Directional Alphabet - Using Stickers

My eldest daughter has just begun learning her alphabet and is thoroughly enjoying the challenge. When I had her in my Toptots workshop over the weekend, I wanted to try something different to keep the interest going, so I made up a sticker worksheet to help with the directional aspect. Well it was a hit to say the least and eventually got my 2 and a half year old involved too. You could even try using sequencing colours to add to the fun.

Going Fishing

GOING FISHING

I’ve been trying to figure out for ages how I could put together a magnetic fishing rod for my girls to catch their paper clip fishes with. I had tried a few different designs such as the magnet on the fish, but found the magnet was too heavy for the rod to pick up. I also tried a dowel attached to a magnet with a hole in the centre to thread string through. This worked for a while until my then, 2 year old daughter dropped it on the paving and it smashed! Oh...no! What drama that caused.
One morning in the in our local haberdashery, I walked past some denim buttons and it hit me, I had thought of normal buttons but these would be perfect and neat!



Here is how it was done and what you will need:

30cm of wooden dowel (not to thin though)

1 long shoe lace any thickness

1 denim button

1 magnet

And your glue gun.

1) Create a hole using a screw or nail deep enough for the plastic end of the lace to be inserted.

2) Cut the lace in half

3) Thread the plastic end of the lace through the flat part of the button until the end is just visable from the side.

4) Take a little hot glue and "soak" the cut end of the lace, add a little more glue and attach the magnet.

5) Once the magnet is attached, push the plastic end of the lace into the hole made earlier. If the hole is a little big, squeeze some glue before you push the lace in.




Completed kiddies fishing rod.

 

Denim button after threading the lace through, then attaching the magnet with hot glue.

Dowel stick after creating the hole and pushing the lace into place