When your baby reaches the age where they can crawl and grab things with their tiny little hands, you have to constantly keep an eye on them because you never know when chaos might ensue. As many parents well know, when children go silent, while we may wish to find them sleeping like angels, the silence often means they are doing something they are getting into something they shouldn't. Their natural curiosity leads toddlers to destroy things, and if left to their own devices, they can leave your house in ruins.

A great way to occupy their growing minds and busy hands is to make diy fidget toys for toddlers like yours. All these ideas are guaranteed to keep your toddler occupied, improve their motor skills, and develop their interest in learning new things. If you’re short on time, you can also try other ready-to-go activities, such as putting together craft kits like the Fairy Jar Lantern we offer at the Pinwheel Crafts online store.

So, let’s take a look at a few ideas that will keep your toddler entertained and out of trouble.

Ninja Fidget Spinner

By the time your baby is five months old, they develop an interest in toys and other things in their surroundings. They start exploring what they see in front of them by putting it in their mouth. By the age of 2, they have a basic understanding of how toys work. Toddlers at this stage love a challenge. They like to solve problems, and if a toy doesn't excite them, they will quickly ignore it.

Because of this reason, we recommend making your child their very own fidget spinner and getting them involved in the process. This toy is pretty easy to make and does not require any mechanical parts. All you need is some paper and glue.

You Will Need

• 2 Color Sheets of Paper (Use each sheet to create 4 square pieces of paper.)
• A Round Card (The size of your thumb. You can cut it out from your cereal box.)
• A Toothpick
• Glue

Directions

• Fold the paper square in half.
• Open the paper and then fold the bottom half of the paper.
• Fold the top half so that both sides align in the center.
• Fold the sides again and make sure that the sides don’t overlap each other.
• With the middle line clear, create a flap by folding the left corner of the paper.
• Open one fold on the right side and then create a flap.
• Place your finger on the small triangle on the left, insert the tip of your finger in the bigger triangle and then fold the paper so that another triangle forms and meets the smaller one.
• Now fold the sides, forming a single line, which will resemble a penknife.
• When you see the folded line from the top, one of the sides will have a pocket.
• Fold the paper line in half so that the corners meet.
• Fold the edge sticking out, creating a flap, and tuck it into the pocket.
• Create all the other pieces in the same manner until you have four sticks.

Assembling the Fidget Spinner

• Place the piece of paper, with the pointed end facing upwards.
• Take the second piece of paper and push it into the first one from the right. (The pointy end should be facing right.)
• Take the third piece of paper and slide it through the first one. (The pointy end should be facing left.)
• Take the fourth piece of paper and slide it through the second one and then insert it into the third one.
• Push out the sides until all the pieces of paper are close to each other.
• Cut a small circle using the cereal box and create a tiny hole in it using a safety pin.
• Break apart a toothpick and attach it to the card circle.
• Push the toothpick through the middle of your origami and attach another card circle to the open end.

Your fidget spinner is ready! If you are a visual learner, check out this video tutorial for clarity.

DIY Busy Boards

If your toddler loves to touch and disassembling things and get a feel for them, why not make a DIY busy board for them? One of the best things about this craft is that you can pick just about anything that shines, chimes, or moves and stick it to the board. These boards come in handy when you need a few hours to yourself, travel with your toddler, or if you work from home.

Here are two ideas for busy boards for toddlers that you can easily make from things you can find at home:

Peek-a-Boo Sensory Board

How many baby wipe packets have you gone through? A dozen, two, more? If you still have some of the old ones left, rip off their lids instead of throwing them out. They will form the base of your sensory board.

For this DIY busy board, pick out things with rough and soft surfaces. We are listing down a few surface types that you will probably have in your home. You can grab the rest from your kitchen, store, and pantry.

You Will Need

• A White Board
• Baby Wipes Lids
• Glue
• Bowl of Rice
• Sponge
• A Piece of Carpet (Rough and Smooth)
• Tile
• Confetti Ball
• Beads
• Crystals
• Sandpaper

Directions

• Glue the 9 lids on the whiteboard, 3 in a row.
• Open the tab, and glue the sensory materials on the board inside of each lid. (You need to make sure that everything is attached well, so your toddler doesn't put any of the items in their mouth.)

Place the board in front of your toddler and show them how the lids work. Now, relax and watch them play for hours.

Gold Tools Busy Board

This DIY busy board is a little hard to make and time-consuming. However, the result will be a beautiful piece of art that your toddler will love! You might have to run to your nearest Walmart to get some of the items. The good news is that you can make the old tools shine with a little gold spray paint.

You Will Need

• A Board
• White Paint
• Hinges
• Gate Hook
• Light Switch
• Press-On Light
• Calculator
• Mirror
• Lock
• Bell
• Wheels
• Plastic Chain
• Zipper
• Eyelet Hooks
• Screws
• Glue
• Hammer
• MOD Podge
• Vinyl Stickers
• Metallic Twine
• Large Wooden Beads
• BBQ Skewer or Dowel Rod
• Scissors
• Hand Drill
• Gold Spray Paint

Directions

• Paint the board white and seal in color with two coats of acrylic gloss spray.
• To add color to the board, cut pieces of vinyl stickers and paste them underneath each item.
• Push your wooden beads through a BBQ skewer and spray the paint on them. (You can also use metallic twine to dangle them.)
• Spray paint all the other items and start attaching them with glue or screws
• Use the eyelet hooks to dangle selected items such as the bell, lock, and the wooden balls on the metallic twine.
• Take two square pieces of wooden boards and paste vinyl stickers on them.
• To attach these on the busy board, add hinges to the plaques.
• Attach a small golden knob to them.
• Use Mod Podge to paste pictures on the busy board and screw the plaques on top, creating a door.

Hang the board on the wall at a height where your toddler can easily touch the items at the top.

Final Thoughts

Creating engaging crafts for toddlers can be a bit tricky because they lose focus easily. Fidget toys for toddlers or DIY busy boards are engaging and excellent at retaining young children’s attention, keeping them occupied for a long time. And, of course, if you don't have the time to create these projects, you can get pre-made craft kits that will engage your child’s imagination and creativity over at the Pinwheel Crafts Store.