Flannel Stuffies

Flannel Stuffies Pocket Pals

          I love to wander through the flannel aisles at JoAnns!   The colors and patterns are so much fun.    Cars, animals, dolls, monsters, spacemen, holiday designs,  I could go on and on.

              I found a flannel fabric with polar bears holding fish and wearing hats and cozy scarfs.    How Cute!     The tallest bears are about 4 1/2 inches tall and about 2 inches wide. Some are smaller about 2 1/2 inches tall and just as cute. 

      First,   the bears were cut apart so they could be sewn.   Each bear piece was placed on felt and sewn around the figure.   Stuffing was adding and then the open edge was sewn together.   Finally, the edges were cut with pinking shears.

 
        This was an easy little project.  Hopefully the grandkids will enjoy playing with these new soft friends.

Beti 

Super Hero Peg Dolls

Super Heros

 

Super Heroes are always a favorite for both boys and girls.   They could easily be used for a creative writing assignment to encourage creative ideas.   Creating a scenario with any one or all the Super Heroes would be so much fun!  You child could also be encouraged to create a background and some buildings for the characters to live, work, and save the universe. 

      These guys would be a fun project for the dog days of summer before the kids head back to school.

      I really enjoy making manipulative toys for my grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.  As  I was browsing Pinterest pins, I came across Super Hero peg dolls.  So I thought I would give them a try.  The bright colors on Superman's and Robin's outfits really stand out.  But Batman really flies with his black felt bat wing cape.   Their colorful felt capes are a must and definitely add to the complete character.

     This time the tall flat clothes pins were used for these brave fellows. Felt was added after all the painting was complete and the final shellac coating was dry.

       I will definitely add these to my collection of peg dolls which includes 

girl scouts, bunnies, and  a families of  Michigan State and Arizona State fans.  They can be whipped up in a short amount of time if you need a quick gift.

   

      
       These bunnies were so much fun to make. Each has its own friendly personality with different colored ears, flowers in their hair, and handsome bow ties.

              
         This little Michigan State fan family has an Altoid tin carrying case house. Each person is a different height and have varied eye colors.

     I hope you enjoy looking at these cute little faces as much as I enjoyed making them.

Beti

Brown Bear, Brown Bear

  Brown Bear

             Everyone knows the popular children's book, Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Eric Carle.  My grandchildren just love this book.   "Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?"   The words are so easy for a youngster to remember.   It is perfect for learning the names of animals as well as all the color words.   So I decided to jump off and make a matching game for the kiddos.

        Well,  I found these cute printable pictures on TpT and got my printer fired up.   After cutting coloring and cutting out the designs, the paper was glued to pieces of old faux wood blinds.   (The material used in the faux wood blinds is very easy to cut with utility scissors).  Colored stripes were added to the sides of each piece to match the color of each animal.    Then the picture was painted over with a clear gloss varnish that I picked up at JoAnn Fabrics.

        The title Brown Bear was stitched onto the plastic canvas.  I used the plastic canvas to make the matching game sturdy for play with a youngster.

        Each animal has its on little colored pocket.   The colorful pockets are in the same order as in the story.  In this way the story can be retold by the young child while matching the colors.  

      When the animals are in their pockets, you can see the top of their head, ears, and their eyes peeking out at you.   A guessing game can be played at this time.   Who is in this blue pocket?   Who is in the orange pocket?

     The pieces of faux wood are 2 1/4 inches wide and 2 inches tall.   This is a good size for a preschooler's hands to grasp.

       The empty pockets can be used be themselves.  Can you point to the  green pocket?   You could also find other small objects to match colors with the pockets.   The small plastic magnetic letters of the alphabet would work, too.

        The felt pockets were stitched by machine to keep them securely in place.    (I know my stitching is not perfect, please do not judge me on that point). 

Happy Sewing!

Beti

Halloween Finger Puppets

Halloween  

Finger Puppets
Boo!

       

         Everyone enjoys the Fall season and the anticipation of Halloween.
Finger puppets are a good activity for little ones to begin to interact with some Halloween characters. It's never too early the start thinking about Halloween especially if you are making something for your little ones.

     I like to use Altiod tins as a finger puppet to keep my finger puppets safe and sound in their "little houses" after playtime has ended.  The young child can always find their finger puppets when they are placed into their little house.
These have a simple pumpkin on the top to identify the correct container.

        A little orange jack-o-lantern with a big smile is always around during Halloween.  Black bats are a favorite at this time of year, but with a friendly little face.  Ghosts that say "Boo!" can't be left out of this group. Finally a cute little brown owl that says, "Whoo! " rounds out this little group. 

       Finger Puppets are a great activity to take on an airplane, in the car on a long trip or just at home.  They are wonderful for language development and communication skills.  Fine motor skills are developed when each finger puppet is being placed on different fingers of each hand. Color recognition is developed with the variety of bright colors.  Story telling can be incorporated with these Halloween friends in everyday play. 

        Today I linked up with Forever in 5th Grade for Show and Tell Tuesday Fall is Here.

       Stephanie has some great pictures of her cute puppies. Check them out.

 www.foreverinfifthgrade.blogspot.com
      
 Enjoy the fall season with family and friends!

Beti 

Ideas for a busy toddler

          The
Busy Toddler
    Toddlers are wonderful and full of energy.  They need many new manipulatives to keep them busy, stimulated, learning, and interested.  Many every day objects can be new and stimulating to a toddler.

      Plastic or paper cups are in everyone's cupboards. They can be stacked and sorted by size, shape, and color. No one will be upset if one gets broken or lost. The cups are quiet when knocked down and bounce in a delightful way.

         
      These little paper cups are a new surface to be colored on. The inside, outside surfaces and the bottom are available for new colors. 

           Sidewalk chalk is another easy way to keep a toddler busy. The colors are a wonderful addition to a plain driveway or sidewalk.  The best part is that your space is almost limitless in the eyes of a child. They are not constrained by the size of the paper or chalkboard.  Their lines can go on and on and on. 
         Many gardens have smooth stones.  These make a wonderful canvas for sidewalk chalk or water color paint for that matter. Colorful stones are quite eye catching for toddlers.

       Pom poms  are another simple yet delightful manipulative.  They come in assorted sizes and colors, some even have sparkles.  Pom poms can be sorted by using muffin tins, small boxes, egg cartons, ice cube trays, or anything you may have around the house.  A plastic toothbrush holder from the dollar store has good size holes, big enough for a pom pom to fit through. This is great for working on eye hand coordination and fine motor skills. Best of all, they are quiet and will keep your toddler busy for quite a while.

        Bubbles whipped into a foam is an enjoyable tactile experience. Your little one can wash their plastic toys. Cars, boats, animals, people, etc. Always get dirty during outdoor play. So why not let your child was their own toys? Car wash is an experience that is always fun!

       Getting dressed again and again is a favorite activity for children.  You have all you need in your closet or chest of drawers. It doesn't matter what size or color. Kids love to wear or try on clothes.  You don't have to go out and purchase expensive dress up clothing or princess dresses. The young child will experiment with boots, shoes, socks,  leggings, pants, shirts, hats, gloves, not to mention purses, a scarf,  and jewelry.

        Tooth brushing is a wonderful and healthy activity for the young child.  This will not only be a good activity but will help with good dental hygiene habits.

            Felt pieces of different sizes, colors, and shapes are a interesting manipulative for the young child.  They can be arranged in different patterns to make abstract pictures.  A youngster could make a stack starting with the largest, smallest,  or random order. These pieces could be used as blankets for toy people or animals.

         Keep your toddlers busy with manipulatives and off of screen time. A busy toddler is a learning toddler.  It will pay off in the long run.

      Please leave a  comment if you have a minute to spare.

Beti

Michigan State Peg Dolls

  Go Green!   

         This Michigan State peg doll family is ready to root for their favorite team! They all have their Green and White ready for the big game.
Any little girl or boy would enjoy playing with this little set of peg dolls while their family is watching the game.  All four peg dolls fit into an Altoid tin carrying case for safe keeping. It can easily fit into a
backpack to be played with in the car or on the airplane during a longer trip. 

    I hope this little family made you smile today.

 Beti
   

Penguin Amigurumi Friends

PENGUIN FRIENDS

        I just finished these two little penguins. An easy crochet project that a beginner who can work in the round should be able to complete easily.

    I like how their wings can be positioned in different ways.  The owner of these chilly birds can made them have many exciting adventures together.

    I hope your child or children have fun and experience an adventure with these chubby penguins.

Beti

Puppies Quiet Book

Puppies!

  Puppies!

Puppies!

 

               On one of my excursions,   I was wandering around JoAnn Fabrics and saw a darling piece of flannel fabric with these cute little dogs.  They were so colorful with friendly facial expressions.  I could not resist buying a yard.  I knew it would be perfect for my next quiet book.  By purchasing fabric with cute graphics, I can spend less time constructing my quiet books. 

          Five little dogs of different colors would be great for color recognition and matching. 

         I cut around the dogs and zig zagged the matching colors back to back.  I was lucky enough that the dogs were facing in opposite directions so they could become two sided dogs.

          Each puppy needed a bed of the same color to sleep in.  Little pockets felt were sewn on for the dog beds.

       I added a light purple dog dish with water and food just in case the puppies get hungry!  As you can see the little yellow pup is having a snack from their dog food dish.  Yum!

      On the back cover a red dog house was added.  All the dogs can fit into the dog house.

       There is a snap at the top of the dog house so all the pups can fit in.

         
       A handle made from ribbon was added along the binding so the book can be easily carried by small hands.

     
           Today I have linked up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for the Five for Friday weekly Linky Party.  I enjoy reading Kacey's blog. She has so many great ideas for the classroom. Check it out!

www.doodlebugsteaching.blogspot.com

    
  Please leave a comment if you have an extra minute. I'd love to hear from you. Enjoy your day!

Beti

Ice Cream Cones

  I scream,
you scream, we all scream  for  
ice cream!

   What child doesn't like ice cream? Of course I wanted to make an ice cream play set for my granddaughters imaginary play. While shopping at JoAnn Fabrics, I ran across this darling piece of flannel material with sparkling ice cream cones. Perfect!  Of course I bought a yard!

   
       I hope you can see the little sparkles on the delicious ice cream. I think the sparkles make the ice cream so inviting!  The smallest cones are about 2 1/4 inches tall , while the tall four dip cones are about 3 1/2 inches.  The perfect size for little hands to feed to a favorite doll or friendly stuffed animal. There are 18 different varieties, some with sugar cones and some with cake cones. Some cones are soft serve and some are scooped. Of course don't forget the sprinkles or the cherry on top!  

     First, I cut four of each cone. I wanted to make two sets.
The material was matched wrong sides together, zig zagged  stitched, and trimmed. As  each cone came to life,  I smiled and knew they would be enjoyed and played with. Each was cuter than the next.  No sharp edges for my little ones to get hurt. 
                   Just soft ice cream fun.

     Using Altoid tins, a piece of felt was glued to the lids with tacky glue.  Then some left over felt ice cream was glued to the felt.   Now we have a little storage case for all of our ice cream. 

COMPARE AND CONTRAST
     Even though all the cones are different, you can still have your child find       similarities. 
  * Find all the cones with a cherry on top.
  * Find all the cones that have one scoop if ice cream.
  * Find all the cones with blue ice cream. 

      These little ice cream cones and their tin carrying cases were so much fun to make. You don't have to be a great seamstress to make something like this.  Just the energy to cut, match , and sew.  I'm sure your little one would be happy to help in the matching process before you do the sewing. Get your kids involved in any project,  and they will feel more connected when it is done. Hopefully, they will have ownership and pride in their new toy and want to keep it all together and not lose any of the pieces.

     I do hope that I have inspired you to make a simple toy for a child in your life to play with.  Nothing fancy, just hours of imaginative play. 

   Please leave a comment.  I'd love to read your thoughts.

Enjoy this beautiful ICE CREAM day!

Beti   

Felt Vegetables

  Felt  Vegetables

       My family was having baby shower with the theme
 " A Farmer's Market ".
     
      So I thought it a crate of felt vegetables would be a cute addition to the serving table.  So this is what I came up with. A head of lettuce or cabbage, carrots, pea pods, an egg plant, a corn on the cob, and an apple or tomato.
     
    When this baby grows into a toddler, they will have play food for kitchen. Every child needs to have dramatic play in their day. So what better way than to give a crate of "fresh vegetables" to include in the play. The bright colors are a stimuli for the senses and great for color recognition.

          Here is my attempt at a head or lettuce or cabbage. 

         These are more like baby carrots.

                       The peas in a pod.

              I love the color of the egg plant.

             Yellow sweet corn is ready for some melted butter.

           I suppose this looks more like an apple but it could be a tomato if the stem and leaf were a little different shape.

     I added a crocheted pale yellow chick to keep an eye on all the veggies the crate. 

     So if you are looking for a gift from the heart for a child, give these colorful, felt veggies a try.

Beti