Perler Bead Love.

Remember these things??

I think my grandma and I did about a thousand projects with these when I was little. I was walking through Joann with Gem the other day and say a whole wall of these and giggled with excitement. I had forgotten all about them! The idea is to put them all together in a design that you like and then you iron them together so they look like this:
                                     

 SO even though they are recommended for over 4, I decided to give them a shot with Gemma. And she LOVES them. We bought a kit that came with three templates (shapes with tiny little pegs to put the beads on.) When she fills up the shape, I just iron it together..and voila! 

                                       

If you have a youngster that still puts things in their mouth occasionally, I would recommend watching them, or doing it with them. I just plop Gem in her high chair and pull her up next to me. It's a great activity to foster creativity and it promotes the development of those small motor skills! It took her a few tries, but she is now placing the beads like a champ!

Definitely worth a try! I find it an especially great way to occupy Gem while I'm cooking, or trying to get in my incredibly long 20 minute workout every day. ;) She doesn't always finish a whole shape, but whatever. The point is to keep her occupied and not watching Dora.

jill.