Better than Play Doh?
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I tried a keyword search, but I couldn't find it.
Someone mentioned on here that there's something out there that is better than Play Doh because it's less messy.
I'm looking for something fun to do with Connor.
Any other ideas for arts/crafts stuff too would be appreciated. He's starting to really like coloring, etc.
Model Magic is something that is moldable, but it doesn't make a mess like Playdoh.
Model Magic Products
You can find it at Walmart. My kids have had fun playing with it, too.
I just noticed it's more for 5 and up. You can make homemade playdough, that I don't think is that messy and you can make edible playdough, too, if you are worried that he will put it in his mouth.
Toddler Playdough
Lots of Toddler Activities
There is also a product called floam. Basically, it is tiny little styrofoam balls, held together by some substance, and you can mold it and even stick it to things. It is a lot less messier than play-doh, and comes in several colors.
But make sure you don't order floam off of their on-line site. I've heard they are difficult to deal with. Instead, go to wal-mart or somewhere and buy it there.
Ditto on the Model Magic...I think I'm the one who posted about that!  It IS harder for a toddler to manipulate, but mess-free without a doubt. We've actually ended up going to the play dough just because Natalie can work with it independently and needed help with the Model Magic. It's very cool though.
Natalie has a LARGE Crayola art mat that I found at Hobby Lobby for about $7 and she wears a Crayola art smock also. It really hasn't been messy for us so far, but I really like the mat.
Other ideas...junk paper and glue stick and have at it! Natalie loves to do that. I'm a scrapper, so I have several punches in different shapes. I punch different shapes and she glues them together to her heart's content. We also are starting to do paper plate crafts. We made a spider last week and she LOVED it.
We also made a pasta necklace recently, she uses stamps a lot (dollar store for the stamps and a great kid ink pad at Walmart), sponge painting with shape sponges ($1 store again), and tomorrow since the leaves are starting to fall and she's been picking them up, we're going to collect leaves, sticks, whatever, and glue them down.
She's glued cheese fish crackers on a "pool" that I drew for her, too. She likes to fingerpaint, but you can also do cool whip painting on a mat or a paper plate if you're worried about putting in the mouth. (vs. shaving cream I mean) Pasting pasta down, tearing paper and pasting it, sponge roller in ink pad or paint...
I bought a $2 heavy, vinyl, flannel-backed clearance tablecloth for covering the floor when we're painting. It makes me feel better, although we haven't made a real mess yet.
Sorry, I posted the wrong picture. I meant to post the spider one.
Bingo markers are a lot of fun, too! You can get those at the $1 store also (at least here).
When mine were smaller i would help them make puppets out of paper lunch bags, they had fun making the puppets "talk"
I also made something called "gobbelty gook". I don't remember who told me about it but this is the "recipe" :
1 C of corn starch
1/4 (or more) cup water
food coloring
add coloring to water and stir. Make the color bright. Put cup of cornstarch in a bowl. Add 1/4 cup water and stir. Add more water until the mixture "looks right"
It looks right when it flows when you tip the bowl from side to side and feels firm when you poke it with a finger. If it doesn't flow, add more water. If not firm, add more corn starch.
What do you do with it? Roll it in a ball, when you stop it oozes between your fingers.
I did this with dd when she was maybe a year old, at that time she wasn't too into it. I guess she was too young. I havne't tried it since then.
i have also heard of people putting uncooked rice into a big container and letting the kids play with that. the preschool teacher did this and hid things in there. She would put maybe dinorsaurs, spiders (for halloween), little bulldozers, etc.
Have fun!
Natalie has a pasta container like Bellajoe mentioned. She loves to find things in there...stickers, little people animals,etc. We've never used rice at home because it's harder to clean up. Rice is great at school though!
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