Henry worked on his hand-eye coordination with his love for tools.
All you need are some golf tees (thanks Mom) and Styrofoam. And, of course, your boy’s kid’s toy hammer(s).
The Styrofoam had slants around the edge. For some reason or another, this is where Henry liked to nail his tees nails in. It made for a really difficult angle for him to hold onto the tee and hit it, so I held the tee nail for him a lot. No bruised fingers either : Henry has pretty good accuracy!
No, Henry is not hitting the tee nail with the wrong end of his hammer (above). He had to get this hammer out because it has the claw so he could take out his tees nails.
(Completely his idea, he must watch Dad pretty close.)
I had this awesome idea that I found in the Toddlers Busy Book (affiliate link) for… Spaghetti Mobiles
I decided to use corn syrup and food coloring instead of white glue and paint. Why? I’m not sure. To make it more kid friendly, I guess.
I put some corn syrup and food coloring in each container. Henry added some cooked spaghetti to each color and stirred them up.
He took them out and placed them on a foam tray. You could make some very nifty designs if you wanted to.
We just piled the spaghetti on the foam in any way that it fell. (Though Dad joined us for tray number 2 and made it a rainbow colored mobile).
The product we left with was very bright and pretty.
I left it to dry for a few hours. When I came back to check it, it wasn’t drying at all.
How long should it take?
Here’s the flop:
I’m inpatient, and stuck it in the oven at 200 degrees. Kind of forgot about it. It wasn’t in there long though… maybe 20 minutes.
Corn syrup is sugar. Sugar crystallizes.
Do you think I put it on foil?
I didn’t leave it on the foam tray either… plastic would melt.
Nope, right on my jelly roll pan.
Nice and stuck on there.
Hard as a rock.
Oh well.
It was pretty.
(The plan was to hang it up with a ribbon – hence the ‘mobile’)
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Joshua Thomas says
Hi! I just found your blog… Great idea with great stuff! Thanks for sharing.
Visit my site too… click below!
Time Is Precious!
naf says
Your page is totally inspiring!
I download some of the pictures to put in my facebook page for my kids’ play time.
Surely will attach the source from you.
Thanks
Sarah says
Those boys always feel so big using the hammers! Way to go Henry!!!
I LOVE the noodle idea! We are going to HAVE to try it! I'll let you know how it goes!
Michelle says
So, even you learned something from this? LOL Thanks for participation in last week's High paw and hope to see you again this week!
Tracy says
Even though the noodles didn't turn out as planned, it was still fun I bet, despite messing up a pan! Love the hammer and foam idea with tees! Thanks for sharing on NOBH!
phasejumper says
Oh no!
Rachel R. says
Henry looks like quite the handyman!
Thanks for linking up at the Relax & Make Friends blog hop last week – sorry for the delay but I'm now following back!
Feel free to link up at this week's blog hop too!
Jenny Stamos says
I'm a very late hopper from Mommy's Sweet Blog Design, but a new follower!
I love the look on your little boy's face in this photo!
Musings By Michele says
In my preschool class we have done the hammers and styrofoam with tees. We had lots of pumpkins decorating our room for fall, so right before Christmas I tried something saw in a magazine. Pumpkin pounding. Pumpkins (any size) tees & hammer! Have fun!
Love your blog!
Michele
Salma says
Hello there, I've stopped over from the Follow me chicadee hop. You're a real hands-on mommy. You're right it is pretty.
http://ohmommymoon.blogspot.com
Lin says
Such great activities! Love the hammer pics…he's thinking so hard in the one! Such a cutie! :-)
Stopping by from Follow Me Chickadee!
deborah says
Hahaha! It is very pretty – sorry about your pan:)