Homemade fun for kids.... especially those who love to put things in thier mouths!!!

Having a child who has been thru the whole habit of everything going in the mouth, I searched around for things that he could use that wouldn't matter if it ended up there. In saying this I was stoked that he has stopped doing that, but instead taken up putting things in his nose!! Fantastic.

These ideas are great for the kid who just has to eat the play dough, paint crayons etc. And they are money savers too.

So here's a few things for those little busy hands...

1. Chocolate pudding painting.

Just get the cheapest packet of instant chocolate (or whatever flavour) pudding/mousse mix and make up according to directions. Use instead of paint. If they eat it, it doesn't matter and it will was out of thier clothes.

2. Easy peasy paint rollers.

OK so the kids are a little older or bored with the pudding. If you use roll-on deodorant keep them when they are finished. Take out the bal and give them a good wash. Refill with water and a few drops of food colouring, replace the ball and there you have it...paint rollers. Don't forget to keep the lid too! You could even put the solution into water pistols or spray bottles for something different.

3. Ice cube Painting

Need straws/paddle pop sticks or anything that can be used to grip on.

Same principle as above but freeze the water and colouring in ice cube trays and place a peice of straw in the centre to be used as a handle. When frozen use for painting.

4. Homemade Play dough.

Mix all of these ingredients in a saucepan

1 cup of warm water; 1 cup plain flour; 1 tsp oil; 2 tsp cream of tartar; 1/4 cup salt; food colouring.

Then stir on medium heat until it looks like a big lump of dough (it may look really rough) then remove from saucepan and knead on a board till it is nice and smooth. Makes an amount that will fit in a takeaway container. Yeeha..play dough without toxins.

If the kids are old enough, let them help make it (not the stove part of course!!). My 2yo thinks it's great. This stuff lasts for ages. And if they mix the colours together, your not going to be upset like if it was store brought stuff. Also buy the cheap flour etc.

5. Breakky jewelery.

You will need pipe cleaners, or scoobies and any breakfast cereal that has holes in it. Nutri Grain, cheerios, Fruit loops whatever.

Simply thread the cereal onto the scoobie/pipe cleaner. When full of cereal twist/tie the ends and you nave a beautiful necklace, bracelet, anklet ring, crown...whatever thier heart desires....and morning tea!!

6. Homemade finger paints.

You will need: 2tbs sugar; 1/3 cup cornstarch; 2 cups cold water; 1/4 cup dishwashing liquid and food colouring.

Mix mix in saucepan sugar and cornstarch; slowly add water; stir over low heat for 5 mins until clear and smooth; remove from heat and cool; add dishwashing liquid.

 Remember all those tubs of fingerpaints you have previously purchased, use those to put your new paint in, then add colouring. Use any small container to store, old mustard jars, yoghurt tubs with lids, baby food jars (remove the labels of course!!).

7. Edible Glue

You will need: 1 cup water; i cup plain flour ; mix it all together and glue away. Add food colouring/hundreds & thousands if you want.

8. Edible glue v2 for sticker making (safe to lick)

You will need: 4 satchets of gelatin; 2 cups of water; 1 tsp peppermint extract;

mix water and gelatin in saucepan; heat on medium until dissolved; add peppermint and cool.

Simply spread a thin layer on the back of cutout pictures and let dry. When ready to use piccy's just lick and stick. If the kids don't like peppermint, just use a flavouring they preffer.

Other quick and cheap ideas:

If they like the scratch and sniff stickers, just add some flavouring to their paints. When thier masterpieces have dried they smell thier delicoius work.

Don't waste your good computer paper for painting, use newspapers, or contact you local wholesalers and you can purchase pre-cut packs of butchers paper.

Make your own wrapping paper by painting the kids hands and feet and letting them run, roll whatever all over the paper.

Save the cardboard sleeves from the paper towell or toilet paper rolls and put finger paint on them then roll them over the paper.

I also found that the toys for play dough at the discount stores weren't too flash and they usually came with crappy dough. So I just brought cookie cutters from the supermarket. Other things you can use are ice cube trays (some have nice shapes), bottle tops, cups, anything that has an indented picture on it, egg rings let your imagination run wild.

Remember think outside the square ,as imagination has no limits but wallets do!!