Toys - Independence, MO

You might try making a rain maker. Fill the can about half full with dry rice and then hot-glue the lid onto the can so it can't be pulled off. You can decorate it with construction paper and stickers, but I wouldn't recommend things like buttons because they're easily pulled off (even if hot glued down), and are choking hazards. Then you shake the can like a rattle to make a "rain" noise. You might also be able to put a funnel, inside so you can turn it upside down and the "rain" will slowly go down the funnel. Good luck!

Contact paper would be great for the outside. Also there are all kinds of different fabrics you could use for textures. Sounds like a fun project. Good luck!

We made Christmas cans out of them one year. I hot-glued Christmas-type fabric around the outside, and then different kinds of ribbon and mini-ornaments.

The cans we had were kind of stiff cardboard material on the side, and then some type of metal on the bottom. Eventually, they do start rusting around the edges of the bottom. We also used them plain to store binkies, bottle nipples, bottle rings, and things like that.

Our cans also had a bit of a sharp edge inside where the pull-top lid came off. DH filed that down.

The kids in my daycare love this toy I made. You cover the outside of the formula can with nice paper (this is a can that holds the powder) and cut a slit in the lid. I save the tops from juice cans and paint them different colors. They love to put the can lids through the slots. So the lid of the powder can would be removable to dump the juice can lids back out. They will do this forever! I have had to make mulitple ones so everyone can have thier own.

My sister worked at a mother's day out for a year and they made books with different textures on it. They were really cute. They used the foamies for the pages and yarn to tie the pages together and then put different things on each page. They used the sand paper, noodles, and those colorful, round scrubbies you can buy in a package at the dollar store. (I am not sure what the name for them is) They used other things too but I don't remember them all. I don't know if the noodles and scrubbies would work on the can but it might be worth trying. I have also taken an empty juice bottle and then put wooden clothes pins or dow rods inside and leave the lid off. My kiddos will sit for hours and dump the stuff out and put them back in. This is great for their fine motor skills. I have also taken an empty formula can and covered it with color paper and then glued cut outs from magazines of animals on it. This is great for crawlers because they will try and grab it and it rolls away from them to encourage them to go after it. I hope these ideas help!!

J.