How to teach numbers and colors with DIY clay numbers

If you are looking for a creative and educational activity for little ones, then this one is worth making or should I say baking:) Toddlers learn by touch and feel sensory activities. Instead of buying plastic toys, let's make eco-friendly educational toys at home. These clay numbers are smooth to the touch and feel.  It is a fun activity to make numbers with and for kids. 

You can teach both numbers and colors with these.

To make these you will need the following:

• Oven-baked Terracotta clay. I bought it from Amazon.
• Number-shaped cookie cutters. 
• Acrylics or any child-friendly colors.

Procedure :

• I rolled the clay with my son with a rolling pin. 
• We used the cookie cutter to cut the numbers. He pressed the cutters in the clay. Together we pulled the numbers out and placed them on the parchment paper.
• I baked them according to the instructions on the package. 
• Once they have cooled down, he colored them in different colors.

How to use these to teach numbers and colors:

• Introduce the clay numbers and let the child play with them. The objective is to get the child used to see the numbers. By touching them, they will get a feel of the shape and curves of each number.
• Start by placing the numbers in the correct sequence. Make this a game in which the child has to put the numbers in the correct series.
•  Talk about the numbers and colors while playing with them. 
•  Ask them to find a number from the bunch. 
• Trace the outline with the clay numbers. 
• Make double-digit numbers.
• Fix a magnet behind the numbers and stick them on the fridge to play with them.

How to make Diwali cards with your kid

Greetings friends!! How was your weekend?

We had a long weekend here. Remember the ravanna I had made. On Friday we celebrated Dusshera by burning our ravanna. My son was very excited and delighted to see ravanna burn. It was fun. Saturday was beach day and Sunday was picnic at park day. Happy to have spend quality family time enjoying simple things in life:) 

We went to the post office to post Diwali greeting cards to in-laws, my father, our sisters. My 2 year old sunny boy and I made the greeting cards well in advance a week back. We made diya/ oil lamp greeting cards.

 You need colorful paper, golden cardstock, zari/ Saree border, A4 sized thick paper.

Start by folding the A4 sheet in center. This give you an idea of how big diya you want to make.

Cut semicircle from colored paper. Draw a teardrop on golden cardstock  and cut it. 

Cut the zari border to size. 

Give all this to your child and give instructions about how to make it. 

I drew a rough design on the card with pencil to give an idea.

I gave the gluestick to him. You can see his little hands at work :) I adore his little hands so cute.. Yummilicious!! 

We made 2 blue and 2 yellow diya. We also added 4 of our best family photos inside. 

If you are making greeting cards with your child for family members , don't forget to write the year and age of your child. After a few years these cards will become fond memories !! That's the charm of handmade and handwritten cards and letters isn't it!! 

Check more fabulous Diwali craft and decor projects on this blog! 

How to make a drum with recycled container/cans

The idea of making the drum came to my mind days back when I saw Avaneesh drumming on a can. The can looked perfect for a drum for my little drummer boy. I do daily creative afternoon activities with him and this seemed to be perfect activity to be done with a 2 year old. I used a empty container which is of perfect size for little drummer hands. 

Avaneesh was very excited when I told him that we are going to make a drum today. I cut shapes out of paper for the top part and the designs on the sides of the drum. I do all the cutting work in front of Avaneesh so that he understand the entire process of making it as well. His creativity will increase more this way. I asked him which colors he want to paint the triangular pattern with to which he said red. So he painted it red , the top part with blue and the border strips with orange. Then are all the pieces drying in the balcony. I take this opportunity to talk with him about the sun's heat and how the painting dries up so fast outside instead of inside.

We glued two white papers around the can.  My son enjoyed spreading the glue on the paper and the can. Then he helped me glue the designs around the can. We glued some paper to the dowels. This is how it looks like and..

There he is my little drummer. It is a big hit with him. 

In case you want to try making this drum with your little one, the only things you will need are a can to be recycled, dowels/ chopsticks, water/poster color paints, paper, glue and scissors.

Joining party at crafty catz, crafty allie !