Doing activities with Tuesday is so much fun now that she doesn’t just try to eat everything (at least not right away…). I did something like this project a while ago, using contact paper and scraps to create an art project to hang on our slider door.
This version of a contact paper craft helps with hand eye coordination and small muscles of the hand.
(awesome excuse to get the three in one butterfly punch, hey we needed more shapes!) As you can see Tuesday does like to pick up the punched shapes (I used ones I have on hand: 3 in 1 flower punch, heart confetti punch, mini heart hole punch, even tinier heart hole punch, regular hole punch, square hole punch, star squeeze punch and others) from the re-used meat trays. Punches are my number one thing to buy at Michael’s when I have a coupon and don’t know what to get (and yes I should just leave with nothing, but that’s hard to do when you drive 20 minutes somewhere with a toddler!).
But she is a toddler and her number one method of learning right now is cause and effect. She likes to dump them, transfer them from hand to hand, line them up, try to stick them on top of each other, tilt up the paper to feel the sticky on the back, etc.
She REALLY wants to punch. I wouldn’t be surprised if I found a Gripmaster in her crib because she is trying to will her hands to be stronger to get them to work. I showed her how to put one hand on top of the other to put more pressure on the lever but it still wasn’t enough.
I’m pretty sure this (or some version of this) project came from First Art: Art Experiences for Toddlers and Twos. I love that book. It’s all about the process, and not the end result. Though I have to say having these on the slider does make me pretty happy.
Meanwhile I had a little time to work on my own craft project:
Scheming, planning… what ever you want to call it. Now that all that ribbon is gone I have a blank slate!
P.S. Don’t forget the giveaway for a photo shoot and scrapbooking kit is still going, click on this post to enter.
What a great idea! (This is probably a dumb question) After they decorate, you put the sticky side against the window and it will peel off cleanly after a week or so?
she’ll be punching on her own in no time! the butterfly punch was a good investment – look at how much she loves them! they’re all clustered together 🙂
Lindsey, not a dumb question at all. I wondered that too the first time I did it. I’ve left it on there for weeks (um sometimes months). It peels off easily and leaves a sort of greasy residue (for lack of a better word). The residue cleans off easily with normal window cleaner.
Fun project!!! 🙂
great idea! I bet Chloe would love this!