Start a Beautiful Junk collection: Find a large box or shopping bag and label it "Beautiful Junk". Get in the habit of throwing into it any "garbage" or recyclables that the children might be able to re-use for crafts. For example: magazines, junk mail, egg cartons, ribbon, wrapping paper, toilet tissue tubes, shoe boxes, cereal boxes, aluminum pie plates, plastic containers and pop bottles, fabric, yarn etc...
Now you will always have a supply of craft and building materials ready for rainy days.
When you think collage you think glue, right? Think again. Here's a new twist on an old favorite. Start with a square of contact paper (mac-tac). Supply your toddler with plenty of colorful, interesting items to put on their "page". A lot of the fun will be in the process of putting their items (ie: pictures from magazines, fabric squares and cotton balls) on to the sticky surface and pulling them off again. Voila. No mess and a lot of fun !
How can I make an easy costume?