Who says that you have to buy all of your toys? Creating your own toys can be find and very frugal. Here is one idea that you can try.
Do you know those plastic scoop toys that you can purchase? They consist of a scoop, a ball and a string. If you purchase one in the store, expect to pay at least $10-20. If you make this toy at home using materials that you already have, then the toy is free. Your kids will have hours of fun playing with this toy, and it is suitable for different ages.
The object of this toy is to hold the scoop in one hand and use your arm to flip the ball up and into the scoop. You can’t use the other hand. Younger children can practice getting the ball in once, while the older children can try to break a record for the most continuous catches. Here is how you can make your own scoop toy.
Materials:
Plastic laundry scoop, such as the type you might get in a box of Tide powdered laundry detergent. You can also use a cup, although the scoop has a handle and it a lot more fun to use.
A string or elastic thread, approximately two feet in length.
A small soft ball or a bit of left over aluminum foil
First get the scoop ready. Poke a small hole the bottom of the scoop. Thread your string through the hole from the bottom up. Tie a knot in one end of the string, so the string will not slip back out through the hole.
Next, if you are using a small soft ball, staple the string onto the ball. For aluminum foil, this step is even easier. Simply place the string in the middle of a piece of aluminum foil. Then, crumple up the aluminum foil into a ball in such a way that the end of the string is secured inside the ball. Voila!
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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