May Monthly Project: 1 Container 4 Toys

For this month's monthly project I found a a nifty idea from The Imagination Tree that turns a basic cylinder container into toys for babies and toddlers. 

I really love this idea of taking everyday containers and making toys of them. Especially since baby Lion is at the age where Gerber snacks are his favorite things, so I have plenty of extra cylinder containers laying around. 

So here is my take on it. You could easily make all four in a weekend. Or you could spread it out and make one every weekend for a month. Either way its a great toy for your kids without spending a lot of money.

For All Four Toys Here's What You Need:

• 1 Cylinder Container
• Spray Adhesive
• Fabric
• Box Cutter/ Exacto Knife
• Hot Glue Gun/ Fabric Glue

Here's How You Make Them:

Ribbon Pull Toy

Extra Supplies Needed:

• Ribbon

Here's How You Do it:

The first thing you do is mark and  cut out squares all over your container, making sure that for every hole you make you have a hole on the opposite side of the container. You can also cut a couple of holes into the lid.

Measure your container and cut out a piece of fabric the is an inch taller and longer than your container.

Using the spray adhesive, spray the outside of the container and then pull your fabric tight around the container. Use a hot glue gun to seal down the excess fabric around the top and bottom of your cylinder. Using your exacto knife cut down the middle of your holes and then secure the excess fabric with your hot glue gun. Optional: Using the excess fabric cut out a circle big enough to cover the bottom.

Finally, pull ribbon through your holes. Making the strands as long or as short as your like.

Here's It In Action:

Toy Bank

Extra Supplies Needed:

• Juice Lids

Here's How You Do It:

Measure your container and cut out a piece of fabric that is an inch longer and taller than your container.

Use the spray adhesive to spray the outside of your container. Cover the outside with your fabric making sure to pull tight as you make your way around the container. Use a hot glue gun to secure down the excess fabric at the top and bottom of your container. 

Cut a hole in the lid of your container big enough to get leftover lids through., Optional: If you have destructive boys like I do, reinforce the back of the lid with duct tape so your hole doesn't get torn easily.

For the "money" I took excess juice jug lids and covered them with some extra fabric I had lying around and then wrapped the edges in ribbon. 

Here's It In Action:

Noise Maker

Extra Supplies Needed

• Bottle Caps
• Super Glue

Here's How You Do It:

Measure your container and cut out a piece of fabric that is an inch longer and taller than your container.

Use the spray adhesive to spray the outside of your container. Cover the outside with your fabric making sure to pull tight as you make your way around the container. Use a hot glue gun to secure down the excess fabric at the top and bottom of your container. 

Add as many bottle caps (or whatever you want that makes a lot of noise when you shake it) as you would like. Use super glue to secure the lid down.'

Here's It In Action:

Stick Push n' Pull

Extra Supplies Needed:

• Craft Sticks 

Here's How You Do It:

Measure your container and cut out a piece of fabric that is an inch longer and taller than your container.

Use the spray adhesive to spray the outside of your container. Cover the outside with your fabric making sure to pull tight as you make your way around the container. Use a hot glue gun to secure down the excess fabric at the top and bottom of your container. 

Cut out hole in your lid that are slightly bigger than the craft sticks. Make as many holes as you would like. (I made six: one for every color stick I had)

Here's It In Action: