DIY educational toys your toddler will love playing with

Toys for your toddler that are purchased in stores might be quite costly. The good news is that with a little imagination and a few inexpensive materials, you can construct educational toys that your child will enjoy without breaking the bank.

Here are five great ideas for educational toys for kids that you can make at home with basic household objects.

Obstacle course 

1. Use an old bucket and make a hole in it to throw a ball through.
2. Cardboard boxes can be used as tunnels, flower pots as stepping stones, and old pillowcases stuffed with newspaper as punching bags.
3. An old tyre is excellent for swinging in or jumping on.

Puppets 

1. A simple hand puppet can be made from an old sock, using buttons for eyes and felt for the mouth.
2. Make a paper bag puppet by drawing a face on the bag, then twist the corner for ears and hold in place with an elastic band.

Rain sticks

Children love listening to different sounds. Rain sticks can be made from empty paper towel rolls and are the perfect size for young hands. After decorating the rolls,  tape up the ends with washi tape or customised duct tape, and then fill the tubes with tiny legumes, beans, and grains. The sounds entice toddlers, and they’ll like peering through the ends of the sticks to see what’s inside.

Artwork ideas 

1. Cut vegetables and sponges into interesting shapes. Dip them into paint and make your own prints.
2. Use old yoghurt cups as paint containers
3. Use old toothbrushes to create an interesting spray-paint effect. Dip the toothbrush into some poster paint, and holding it over some paper, run your thumb across the bristles. Build up a supply of scrap paper by opening used envelopes, collecting inserts from new shirts, wrapping paper, and other packaging

Soft blocks

Blocks are a favourite among babies and toddlers. With some foam and a few scraps of fabric, you can construct a cute little set of soft blocks. This is the ideal project for repurposing all of those scraps of fabric from previous DIY projects. You’ll need to cut the foam into little block shapes, and then sew a little cover for each one.

Gardening 

Let your child plant herbs in pots, under your supervision. He should water these regularly and harvest the produce as it ripens.

Homemade puzzle 

Small children love puzzles, and here’s a very easy and cheap way of making your own to entertain and stimulate a child on a cold, rainy day, or when he’s ill. Paste an old card or magazine picture onto a stiff piece of cardboard. Cut this into different-sized shapes and build the puzzle with your child. Once he’s a bit older, he can be helped to make his own puzzles.