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DIY projects, crafts, free sewing patterns and printables that look handmade, not homemade

Home / Occasion / Baby & Kids / Oatmeal container straw game: fun DIY toddler indoor activit ...

Oatmeal container straw game: fun DIY toddler indoor activity

September 12, 2011 by Kathy

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DIY free oatmeal container straw game for toddlers

Today’s indoor craft activity is for toddlers under two years old: it’s a color sorting straw game made out of a recycled oatmeal container. And trust me, it will keep them entertained at home for hours. All you need is an empty Quaker oatmeal canister (or cardboard box), a standard hole punch, a bunch of colorful straws, and my free printable below. 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 DIY indoor activity that you can make for free at home.

DIY free oatmeal container straw game for babies and toddlers

Playing with a DIY oatmeal container straw game

What is an oatmeal straw game for toddlers?

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 for toddlers. 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, and I like the idea of making a preschool educational activity that helps Elise improve her fine motor skills. So we made one and Elise was hooked!

See also: ‘Non-slip DIY play mat for Play-Doh and art projects’ ยป

A couple weeks later (and yes, this DIY activity kept my toddler entertained for weeks), I wanted to make the oatmeal straw 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.

Making a free DIY toddler game activity

So now our color-sorting straw indoor toddler activity is fun and educational, too. And it looks a little more classy sitting in our family room than The Quaker Oats Man. Elise loves to watch the straws disappear and when they’re all gone, she loves to take off the lid, dump the straws onto the floor in a pile, and play again.

What makes this indoor toddler activity educational?

This DIY indoor toddler activity builds fine-motor skills. Toddlers will peel stickers to decorate their recycled oatmeal container game. And it takes a good deal of fine motor control to grip the straws and slip them inside the holes. Additionally, this DIY activity teaches toddlers to recognize and sort colors. As your toddler to name the colors as they sort them, or your toddler can say, “bye bye yellow!” as the yellow straw disappears into the container, and “bye bye blue!” It’s soothing to play this game — I often sit down and play it with my daughter and it’s pretty zen.

DIY free activity for babies and toddlers from recycled oatmeal container

This post contain affiliate links which means that products I recommend may give me a nominal commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks โ€“ your clicks help me make more free DIYs!

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Supplies for making an oatmeal container straw game for toddlers under two years old:

  • 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 good Paper Scissors)


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Step 1: Print the template onto sticker template and cut

Print my free oatmeal sticker template onto full-sheet easy-peel sticker paper. I recommend laser printing for best results but you can use inkjet. Peel 1-2 full-sheets of white sticker paper and cover the oatmeal container label to cover the container.

Cover oatmeal box with white paper

After that, cut the stickers into rectangles using your paper trimmer or good paper scissors.

How to make oatmeal container straw game for babies and toddlers recycled oatmeal container craft ideas and free project tutorial

Step 2: Add stickers to the oatmeal container

Let your toddler peel and randomly put the colored rectangles all over the oatmeal box. This was a fun indoor toddler activity in itself! My toddler spent a lot of time fascinated by peeling stickers and placing them onto the recycled oatmeal container. Her favorite friend, Pink Monkey, helped supervise.

Peeling stickers for a free DIY toddler toy

Step 3: Create the lid for the disappearing straw indoor toddler activity

Cut out a white circle from the full-sheet sticker paper, peel, and stick onto the top of the lid to cover the Quaker logo. This will ensure that the logo is completely hidden.

Make oatmeal container straw game

After that, cut out the colored circle sticker, peel, and stick onto the top of the white circle on the lid.

Decorating an oatmeal container lid

Use your 1/4″ hole punch to punch two holes in each color quadrant. You’re going to have to squish the plastic lid ring a bit t get your punch into the right place. Test your straw to see if it will go through; if not, keep punching to make larger holes. Alternatively, you can use a craft knife to whittle out some holes.

Punching holes in oatmeal container straw game

Put on the lid and play! In addition, this easy DIY indoor activity will keep your toddler interested for weeks. And they’ll start to learn their colors, too!

Playing with a DIY oatmeal container straw game

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Be sure to pin my recycled oatmeal container straw sort game DIY indoor toddler activity:

Fun DIY toddler indoor activity: Straw Sort Game

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And here are more simple DIY toddler activities and crafts to make at home:

 

Sunshine and Rainbows DIY Halloween costume. Get this free sewing pattern to make this cute toddler and baby Halloween costume idea.
Sunshine and Rainbow Halloween costume
DIY large baby bib free sewing pattern for toddlers
Extra long baby bib for toddlers
Felt and fleece stove DIY kids play kitchen with detachable felt "burners." It's flat, so you can put it anywhere and roll it up to store away. What a great kids DIY Christmas gift idea! | DIY play kitchen | DIY felt stovetop | DIY felt oven #diygifts #christmas #sewing #freesewingpattern #sewingpattern #DIY #diyforkids
Felt stove play kitchen
3 Creative Travel Activities for Ages 4-7
3 Creative Travel Activities for Kids ages 4-7
Easy kids spring activity: felt flowers
Easy kids spring activity: felt flowers
Free baby bib sewing pattern for drooly babies. Make this DIY drool-resistant baby bib to help keep baby's clothes and skin dry while teething. #sewing #freesewingpattern #sewingpattern #babybib #diybabygift
Waterproof-lined bib for drooly babies

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Copyright stuff: Youโ€™re more than welcome to use this free project and tutorial for personal use. Contact me for commercial use and Etsy sales.

 

Filed Under: Baby & Kids, DIY Tutorials, Earth Day, Recycled Crafts, Under $10, Under 1 Hour

About Kathy

I'm Kathy, maker of things and Chicago mom who likes simple and clever DIYs that look handmade, not homemade. I like sewing, printables, handmade birthdays, holiday decor and easy cakes. See my work at HGTV, DIY Network, Apartment Therapy, DesignSponge, more. โœ‚๏ธ

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Comments

  1. 1

    Yvonne says

    September 14, 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.

    • 2

      Kathy Beymer says

      September 16, 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!

  2. 3

    Blond Duck says

    September 19, 2011 at 7:02 am

    Saw your wreath featured on pampers and playmates! This would be perfect for some kids I know!

  3. 4

    Leslie says

    September 19, 2011 at 10:48 pm

    What a great little game for the little ones! Thanks for sharing!

  4. 5

    Pam says

    October 26, 2011 at 2:42 pm

    I love this idea – so clever and easy too! Thanks!

  5. 6

    Shiela says

    November 11, 2011 at 5:23 am

    Wow this is wonderful! My son would surely like this much. He is amazed with colors.

  6. 7

    Jamie @ hands on : as we grow says

    February 16, 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 ๐Ÿ™‚ http://www.handsonaswegrow.com/2012/02/34-recyclables-to-upcycle-for-kids.html

    Jamie

  7. 8

    Marnie @ Carrots are Orange says

    April 11, 2012 at 4:55 pm

    Several months later I am still in love with this concept! Easy & Simple!

  8. 9

    Yogamama says

    June 2, 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!

  9. 10

    Alexa says

    July 18, 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.

Kathy Beymer from Merriment Design
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