Most Magical Homemade Toy for Toddlers

We took a visit to Ikea today, and it was there in the aisle that inspiration hit.

If your toddlers are like mine, they are absolutely fascinated with pulling out and putting back the straw in the top of their "take out" cups.  While this can be a bit frustrating as milk drips down your arm as you wrestle the cup from said toddler in the middle of the restaurant, properly redirected this fascination can make for an awesome fine motor practice.  And who am I kidding - something great to keep them occupied for a while.

Loosely inspired by an idea I saw at Full Hands Full Hearts, when I saw the ORDNING Kitchen Utensil Holder at Ikea I knew it would be perfect for practicing dexterity. 

We added a pair of SNÄRTIG Silk Flowers and a pack of SODA Drinking Straws  and we had something that kept their busy hands and minds occupied throughout our trip, and well into our afternoon at home.  What I really appreciated about these flowers is that while they are bendable, they have an excellent coating preventing sharp ends from becoming dangerous.  

And while it may look a little less glamorous in normal lighting, the true magic is that a few random items thrown together can occupy two toddlers for literally hours - all for around $10.  That's definitely magical in my book!

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