Each week DaddiLifeForce brings inspiration curated from the community, to help you create more quality dad moments quickly and easily. This week, we’re looking at objects that have been re-imagined to create new uses for our children.
Did you ever have something that was intended for one thing, but you made it into something else entirely? Well, we’ve found some amazing examples of dads (and mums) who have turned everyday objects into new solutions for their children.
Step forward the creators!
Jewellery to help teething times, by Teddie&Millie
Our friends over at Teddy & Millie noticed that their children loved to play with ‘mum’s jewellery,’ but it wouldn’t do much good when it came to teething, so they created a brilliant chewable range! Great for the babies to teeth on whether for mum or dad, and a brilliant bit of ingenuity from the team there to create a much more comfortable teething routine for the young ones.
Price: The necklaces are between £12.99 – £16.99 and the bangles at £4.95.
Time needed: None. Just unwrap and you’re good to go!
Age Range: The teething phases in new-born and early toddler.
Fun factor: Brilliant and simple design, together with some neutral colours so both mum and dad can try it out.
Autumn Tree Fine Motor Threading, by Wings & Roots
We love this by the team at Wings & Roots, who have created an Autumn threading activity with beads to encourage the development of fine motor skills.
You start by adding some play dough into a little glass pot. I used a brown colour to look soil-like but any colour will work just as well. I then scoured the garden for twigs, making sure they were smooth and free of thorns.
I poked the twigs into the dough and set some beads next to it. We used a combination of plastic and wooden beads in reds, oranges, yellows and browns for an Autumnal burst of colour. Just make sure the bead holes are bigger than the twig width to make sure they will fit on.
Price: A Play Doh set costs around £10.
Time needed: You’ll need a few minutes to get the Play Doh right, and then getting the twigs ready.
Age Range: From toddler through to primary school.
Fun factor: A brilliant way to get the kids’ fine motor skills going, and can take up a lot of their attention too.
Old Trucks, for new life
For the older kids, when those previous favourite toys get left behind, why not turn them into things where new life can grow. We regularly use our older kids’ trucks as plant pots. It’s a great way to get the kids into the garden, and can also a new way for the younger kids to engage in plant-life too.
If you’re not one for regular gardening do not fear – you can try and grow easy to maintain plants like cactus’ in there too.
Price: You should be able to get a good selection of plant life and your local garden centre for less than £10.
Time needed: You’ll need to put the soil and foundations in place, and don’t forget that occasional plant food too!
Age Range: A great one for the kids aged 7 +.
Fun factor: Those old toys can take on a whole new lease of life!
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Keep those dad-moments strong.?
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[…] motor skills. It’s only when they have mastered these that they will be able to control their fine motor skills, like a knife and fork, or holding a pencil, for instance. While for older children, various […]