Here is Sofia working on her second one. The first is next to her on the table. I was a little surprised at how diligent she was with this project. It was recommended for children 5 and older, but my experience with her stringing beads made me think her little fingers could deal with those little beads just fine and she isn't a kid who puts little things in her mouth or ears or such. The kits came with instructions for creating designs like butterflies and cat faces and other cutesy poo things, but she and I both agreed we had no need for them. We are artists! We don't need no stinkin' patterns. She made two and decided she would take them home to hang in the window in her bedroom. She was immensely proud of her work. Of course after she left I had to try a little one of my own.
I think it may have potential as something to stamp designs on fabric. You just never know...
Oh! Caroline loved these! These would make good rubbing tools, wouldn't they?
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to start doing thes things with my soon to be granddaughter. I'm saving up scraps of fabric and ribbon for glueing sessions!
ReplyDeleteMaking stuff with grands is grand. We are into shrinky dink stuff right now.
ReplyDeleteWe've got a ton of these (Hama beads or Steckperlen in our euro vocab)! They are GREAT for rainy days. Circles, stars and hearts in radiating colors are very popular around here, but I've never considered stamping with them. Hmm.......
ReplyDeleteGood patience for a three year old. We have a whole bucket of these and many of the holders to put them on. Although my daughter is a bit too old for them now. But maybe I can work on some stamps or rubbing designs. What a great idea! You could also try rubbing the holders.
ReplyDeleteMy kids loved those too. Also try sewing cards, where you lace the holes punched in the edges of thick cardboard. My kids learned to cut with safety scissors at about that age. Best practice material: all those subscription cards that fall out of magazines. She also might want to dictate a story and do the illustrations. Save them and make a whole book.
ReplyDeleteSounds like fun! Sometimes little kids amaze me with their dexterity.
ReplyDeleteWhen I used to work at the day care, this was the kids' favorite "bin" to choose during centers. All the kids, wild, tame, naughty and nice loved this activity. It was so fun to watch their faces contort as they tried to get their colors into their chosen pegs. They would then glue on magnets to put on the fridge or string fishing line through a hole to hang from a ceiling or Christmas tree. We had to put a cap on how many the kids could make in a week! :)
ReplyDeleteI am entertaining 2 five year olds the next 2 weekends and had to run out to find these for the kids. I hope they find them wonderfully fun. Thanks for the idea
ReplyDeleteMy nephew to-to be is 5 and I bet he'd love that. I'm going to get a kit just in case. :)
ReplyDeleteDo you think she'd like paper dolls? Here's some links.
The history of the paper doll: http://bit.ly/aHLa8v .
Old paper doll books (lovely to look at – but beware - some of the old "tinted" backgrounds will use lots of ink if you print them!): http://bit.ly/dxiYYt
Marilyn Monroe paper doll: http://bit.ly/9KI3S6
Early 1800s styled paper doll to cut out and colour: http://bit.ly/9KI3S6
DIY: How to draw a paper doll: http://bit.ly/99Ufyw
And, the icing on the cake - David Claudon’s paper dolls – beautiful! (click on the thumbnails): http://bit.ly/N11Hs
My 10-year-old is currently obsessed with these beads ... she is making them to sell at her school fair, and is old enough to iron them herself, now (hurrah!) so I bought her her very own iron and she is very proud of it. The Perler brand comes in glow-in-the-dark beads, too.
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