DIY: Toddler Birthday Gift

I've always preferred to make homemade gifts.  So with three nephews, a niece, and an almost five year old sister, I've had lots of practice!

These blocks are my favorite and I am so excited to make some for our son when he is old enough to enjoy them.

Baby Wooden Blocks

Tools needed:

• Any size blocks
• Decorative paper
• Sand paper
• Sponge brush
• Mod Podge - safe for babies
• Extras: letter, numbers, stickers

How to:

Lightly sand each block. Trace one side of the block six times onto the blank side of the decorative paper. Cut out.  Glue the paper onto each side of the block with a light coat of Mod Podge. Once dry, paste the letters, numbers, or stickers with the same technique. Coat the block with 3-4 four layers of Mod Podge, make sure to leave time to dry between each layer.  Don't worry, it will dry clear!  I used my Cricut to cut out the letters, but you could use scrapbook letters too.

Playdough

The thing I like about this playdough is you will probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen. It's great for a last minute gift!


Playdough

Ingredients needed:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups warm water
• 1 cup salt
• 2 TBSP vegetable oil
• 1 TBSP cream of tarter

How to:

Mix all the ingredients together and stir over low heat.  When the dough has pulled away from the sides and starts to clump together in the center of the pan, it is finished.  Remove from heat and let it cool.  If it's still sticky, cook it for a little bit longer.  Knead the dough on a Silpat until smooth. Divide into sections and add color. I just used plain old food coloring.

Gift Bags

To make these fun bags all you need is:

• Iron on fabric letters
• Felt
• Embroidery floss & needle
• Any fabric bags

How to:

Iron the letters to the felt and cut the size you need.  Use the embroidery floss to sew the felt onto the bag.

I hope these give you a few ideas to use for your next toddler gift!