JINGLE BELL GLOVES

Children´s Glove
5 Little Jingle Bells
Take an old or new children´s glove, the stretchy kind is best, then you sew a jingle bell to the end of each finger. You can get the jingle bells in different sizes or you can do them all the same size. Just wear and shake!

FLANNEL BOARDS

I don´t know about the kids in your day care, but mine have favorite stories. The Mitten is a favorite and Miss Spider´s Tea Party, or Old MacDonald. Telling the story with a flannel storyboard is a hit too. Here is how I made my storyboard. I have a blackboard for the wall and have put it up with hooks so it is easily turned around when I wish to use the flannel storyboard. I have set up on the back of my blackboard a sheet of flannel (mine is solid green) the same size of the blackboard. Once I adhered it to the back of the blackboard with spray adhesive we are all set to make the characters from the kids favorite stories.
One way to do this is to use tracing paper to create patterns of the figures from the book that you choose to make. Then cut them from flannel and draw or paint the faces, clothes, etc. on the front of the flannel piece.
Because these flannel pieces are somewhat abstract (and I´m not a great artist!) I have found that photocopying pictures from the book, (or scanning and printing them) works really well. They are more immediately recognizable to the children and I only have to glue a shape of flannel to the back to get it to stay on the flannel board. I also know a childcare provider who scans her pictures from the books and prints them onto transfer pages, she then transfers the pictures to an old cotton sheet or piece of muslin. Although a bit more expensive they are very durable and recognizable. I store my flannel pieces in a large envelope and glue it to the inside back cover of the book it relates to, but, I have seen them stored in an accordion file under the title of the book too.

SILLY PUTTY

2 parts white glue
1 part liquid starch

Mix together well. If too sticky add more starch until it is workable.

MAGIC WAND AND HEADBANDS

I have seen these recently in stores to buy for the kids. They are so simple to make I don´t know why they sell!! Using a straw for the wand staple or firmly tape a plastic ring to one end. Use curly ribbon and the paper ribbon with stars hanging off to tie to the end ring. The kids will love the "crowns" to match that you can make by doing the same thing to a headband.

NEWSPAPER PUPPETS

This puppet is made from six pieces of newspaper, each 11"x14". Roll five pieces length wise, then wrap the sixth piece around them and tape or glue closed. Make 3" cuts at one end, apart , for the hair. On white paper, draw features with colored markers and glue in place.

Simple, inexpensive, recycled. Great for puppet shows.

BUTTON BUZZER

A button buzzer is a fun toy that is easy to make. Thread a 36" piece of sturdy string through the holes of a large 2 holed button. Tie the ends of the string together. Hold one loop of the string in each hand , with the button in the center. Hold one hand still, and rotate the other to "wind up" the string. Wind it up quite tightly. Pull firmly out with both hands until the string is stretched tight. Move your hands closer together, and the string will rewind. Keep moving your hands slowly apart, then together again, the button spins and makes a happy buzzing noise. This is a great toy to share with friends.

BOTTLE CAP RATTLES

Metal Bottle Caps
Small Piece of Wood
Nails
Another instrument that needs to be made by an adult, however a favorite with the kids. Take metal bottle caps and punch holes in the centers, then nail two back to back (loosely) to a small dowel. Hold the dowel as a handle and shake to the rhythm.

STORAGE FOR YOUR PUPPETS OR SMALL SOFT TOYS

Store your child´s beanie babies or puppets on a ring from the dollar store. (The kind intended to hang socks on to dry) With the small clothespins attached they are great to store puppets. They come in several colors to match your child´s bedroom and once hung up, these puppets are off the floor!

INDOOR SAND BOX

Hang on before you holler "NO WAY!" , read on to see how easy and not so messy this is. Day care centers and pre-schools have "Sand Tables" for children to explore in. You can provide this experience at home too! I use a large plastic storage container with a lid, it measures about 2´ x 3´ in width and length and is about 6 to 8" deep. I change the contents occasionally to one of the following. Cornmeal, Sand, Rice, Pebbles, Garden Dirt, etc. This "indoor sand box" is great for hiding little toys, driving little cars, playing with shoves and pails, anything you might have done last summer at the beach. When you bring the indoor sand box out for your child to play in, set it on a vinyl tablecloth or use an inflatable pool. You will soon find your child enthralled for hours!

PAPER CUP MARACAS

Take two paper cups and put a handful of rice or beans in one. Tape the two cups together with wide masking tape and shake!

HUMMING FLUTE

Materials Needed:
Cardboard Paper Towel or Toilet Paper Roll
Wax Paper
Rubber Band
Pencil
Instructions:
With a pencil, poke 3 or 4 holes in the cardboard roll about 1 inch apart. Cut a 4 inch square of wax paper. Secure the wax paper over one end of the cardboard roll using the rubber band. Your flute is now ready to play! You can also decorate the tube before you put on the wax paper.

BELL RHYTHM INSTRUMENTS

Children enjoy using these rhythm instruments. Tie a six inch length of string onto the end of a 6 inch dowel. At each end of the string glue or tie jingle bells. Keep rhythm to the music, or have a parade!

ALTERNATIVE BUBBLE BLOWERS

There are many household items that make good bubble blowers.

Try using a hula-hoop, with a wading pool of bubble solution.

By putting your bubble solution in dishpans you can use clean fly swatters, berry baskets, children´s plastic hangers with designs cut in them, pipe cleaners bent into geometric shapes, soda pop rings from 6-packs, tin cans with both ends removed,

Put your hands in the bubble juice and place your pointer fingers and thumbs together (making a circle). Then you can pull your hands out and blow through your circle. You don´t need a bubble wand!

Try filling a Styrofoam cup ½ way up with bubble solution and have the children blow bubbles into the cup with a straw, being careful not to "sip."

Keep a pile of wash clothes and clean water handy for clean up and just in case someone gets soap in their eye.

SAND WRITING BOX

Cut black construction paper to fit inside the bottom of a shallow b ox. Tape it in place. Cover the bottom of the box with a layer of sand. Show him how to use a finger to draw letters found in his name in the sand. Show how the letters can be erased by gently shaking the box from side to side. If you do this in the winter you could use rice or salt.

MEMORY GAMES

Cut eight index cards in half. On each pair of halves draw a different shape (square, triangle, circle or rectangle). Mix up the cards, spread them face down on a flat surface, and take turns with your child selecting two cards. If the shapes match, keep them. If they do not match, return them to their spot on the table, and continue taking turns.

MAGNET BOX

In this box place several magnets, paper clips, coins, a piece of iron ore, screws, etc.

MILK CARTON BUILDING BLOCKS

For inexpensive building blocks save your milk and juice cartons. Once they are cleaned out cut off the tops.

Slip one of the bottoms upside down inside another, so that the bottoms are at opposite ends to make sturdy blocks. Cover the blocks by gluing on colored paper or use plastic adhesive. With wide marker or paper cut outs, put different colored letters on each side of the blocks.

These are great building blocks. Their light weight makes them safer than wood blocks and their size makes them super for building forts.

PUZZLE MAGIC

Help your child make a mini puzzle. After your child has colored a picture in their coloring book, have them cut the picture out and cut straight through it several times. Then put the picture back together where the pieces belong.
I have laminated a picture or craft from school and made puzzles like this. They can be stored in envelopes for future use.

BIG BUBBLE BLOWERS

This is a bit tricky, but fun to try!
Thread one yard of string through two plastic straws.
Tie the ends of the string to make a loop.
Put the string blower into the dishpan.
Submerge the string loop in the bubble mixture.
Take it out by holding onto the straws. Pull the straws gently but quickly through the air and watch the big bubble float!