Ideas for How to Make Infant & Toddler Toys

The Senses

• Create toys that stimulate your child's senses. Make your own board books using pieces of cardboard with pictures glued to them. Put the cardboard pieces into zip-top bags. Glue the seams of the bags together to create the book pages. For a sound toy, fill empty plastic soda bottles with rice or dried beans. Place the lid back on and let your child shake it like a maraca. To keep your child safe, glue the lid of the bottle in place. Use different infant- and toddler-friendly foods to create an entertaining activity for your child. Place the foods on the table and let your child build with blocks of cheese or make faces using different vegetables.

Hand-Eye Coordination

• Encourage the development of your child's hand-eye coordination using things you have around your home. Your local toy store offers lacing toys, but instead of spending the money on one, make your own using string and round toasted-oats cereal. Alternatively, replace the string with shoestring licorice, creating a completely edible toy. Another idea is to cut an "X" in the top of an empty coffee can. Then give your child milk jug lids or blocks to put through the lid.

Creativity

• Another toy idea is homemade play dough or finger paints. Making your own art toys ensures the toys are safe for your infant or toddler, while still fostering creativity. To make your own play dough, use kitchen staples including cream of tartar, flour, cooking oil, water and unsweetened flavored drink mixes. Once the recipe is made, allow your child to squish the dough and mold it into different shapes and designs. For finger paints, give your child different colors and flavors of pudding and a piece of paper. Both art toys are safe if eaten and fun for your child.

Building

• Building toys combine creativity, problem solving and hand-eye coordination. Instead of buying building blocks at your local toy store, create your own. One idea is cutting blocks in different shapes and sizes from pieces of wood. After sanding the wood blocks, paint them different colors using milk paint, a paint that's safe if ingested. Another way to make your own blocks is using things found around your home. Leftover plastic baby wipe tubs or boxes of food make effective building blocks.