via quirkymomma.com
Stitch this up before your next trip-with-toddlers! Rachel says: "We made this toy out of buckles after watching my daughter play more with the stroller buckles than the slide on a park play date. It was a lifesaver on our last 28-hour (one-way) road trip."
Step-by-step directions and photos at Quirkymomma.com. Thanks, Rachel!
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I wish i were crafty enough to make one... My 2 yr old would love it. And my son (now 4) would have too... when he was about 1, was obsessed with buckles too -- At the time, i bought him a cheap kids backpack at Goodwill and hooked it to the side of a child gate and he used to sit beside it for ages just playing with its buckles and zippers.
Posted by: Mim | 09 June 2010 at 09:13 AM
When I was little, I had a bear that had various fasteners attached. It would talk when you pulled a string...
"Please buckle my belt"
"Please snap my snaps"
"Please tie my shoelaces"
"Please zip my zipper"
"Please button my buttons"
I loved that bear! When I had fully mastered all of them, I would pull the string just to laugh at the bear because I had already done what it was asking!
Posted by: polymathamy | 09 June 2010 at 10:36 AM
Hope they don't get their fingers caught in them though! Maybe it's just my kids, but they've both had blood blisters more then once from catching the side of a finger in those buckles...
Posted by: kate | 11 June 2010 at 05:22 AM
That would be excellent for fine-motor strength and eye-hand co-ordination. I agree, the bigger clips would pinch the skin, but these clips in the photo look like the ones that are too small and soft to pinch. I must try this idea, thank you!
Posted by: Hear Mum Roar | 11 June 2010 at 05:47 AM
What a great idea. I would love some buckles if you haven't given them all out yet. I'm definitely gonna make this.
Posted by: Jody Goudy | 16 June 2010 at 10:43 PM