CAR ACTIVITIES FOR TODDLERS | PAGE 3
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– Glow in the Dark Stars. This was fun. Before the boys got into the car I took the hook side of sticky-back Velcro and stuck it to the back of the stars. Then I stuck those right on the ceiling of the car. The boys didn’t notice them, but they started their charge cycle and, by the time the sun went down, they were really bright and the boys thought it was too cool. The best part: they couldn’t reach them and knock them all over the floor! Big J told me it was like he had his own sky right inside the car. It was a fun surprise and they loved it.
– There’s really only so much you can do after dark… I didn’t want my kids watching hours and hours of TV (they did anyway), so glow sticks were a cool, brief distraction. It would have been more entertaining if they’d had something to do with them. Hide and Seek the Glow Stick, perhaps? Take turns hiding it until just a little hint sticks out and see who can find it. Both boys were rather disappointed when we threw them out the next day because the glow was gone. These glow sticks on Amazon are pretty good and they’re cheap (100 for $10), if you don’t mind the 100 glow sticks part. They are the ones I prefer.
– Magnets on cookie sheets. Both my boys love to play with magnets and this is the best way I’ve found to make it portable. The side of the baking tray help keep everything contained and it’s easy to store, pick up and put away for little hands. I really like these style magnets. I got this one at Ross, but Melissa and Doug have some great sets on Amazon too. From tractors, to animals and even Mickey and friends.
– This was a big hit with both of my little dudes. Play dough balloons. When I was little we had some of these filled with flour. They were totally awesome. Until they popped and POOF! I filled the balloons with play dough and the POOF problem disappeared. However, filling the balloons with play dough was tedious and time-consuming. It took me 45 minutes or more to fill TWO balloons. So, come up with a better method, that’s all I gotta say. (There are some suggestions in the comments!) And, we did have one pop on our trip. I only cried a little, but the good news, because it was play dough it stayed all squished together and didn’t make a mess at all. I put it in one of the extra “Everything Bag” baggies and it was good until we got home and got it in a more permanent home.