CRAFT with toddlers - what do I need?

[~Kim~]

Mine's kinda set up for Darcy, but Nate has a red hot go with everything.

Fuzzy pompom thingos
toilet rolls and paper towel rolls
glitter (I know most people hate it, but we use ours outside and it's great to knead into playdough/mix through paint/mix through sand)
felt squares
masking tape
plastic spoons
paddle pop sticks
different kinds of glue (white glue/glue sticks/clag)
foam stamps
plus all the usual suspects

I rarely direct, I just put out a few things and let them go for it.

Oh and my fave craft item - an outdoor table you don't mind getting trashed.

[Snacks]

I am a tight-wad so we make our own cornflour glue. It's fab, cheap and washes out of everything. It sticks mag picks to paper very easily.
We love playdough here too. And cheap stickers.

[Cassius2]

whats cornfllour glue? is that just water and cornflour?? 'cause it that's what it is, i am sooo there next time lol.

[Snacks]

whats cornfllour glue? is that just water and cornflour?? 'cause it that's what it is, i am sooo there next time lol.

Yes, but there's a bit of an art to making it. You mix some cornflour with water to make a sticky, thick paste and then you VERY gradually add boiling water whilst stirring until the mixture "catches"... then while you continue to quickly stir the boiling water in it turns from a thick white mix to a thick clear mix ITMS. It can take a couple of attempts to get it right but from then on you're in (very cheap) business! Obviously you have to let it cool before giving it to the sprog to play with as it's boiling once its made.

Heaven, I frequent the discount shops. Also my local Woollies has a surprisingly decent range of crafty goodness. I can't go past the cheap stickers from the $2 shop though. They are rubbish quality but they still do the job!