Hobbies And Interests
Jigsaw Puzzle
Jigsaw puzzles are a good toy to help develop fine motor skills. Use an enlarged photo from your own collection or cut one out from a magazine and glue it to a piece of sturdy cardboard. It is best to use spray glue made for mounting pictures since craft glue may bubble under the picture. Once the glue is dry, turn the cardboard over and draw a grid of squares over the entire surface. Follow up by adding small shapes to the squares that resemble the connecting forms on a store-bought puzzle. Use a utility knife or scissors to cut the pieces out and store in a plastic bag or small box.
Music-Making Maracas
Children seem to love any toy that makes noise and homemade maracas will thrill almost any age child. Find a small can, such as the ones that baking powder comes in, and wash it thoroughly. Once it is dry, fill it with beans, buttons or any other noise maker and glue the lid on tightly. Use paint, markers or stickers to decorate it or let older children do it themselves. Once everything is dry, let them have fun making music. If making this toy for a child under 3, be sure to supervise carefully since the filling of the toy could be a choking hazard if the lid comes loose.
Hovercraft
This simple toy will thrill kids of all ages and is easily made with items that you most likely have at home. All you need is a balloon, the spout from a water or juice bottle and a CD. Start by gluing the spout over the opening in the middle of the CD, making sure that the seal is airtight. Close the spout and blow the balloon up with air, leaving it untied. Hold the balloon closed with one hand and use the other to stretch it over the spout. While holding the balloon at the bottom to keep it on the spout, use your other hand to pull the spout open through the balloon. When you let go, the rush of air will make the hovercraft fly around a few inches off the floor. Blowing the balloon back up will let you play with the toy over and over.