It’s Week Three of Tot Explorations! How are you enjoying this series? I look forward to writing this post each weekend. It motivates me to do more with my toddler so I can share with you!
This week, we played a simple matching game my son really enjoyed. No need to buy a fancy board game. Nope! This cost me $1, and gave me tons of leftover materials for other crafts and projects.
I simply purchased a set of bulletin board borders from The Dollar Tree – they have so many this time of year. The ones with the transportation vehicles caught my eye, because, of course, my son is a Car Fanatic!
I took out two strips and cut the sections apart so each vehicle was on its own card, creating twelve cards (2 of each vehicle). Then, I simply laid them out on the table and asked my son to find the matches. Sometimes we stacked the matches up, and other times, he ran around with the two cards, too full of delight at finding a second “BIG CAR!” to sit still long enough to pile them up. 
This makes for a quick activity for busy toddlers, easy to pick up or put down at a moments notice. Plus, I have many strips of border left over if I want to do some other crafts or decorating!
What else do you think I could do with these materials? I am curious!
T Rex Mom
Friday 21st of October 2011
Another great one in the series. I guess I need to hit the dollar store. Great idea. Maybe they have some girl-y stuff, too. Although, my daughter is also really into cars.
By the way, who is that young man in the photo. He looks too grown up to be Asher.
T Rex Mom
Friday 21st of October 2011
Another great one in the series. I guess I need to hit the dollar store. Great idea. Maybe they have some girl-y stuff, too. Although, my daughter is also really into cars.
By the way, who is that young man in the photo. He looks too grown up to be Asher.
Jen Breedlove
Tuesday 18th of October 2011
You. Are. A. Genius. I used to come up with stuff like this ALL THE TIME when I taught 4th grade, but since I've been a SAHM for 2 1/2 years now, my creativity skills have vanished. Well, I think they got destroyed between chasing a toddler and having a newborn. Anyway, please don't stop doing this series. My toddler loves you for it (he just doesn't know it's you he loves :) and my husband isn't griping about all the blogs I read (for the moment) because of your great ideas! :) We have window clings stuck on our front storm door right this very second that my son has played with almost every day since I got them last week!
Jen Breedlove
Tuesday 18th of October 2011
You. Are. A. Genius. I used to come up with stuff like this ALL THE TIME when I taught 4th grade, but since I've been a SAHM for 2 1/2 years now, my creativity skills have vanished. Well, I think they got destroyed between chasing a toddler and having a newborn. Anyway, please don't stop doing this series. My toddler loves you for it (he just doesn't know it's you he loves :) and my husband isn't griping about all the blogs I read (for the moment) because of your great ideas! :) We have window clings stuck on our front storm door right this very second that my son has played with almost every day since I got them last week!
Crunchy Beach Mama
Tuesday 18th of October 2011
Julie this is a really great idea! Play and Crafts for $1! It can't get much better than that!
Love this series :)