I’m not a huge fan of any toddler craft that just creates paper junk. I don’t mind hanging these up on the bulletin board. After a while, they do go in the trash. (Because I’m a heartless declutterer). So, I often look for crafts that either create a later activity (like a puppet), can be used to decorate, or teach a skill. This customized coffee canister provides a storage option for my son’s toys and sits easily on the shelf in his closet.
Customized Coffee Canister for Toddlers
Time Filled: 30 minutes
Materials: Coffee Canister, white paint, markers or highlighters, paint brush
I started this project the night before, secretly painting the can white. I wanted to ensure a smooth surface to create a good canvas for my son’s artwork. It took about 3 coats of paint to completely cover the surface.
The next day, the canister was dry and ready to decorate. We sat at my son’s desk with some bright highlighters. It took him a little while to figure out how to hold the can and draw on a curve.
Of course, he wanted me to join in (requesting that I draw triangles and “Mickey”).
I love that this project was very mess-free. Because I painted the canister ahead of time, this worked well as an indoor rainy-day craft. Also, it is a useful project, as we can use the container to store toys. We have accumulated several of these painted canisters to separate his different types of building blocks.
Variations
We’re probably going to do a version of this with stickers. He enjoys making little patterns – especially with shape stickers.
Another Easy Toddler Craft
If you enjoyed this easy toddler activity, please follow me on Instagram @verdera.me. I post about the creative ways I fill my time (including with my little son.) Some of these include:
We’re always looking for fun things to do together — especially the ones that get us outside.
