your child glue two empty toilet rolls
together, punch a hole in each side to
thread a ribbon through for the strap,
and decorate away to make your child’s
very own set of binoculars. In Ms Hui’s
experience, children love these as the
perfect accessory during role-play
sessions of the “Going on a Bear Hunt”
story, or “I Spy” activities.
5
Sock toys
If your little one keeps asking for
another soft toy, look no further than
your wardrobe, where a multitude of
underutilised and – hopefully! – clean
socks reside. Think grey argyle dogs,
striped monkeys or white snowmen,
with buttons for eyes and ribbons for
accessorising. For inspiration, Pinterest
has a wonderful variety of ideas (www.
pinterest.com) to pick from. And if
these seem a bit intimidating to a
needlework novice, just roll and stuff
a bunch of socks together to make an
ever-popular sock ball.
6
Milk cartons for crafters
The milk carton, another
household staple, has a highly versatile
shape for craftwork. Its sloped
head and rectangular body is ideal
for making buildings with slanted
rooftops, sailboats or animals. To
make a boat, lay the carton on its side
and cut out most of the top side, from
the centre out. For the sail, just fold
a napkin, weave it through a straw
and tape it to the top of the carton.
Then, decorate with paint, stickers
or coloured paper. As with most craft
projects, this is a great way to improve
your child’s fine motor skills through
cutting and sticking.
7
Glass jar snow globes
Most children love snow globes
and these can be made from a simple,
clean glass jar, such as a baby food jar
or jam jar. Once you have a suitable
jar, find a figurine that fits into the
jar and can be submerged in water,
such as a ceramic doll, plastic tree or
dinosaur. Stick the figurine securely to
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