crafts for 2 year olds

[rgnolan]

With the winter months coming up I am trying to build somewhat of an archive for fun indoor activities for my two year old as well as the little girl I babysit twice a week who is also two. I am expecting a new baby in December so we will be spending lots of time at home this winter. Any ideas? I'd like some good outdoor craft ideas for the fall too, I have a few ideas but would love to hear more!

Thanks!

[blizzard_babe]

A few off the top of my head...

Once it snows, put food coloring in ice water. Then bring in a big pan of snow and paint it. Or, heck, just put on snowsuits and boots and go paint the snow outside .

Salt dough ornaments before the holidays. Make salt dough, cut them out using a cookie cutter (punch out a hole for the string), bake them, let them paint them.

Salt dough handprint (same as above, except just cut out a big circle and have them put their handprints on them). Good holiday gifts

[jenhill]

homemade playdough
edible homemade playdough
http://fun.familyeducation.com/sculp...pes/37040.html
--the link has different playdough recipes to choose from.--

get a roll of butchers paper and have them decorate it--paint, crayons, glitter, etc. use this for your wrapping paper.

make a birdfeeder.

can't think right now. trying to get things prepared for our move--but do a search for fun kid activities. you could always bake things--like cookies from scratch and have them help you. then let them decorate afterwards.

[AKislandgirl]

Fill an under bed storage tote with rice or beans and give them scoops. I put a sheet down under the tote first!

Finger painting

pony beads on pipe cleaners (bracelets or ornaments!)

collage... cut out pictures from magazines plus things like feathers and cotton balls

water color painting

I just ordered this book. I'm hoping to get lots of other ideas in there!

[CinCanada]

Some great kids craft sites are:

http://belladia.typepad.com/crafty_crow/
This one changes all the time, it's fantastic

http://www.toddlertoddler.com/toddle...ts_crafts.html

I 2nd the idea about using different objects to paint with. Last weekend I took DD out & we gathered leaves, pinecones, pine needles, rocks, maple keys & used those with some rubber stamps to paint on a big sheet of paper. Definitely going to save those to wrap gifts with.

Anything with paints, playdough, crayons or stickers goes over really well in my house.

[Violet2]

This time last year we did a book tie in craft for Halloween that was a big hit and lasted several days.

Also you can do a lot with paint and glue.

I love the Crafty Crow, but the projects tent to be for kids who can make an end product. Toddlers aren't so great with end products, they are about process. This is what, imo, makes toddler crafts hard. You need something that gives texture and can be explored intimately without caring about making anything, at least ime.

V

[carmel23]

I highly recommend susan striker's young at art book.

[anyalily]

ooh! great ideas!

We have a piece of cardboard mounted in our living room and we give her interesting sheets of stickers. She decorates it. Very artfully, I might add. Each day we give her a small sheet of stickers and she comes and goes throughout the day and plays with them.

We also do the butcher paper - crayola pen thing and use it as wrapping paper.

She also likes making clothes out of paper bags, like ponchos, etc.

Also, sprouting in the kitchen may be fun. Put seeds on a wet paper towel, keep it moist and it sprouts in a few days. Maybe she'll even eat them!