Homemade Gifts: Busy Book

Ok so I admit it: I am totally overwhelmed by life this holiday season.  Its not just the holidays, but everything.  So posts have been a little sparse this past week, and I have a couple I hope to get out before Christmas, and then will take a week or two off while we are in Chicago.  (just to give you a heads up).

Anyway, even though this might be a little late for you to replicate by Christmas, I am going to show you a quick and easy (sloppy?  don't notice all the glue gun messes, please!) busy book I made for my neice.  My mother in law has the hardest time keeping my niece and nephew quiet during church and there is no nursery.  So I decided to make my niece a busy book, hopefully it will help!  I'm not sure what would occupy her, she is nearly three but a little behind developmentally... And I have zero understanding of kids that are not the same age as Owen.. Not sure if this will be fun or not.

This was pretty much made with felt and hot glue, each page has a pocket to keep all the pieces in.

The cover, I glued on pipe cleaners, which was easier than cutting out letters but made a big ole mess

Sewed on buttons, pipe cleaner stems, you button the flowers on and off

Shadow matching with shapes

This is kind of like a Mr. Potatohead deal where you just put together a monster face

Weaving

Picking apples from the tree, putting them in the basket, they spell her name

fish, counting up to 6

I tried to make sure most of the pages had fun pieces to play with because she loves little things, likes to hold toys and line them up, so that even if she isn't into the activity on the page she might find the pieces interesting.  We will see how it goes!