all over when I saw the magnets stuff wasn't working. It's amazing how many things you figure to put on them. We currently have a calendar (changes each month, one they put stickers on, this month is a bubble wrap one where they pop a bubble for each day), thermometer paper so they can color in the temp inside and outside each day, works and US maps, DS8's spelling list for the week... it's great! Bonus for me, I keep them on the kitchen table so they can look at everything at each meal... and it keeps them apart while eating. DH and I can see each boy but they can't see each other, meals are SO much quieter and faster now!

 

[poohfriend77]

I love it! My DDs are very into playing school with their American Girl dolls, so they would love something like this! I may have to make one for Christmas. Or better yet, buy the supplies and let them make one themselves!

 

[maggiew]

I used to love to play school!

Maggie

 

[jacksmomma]

Great idea! My DS wants something called My Own Sandbox. It is $30. I am going to make our own with a trip to the craft store. I plan on getting a plastic tub, some play sand, and a couple of the Toob brand plastic animals. I should be able to make it for about $10.

 

[squirrel]

How about an Eye Spy Bottle?

Take an empty waterbottle
Rice
Small objects (dice, paper clip, penny, pom pom, button, bead, confetti shapes, small toys, etc)

Layer the items and rice in the bottle. Be sure to leave a little space for the items to move around to be found. Seal with a hot glue gun.


You can also do bottles with colored water and baby oil-just don't put in any metal items as they will rust. They can see what items float/sink.

 

[Vacation Lover]

Great idea! My DS wants something called My Own Sandbox. It is $30. I am going to make our own with a trip to the craft store. I plan on getting a plastic tub, some play sand, and a couple of the Toob brand plastic animals. I should be able to make it for about $10.

How about an Eye Spy Bottle?

Take an empty waterbottle
Rice
Small objects (dice, paper clip, penny, pom pom, button, bead, confetti shapes, small toys, etc)

Layer the items and rice in the bottle. Be sure to leave a little space for the items to move around to be found. Seal with a hot glue gun.


You can also do bottles with colored water and baby oil-just don't put in any metal items as they will rust. They can see what items float/sink.

Great ideas! I'm going to change the title of the thread so more people post about their homemade toy ideas.

 

[jenlynn0808]

How about an Eye Spy Bottle?

Take an empty waterbottle
Rice
Small objects (dice, paper clip, penny, pom pom, button, bead, confetti shapes, small toys, etc)

Layer the items and rice in the bottle. Be sure to leave a little space for the items to move around to be found. Seal with a hot glue gun.


You can also do bottles with colored water and baby oil-just don't put in any metal items as they will rust. They can see what items float/sink.

If a water bottle is to small, or you want to put a bit bigger or more items in, some of those new 1.5L pop bottles will work (easier to maneuver than a 2L). Also make a list of what you put in the bottle (you can even laminate it), that way the kiddos know what they are "scavenging" for (someone else mentioned that tip before).

 

[jacksmomma]

If a water bottle is to small, or you want to put a bit bigger or more items in, some of those new 1.5L pop bottles will work (easier to maneuver than a 2L). Also make a list of what you put in the bottle (you can even laminate it), that way the kiddos know what they are "scavenging" for (someone else mentioned that tip before).

We made one of those at a local science museum and it was great fun! Besides the pop bottles, tennis ball containers are a great container to work with.

 

[jacksmomma]

Here is another great idea, especially for boys or kiddos who are sick in the winter.

Hydrate a bunch of the polymer snow (sometimes called Magic Snow) and put it in a plastic storage tub. Add your child's favorite construction hot wheels and they can play in the snow all day with no cold fingers or toes. If you keep the lid tightly fastened it will stay hydrated for a week or more. Just mist it with a water bottle if it starts to dry out.

 

[Mom2Ben02]

This thread has me laughing - we are doing the same thing. My daughter has been telling me that Santa was going to bring her an iPod Touch, and there was no amount of talking that would convince her otherwise. She opened a catalog and saw this:

http://www.toystogrowon.com/sku658

Same concept, but this one was SIXTY DOLLARS. She was so excited, so I had her write her Santa letter and mail it immediately. I did warn her that Santa's elves might not get it EXACTLY like the picture, and she was fine with that.

I actually have not bought anything for it yet - I just posted on Freecycle for extra teacher stuff. I got a few bags already from teachers that had one or two misc items left over. So excited for Christmas morning! I am definitely going to have to make your foam board!

 

[NYEmomma]

Great idea!!

I always make DD some of her birthday presents. It usually involves sewing skills though. But here's what I've made so far:

- stuffed bunny (she takes that thing everywhere... I should've made 2 in case she loses one)
- crayon roll
- diaper bag, changing pad & wipes for her baby dolls
- felt board (this one doesn't require sewing!)

This year I'm making her some baby doll clothes out of HER old baby clothes & some "mail" to go with a mailbag that I bought her.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

What great ideas! OP, I would have loved that when I was a little girl

This one costs a little more, but you could also make your own art kit. My DS used to use all of my office supplies, but wouldn't touch his own crayola stuff so one year my sister got a plastic tub and put things like post-its, glitter glue, tape, construction paper, highlighters, a pad of white paper, stickers and other things in it. I suggested it to her and she kept saying she felt like she was being "cheap". It was by far his favorite gift that year, and he still has that box (we've switched out/added to the supplies) on his desk 8 years later.