Oatmeal container straw game for babies and toddlers
Baby & Kids, Recycled Crafts, Under $10, Under 1 Hour
Today’s craft is for babies and toddlers about 15 months to 2 years old: a straw game made out of a cardboard oatmeal container. All you need is an empty Quaker oatmeal canister, a standard hole punch and a bunch of colorful straws. Then show your toddler how to put the straws in the holes at the top of the can where they magically “disappear’ into the container and you’ve got an addictive new activity.
My friend Arlene told me about the oatmeal container straw game during the dead of Chicago winter when we were all desperate for new indoor activities. I like to recycle objects into useful things, like fabric napkin rings made from Saran Wrap tubes and refrigerator magnets from vintage milk and juice cardboard bottle caps. So we made one and Elise was hooked!
A couple weeks later I wanted to make the game a little cuter and more challenging so I made a four-quadrant lid sticker for Elise to try to match the stripes on the straws with the colored holes. I also made her a stack of red, blue, yellow and green rectangular stickers to decorate the outside. Elise is totally into stickers these days and loved peeling them (with a bit of help) and sticking them on the container.
So now the disappearing straw game is fun and a little educational too. And it looks a little more classy sitting in our family room than The Quaker Oats Man.
Supplies:
- Kathy’s free oatmeal container straw game printable sticker template (PDF)
- Full-sheet sticker paper
- Empty Quaker oatmeal container
- Straws (straight skinny ones work best)
- Round Hole Punch – 1/4″
- Paper trimmer
(or scissors
)
Print my free oatmeal sticker template onto full-sheet easy-peel sticker paper. I recommend laser printing for best results but you can use ink jet too.
Peel 1-2 full-sheets of white sticker paper and cover the oatmeal container label.
Cut the stickers into rectangles using your paper cutter.
Let your kid peel and randomly put the colored rectangles all over the oatmeal box.
Cut out a white circle, peel and stick onto the top of the lid.
Cut out the circle sticker, peel and stick onto the top of the white circle on the lid.
Use your hole punch to make 1-2 holes in each color quadrant. Test your straw to see if it will go through; if not, keep punching to make larger holes. Put on the lid and play!
COPYRIGHT NOTE:You’re more than welcome to use free pattern and how t0 step-by-step tutorial for your own personal use. Contact me for any commercial use – this includes etsy sellers.
Please post a comment if you use this project and let me know how it works for you. And you can post your photos to our “I made it!” flickr photo group. Craft and pass it on!
July 18th, 2012 at 8:08 am
I was about to mail one of these containers to my little niece, but it wouldn’t fit in the box. Then I was going to put it in the recycling bin. But now that I’ve seen your post, I will make it into a toy for her.
June 2nd, 2012 at 12:42 am
We will definitely be doing this. I’d also been hanging on to oatmeal containers with no definite goal and we just bought a bunch of straws. My toddler will love this!
April 11th, 2012 at 4:55 pm
Several months later I am still in love with this concept! Easy & Simple!
February 16th, 2012 at 2:26 pm
I have so many of these containers! I keep saving them but never come up with anything other than a drum to do with them… I included this in a roundup of materials to save for the kids to play with :) http://www.handsonaswegrow.com/2012/02/34-recyclables-to-upcycle-for-kids.html
Jamie
November 11th, 2011 at 5:23 am
Wow this is wonderful! My son would surely like this much. He is amazed with colors.
October 26th, 2011 at 2:42 pm
I love this idea – so clever and easy too! Thanks!
September 19th, 2011 at 10:48 pm
What a great little game for the little ones! Thanks for sharing!
September 19th, 2011 at 7:02 am
Saw your wreath featured on pampers and playmates! This would be perfect for some kids I know!
September 16th, 2011 at 10:47 am
Hi Yvonne, thanks for letting me know. I put the wrong URL in. Try it now and let me know if you have any more bugs with it. Glad you can use it!
September 14th, 2011 at 3:57 pm
This is so clever, I would love to make one but the link to the printable doesn’t seem to be working.