Ok, so I wanted to show you some of my favorite toys we've made since we moved here. I am trying to pick examples of things that don't need a lot of fancy craft supplies or specially items because I know we are all living in places where these sort of things can be hard to find. So here we go, my favorite homemade toys...
We made Quinn's (our baby) swing just a couple of weeks after we got here. He was about 4 months old when we made it and he still loves it 10 months later. It was really quite simple to make (I only sew straight lines!) Here's a bit more description of the swing and a link to the tutorial I used within the story.
For Christmas we made the big boys traditional rope and board swings. And they love them as well. These are so straight forward, a board, some holes and some rope.
And don't judge me because my kids swing over cement. About the only trees in our yard are banana trees and those are more like an overgrown stalks and so they wouldn't be able to hold up a little boy pretending he's superman.
Ok, so you all being super missionary moms already know not to overlook things like delapaded jeeps as a great clubhouse! This one was in a friend's garage here in Costa Rica and it was a favorite hang out for all the missionary kids...I have to say, it is my dream car and it makes the coolest clubhouse EVER!!
We had a despidida (a going away party) for a family at our house in June and there were 15 kids 10 and under at this part. We had to have some sort of activity otherwise we were all going to lose our minds. So we got creative and make some great outdoor games like slingshots with paper wads and tin cans, tarp toss with rice bags and an old tarp and ring toss. And shhhh, don't tell anyone, but I pretty much made all of it out of garbage.
Ok, so how about you? What awesome toys have you or your kids come up with? Are there local toys that delight or dismay you?
More Kids on the Field Series
Such great ideas! The kids here use the mud clay to make amazing toys. We are talking about cars that really roll with sticks and clay and old strings. Complete houses and dish sets with lids for food bins and swords with sheaths for fighting. It is amazing and so much fun!
ReplyDeleteso cool!!! I love to see what kids do with "nothing"! Some of my best memories as a kid were playing with sticks, grass and blankets!
Deleteour kids would catch lizards and geckos and "play" gently with them - will never forget the times i've caught my kids having lizards "joust" on the back of toy horses, dressed up in polly pocket clothes (i think they may have lost a few tails in that escapade) or having their teeth brushed and wearing "grass" wigs. :-)
ReplyDeletebeyond that, climbing trees, home made playdough, building sand communities in the front yard, weaving dress up out of tree leaves, the big tire swing, messing around with new recipes, baking sugar cookies that told stories, and when our house was being built, we had them add a "loft" in the girls' room, above the bathroom (that became the scene of dramatizations of the movie "Tangled" and we eventually let them paint the walls - all favorite activities
almost forgot - upper elementary would take the camera and create digital stories that they'd put together like stop animation videos. those were hilarious and occupied hours and hours.
DeleteRichelle, I wish I were a kid in your family! You guys have so much fun!
DeleteSeriously!!! This is the childhood I want for my kids!! It's very much what I had growing up in rural MI and it's fun to see echos of it around the world!
DeleteAshley - my kids come up with the ideas... and sometimes they'll even let me participate. They are pretty great... although inclined to destroy the house sometimes. :-)
DeleteLiz... I didn't know you were from Michigan? Where? That's where we call home... at least right now!
I grew up south of Grand Rapids, in a little town called Middleville. My husband grew up in Traverse City and together we've lived in Spring Arbor (near Jackson), Holland, Zeeland and way up in the northern part of lower MI...a tiny little down called Fairview, about an hour west of Alpena...where do you guys settle in MI when you are there?
Deletemidland is home for us when we're in the states... but we've got family up near traverse city, harrison, lansing, sault... and supporting churches all over the state. hubby was born in clare. i married into michigan - happy to call it our stateside home now. everyone is fussing that fall is already here this year - we are loving it!
Deletewell, if we ever end up in The Mitten at the same time, we TOTALLY need to do coffee!!! We'll be back in the winter of 2015...vamos a ver...we'll see :)
DeleteFun post! I love making homemade toys. =) Here is an old post from the old Missionary Moms site that lists some of the things that I've made for my little ones. http://formissionarymoms.com/2009/02/21/make-it-yourself-toys/
ReplyDeleteAh, this is so timely! We are in the "sort through everything so we can travel for months and then move overseas (Papua New Guinea)" and the toys have been giving me a lot of anxiety/guilt.
ReplyDelete