Easy Crafts to Make While Babysitting Toddlers
Babysitting toddlers can be a daunting task and when they are bored, you may find them running through the house to find something to do or knock over. There is no need to use all of your babysitting funds to purchase things for the children to do and make; keep children busy and entertained with craft projects constructed from everyday household items.
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Mis-Matched Sock Puppets
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Use old socks without partners to create puppets for toddlers to use in retelling or making-up stories. Place the sock onto your hand and allow the toddler to draw eyes, a nose and a mouth onto the toe portion of the sock. Using quick-dry craft glue, cut strips of yarn and attach as hair for the puppet. Make a dog puppet by gluing two felt or paper ears to the sides of the sock. Dinosaur sock puppets require a number of felt or paper triangles for scales that run the length of the sock. Toddler-sized socks work the best for small hands but any mis-matched sock will suffice for the craft.
Leaf Crafts
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Take the toddler on a nature walk with a paper lunch sack to collect leaves that have already fallen from trees. This craft is best for the fall season as there are many leaves in various colors to choose from. Toddlers can learn to use small dabs of glue to make a free-form leaf collage by pasting leaves onto a piece of construction paper back at home. Adapt the activity by first drawing a tree trunk and instructing the child to place the leaves at the top to make an autumn tree. Kids can also create a fall wreath as usable decor after cutting out a cardboard ring from an old pizza box and gluing the found leaves onto the circular wreath. Attach a piece of looped ribbon for hanging.
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Dryer Sheet Butterflies
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Bunch a used dryer sheet in the center and secure by twisting a brown pipe cleaner around its width. Use the excess pipe cleaner as antennae. Color the dryer sheet using nontoxic watercolors or with washable markers. If babysitting day is not laundry day, adapt the activity to use an unused coffee filter or a few clean tissues. Attach the butterfly to a wooden craft stick by tying string between them and flying or bouncing the butterfly around the living room. The craft is light enough that it won't break household items when used.
Telescope
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Create a telescope or spyglass with an empty toilet paper or paper towel roll. Ensure that all paper product is removed from the roll and allow the toddler to paint it with washable, nontoxic paint. Instruct the child to wear an old play shirt or art smock to avoid getting paint on her clothing. Cut a hole in the bottom of a paper cup. The cup's bottom must be larger than the cardboard tube's circumference. Insert the tube into the hole into the bottom of the cup and secure with quick-drying craft glue or tape. Play a game of "I Spy" with the children to find things around the house by description only.
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References
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