Wooden bead toys & games

You don't need to spend a lot of money on toys or games for your kids.  They can easily make their own, using simple materials like: wooden beads wire or pipe cleaners cardboard, cardboard tubes, or boxes wool/yarn, cord or rope Using wooden beads in your toys or games is a great way for kids…

16 cool things to make with shoeboxes

Empty shoeboxes are a wonderful recycled craft resource that can be used to make a variety of cool things, including: dioramas doll houses & castles games & toys puppet theatres weaving looms Here are some of our favourite shoebox craft ideas for kids! Dioramas Decorate your shoebox with a themed background, then add cut out…

Fun sock crafts for kids

Do you have some odd socks lying around at home?  Don't throw them out - upcycle them into some cute critters for your kids to play with! To make these critters, you will need: socks stuffing felt scraps, beads/buttons, thread, wool/yarn You can use socks to make: zoo animals - monkeys, lions, foxes, kangaroos pets -…

DIY wooden blocks

You don't need to spend a lot of money on wooden blocks for your kids to play with - you can paint and decorate your own!  You can decorate plain wooden blocks with: liquid watercolours and food dyes paint felt tip, chalk or paint markers crayons chalk paint and chalk stickers and washi tape fabric…

Zoo small world play for kids

Our blog post Setting up small world play for kids has been so popular, we thought we would break it down into different types of small worlds.  Today's theme is zoo animals. Small world play gives kids wonderful opportunities to act out real or imagined stories using small objects that can fit into a small play…

Dinosaur small world play for kids

Our blog post Setting up small world play for kids has been so popular, we thought we would break it down into different types of small worlds.  Today's theme is dinosaurs. Small world play gives kids wonderful opportunities to act out real or imagined stories using small objects that can fit into a small play space.…

Fabulous fabric scrap crafts

Do you have a pile of fabric scraps lying around at home?  Don't throw them away! You can turn them into some fabulous things, like: hair accessories dolls, games and toys keychains and bracelets hot/cold packs and small bags wreaths bookmarks flowers belts bunting and wall hangings twine Here are some of our favourite fabric…

Totally cool car tracks

You don't need to spend lots of money on car tracks for your kids play with - just make your own! Car tracks can be made/drawn with: wood bricks cardboard textas washi tape wooden craft sticks and pegs magnets upcycled fabric Here are some of our favourite ideas for making your own car tracks at…

DIY tic tac toe games

Tic-tac-toe is a classic game where kids can learn: strategy needed to get three in a row horizontally, vertically or diagonally, while blocking their opponent from doing the same being a good sport, whether they win or lose the game turn taking colour and pattern recognition Tic tac toe game pieces can be made with:…

Setting up small world play for kids

"Small world play is acting out scenarios (scenes from real life, stories and/or imagination) in a miniature play scene, created with small figures and objects. Anything from your own home or garden will do, there is no limitation to your creativity which is why it’s a truly inexhaustible subject!" (Little Worlds Big Adventures) There are many ways…