I've decided to do a series on the different activities I've been trying with Cai now that his attention span is longer. I'm determined to make sure we do some kind of activity at least three days a week this summer. I have a tendency to be a lazy mom, so it's important for me to force myself to try new activities with him. I'm all for independent playing and getting him to use his imagination, but I also want us to make memories doing things together. Besides, I love crafts!
The first activity we're sharing is simply stringing beads. Obviously this activity needs to be well supervised, lest your toddler stick a bead somewhere it doesn't belong (Cai likes to put them in his mouth and then spit them out).
Supplies:
Beads- I used pony beads and some beads I made myself a while ago out of polymer clay.
String- I recommend something with a stiff end, depending on your toddler's fine motor skills. I feel like Cai's are pretty good for an 18 month old, but I don't think he could have done this with just a piece of yarn. I used these.
Other than just handing him beads or putting letter beads in the right spot to spell his name, I didn't do much.
Sometimes I had to hold the string still for him.
Or help him shake the bead down past his fingers.
For the most part though, this was an activity he was able to do on his own after some help and some modeling.
He enjoyed wearing the finished result.
I'm pretty sure he was eating actual food here and not a bead. ;)
The nice/not nice thing about those elastic Silkies is that you can easily take the beads off and restring them. That means that if I need to keep Cai busy while he's wearing his necklace, I can let him take the beads off and do it all over again. That also means that when he was playing with his necklace while I was going to the bathroom the other day, all of the beads fell of and most are still on the floor in the hall. Sigh.
Also, "bead" is now added to his repertoire of words.
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