DIY threading cards

One of the pitfalls of staying at home with kids is the sometimes overwhelming task of entertaining them.  My three year old is always looking for new things to do.  Since we already own waaay too many store bought toys, it's fun to come up things we can make around here.  Homemade projects aren't meant to last forever, but they get the job done for a while.

Today we made "threading" cards using the computer, card stock, a hole punch, a paper poking tool (official name?), and some shoe laces.  Want to do it too?

Step one:  Print off a very simple image in a 4x6 size using your program of choice onto heavy card stock. (see image above)

Step two: Punch as many holes as you can reach with the hole punch.  Keep the holes to a minimum (so paper won't rip) and nice and spread out.

Step three: Use your paper poker to get to the areas you couldn't reach with your hole punch.  My poker has two sides, one for making a small pinhole, and one rounded side to push through the hole and make it bigger and round.  If you don't own a poker, you could just as easily use a need to make a small hole and then use a pencil to gently make the hole bigger and rounder.

Step four:  Have a little one help you thread the shoelaces through the holes (again and again). 

I'm not sure how long the paper will hold up, but it's keeping her busy for now, and that's all that matters.