Homemade toys don’t have to be fancy. For young toddlers, sometimes the simpler the toy, the better the play.
This DIY buckle, clipping toy kept my toddler (17m) entertained for hours! I was inspired to make this one morning at the park, when all the other kids were playing with the slides and the swings and the two toddlers at the park were hunched in deep concentration over a stroller, buckling and unbuckling the straps.
This is a great addition to our activity bag, especially as we were anticipating a long cross-country road trip. I am so thankful we made this, this and the “I Spy Shaking Bottle” were two of the toys that held my daughter’s attention!
Supplies for the DIY buckle clipping toy:
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- Plastic Buckles (I found mine for a few bucks off ebay)
- Various ribbon scraps
- Two pieces of fabric – we used canvas as it was sturdy
- Other fun items (we added a pacifier, a bell, a key-chain, a zipper. I can also see this being a hit with various sizes and textures of Velcro).
- Sewing machine and thread
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How to make this toddler learning toy:
First, I threaded the buckles through the ribbon and affixed them to the right side of the fabric, or the side I wanted to be visible. Then, I pinned the other piece of canvas (pretty side in) and sewed along the edge, leaving one side open, like a pillowcase. We clipped the corners and turned the “pillowcase” inside out. Now the buckles, which had been pinned on the inside of the two pieces of canvas, are on the outside. I reinforced the seams with another straight stitch along the outside, added a zipper and viola! I love homemade toys. Our toddler has had hours of fun clipping and unclipping these buckles!
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