I always am looking at ways to upcycle stuff around my house into fun projects or toys. My baby (10 months) is always looking to pull things out of other things, and I created a fun little toy for her to do just that!
First you need a jar – I used a peanut butter jar because it is flexible, the screw-on lid was sturdy enough to allow determined little fingers.
Next screw an equal amount of holes into the top. I used a piece of wood so I didn’t damage my flooring.
Make sure you have a sharp drill-bit, and use some elbow grease, as it can be a bit tough to drill through plastic.
Tada!
Assemble different lengths, colors, textures and kinds of string/ribbon/cording. I just used random pieces I had lying around the house.
I threaded each piece so the ends are outside the top of the jar. That way they can be pulled back and forth. This is why you need an equal number of holes – so each length is threaded down inside the jar and back out. I also found that it was best to not overlap the pieces so they wouldn’t get tangled inside.
Once everything was threaded, I knotted each end – this way you can’t pull any string/ribbon/cord out fully.
It was fun to play with even as an adult – kinda a fidget toy.
My little lady loved it – she played with it a solid 20 minutes, which is like a record!
Great for promoting fine motor and sensory development as well as colors. Easy for little fingers to manipulate. 🙂
