For My Kids and My Shoebox Kids

So today I am super super excited! I was playing around on Pinterest (don't you dare ask me how long I spend on Pinterest in any given week! ;) and I came across two separate ideas that I wanted to make for my two oldest boys. One is a magnetic road set and the other a mini stove. But once I got to making them, it hit me! These would be PERFECT to go in my Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes!!!

First thing I had to do was paint my craft "Popsicle" sticks. (Hindsight I wish I would have used the larger tongue depressors but these worked just as well, just smaller.)

 I painted them all black on both sides, making sure to also get the sides painted as well. Once they were dry I started painting my center line in yellow.

After that was dry, I added the magnet to the back of each popcicle stick.  (This will be used in the car when we travel so playing on a cookie sheet will keep the pieces from flying everywhere!)

I made trees from pipe cleaners by wrapping them around my finger and then hot gluing it to a square piece of magnet.

I also made bushes from pompom's. Again attaching a magnet.




Now for the car, you can find mini cars at different places but I found this really cute (and perfect sized) car. Can you guess what it is?

You guessed it! A button!!

Then I cut "lakes" from blue felt.They can arrange the "road" however they like but the best part is.......

It will pack into a quart sized baggie!!!!! (Excluding the cookie sheet of course! For shoebox purposes I suppose you could leave the magnets off since you could not fit a cookie sheet inside. Unless I can figure out something that is magnetic and small enough to fit into a shoebox. Any ideas?)

Now as for the stove it is SUPER easy!! You simply need two rubber coasters, a pencil box, some small utensils and a glue gun. I found a mini "flipper" what are those things called anyway?? A small plate, mini tongs, measuring spoons, a mini wisk and then a measuring cup for the "pot". I got all of these supplies for less than $5.00!!!!!

I simply glued the coasters to the top of the pencil box and put the essentials in the pencil box! Voila!! You have yourself a mini stove- that will also fit inside a shoebox!!!!!!

The best part is, it is kid approved!!!!

 

 Both of these items I will be making to put into my shoeboxes that I pack this year!!!

I want to give a big THANK YOU to Dyan Robson at And Next Comes L for the idea of the magnetic road & the mini stove! (Keep the good ideas coming friend!!!)

Be sure you stop by her page and say hi!