Turn a Pringles can and some paint swatches into a fun fine-motor drop activity for babies and toddlers!
I have a hard time parting with my recyclables. Before I toss anything in the recycle bin, I think about the potential to upcycle it into a craft or an activity for my home daycare kids.
Pringles cans are like gold. They’re big and sturdy and they’re terrific for kids’ crafts and activities.
RELATED: Pringles can binoculars, telescope and windsock.
Yesterday, I decided to put a Pringles can and a handful of paint swatches to use, and I turned them into a fine motor activity for my toddlers. (I’ll share more ways to re-use Pringles cans at the bottom of this post.)
It was really easy to make. Let me show you how.
You may also enjoy these fine-motor activities for babies and toddlers.
Supplies/Tools:
For your conviencience, this post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
- A Pringles or other brand potato chip can
- Decorative Duct Tape (or scrap-book paper, wallpaper samples, contact paper etc.)
- craft knife
- cutting mat (optional)
- paint chip samples
A note about our duct tape: If you’re using a different brand’s Potato chip can and the shape is awkward, (see photo below), you don’t have to cover it. Pringles cans are easy to cover though, so I used one of my new favourite finds: decorative duct tape. I love this tape! We’ve used it recently to make these bracelets and these bookmarks, and I made this Cardboard “Drop Zone” drop zone activity for the preschoolers. Amazon carries a wide variety of colours and patterns,
How to Make it:
- I decorated the can by cutting long lengths of my tape, and running the strips top to bottom on the can.
- With a craft knife, I cut a slit in the lid, making it slightly wider than my widest paint swatch. If you don’t have a cutting mat similar to the one pictured above, make sure to protect the surface you’re working on with a cutting board or a thick layer of newspaper etc. .
- Snap the lid on the can, and Voila! How easy was that?
Now you just need some paint chip samples. You’re probably familiar with these right? You can find them in any Paint and Wallpaper shop and in the paint section of most hardware stores.
I used to just sneak a few into my pocket every time I was at the paint store, but recently I asked if I could take some for my daycare, and the manager generously gave me about 20 unopened packages of their least favourite colours. SCORE! Never hurts to ask!
Okay! Once you have your swatches gathered up, hand the whole activity over to your toddler, and let them do their thing!
The hooligans LOVED this activity!
The preschoolers even got into the action, working together to fill the can and then dumping the paint chips out, and starting all over again.
The baby had a trouble getting the paint samples through the thin opening in the lid, so I removed the lid and she had a great time dropping the paint chips through the larger opening.
Skill Development
This was still a great fine motor exercise for her. Those little paint chips are tricky to separate from each other and challenging for little fingers to pick up off the floor.
Her hand-eye co-ordination was challenged as well, lining the paint sample up with the opening of the can.
Don’t you love it when learning comes from the simplest of activities?
Fun was had by all! And when you’re finished, store the paint chips in the can for future use!
So tell me, how have YOU re-used a Pringles for a craft or activity?
More Ways to Use Pringles Cans for Crafts and Activities:
Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.
Kate
What a brilliant idea. I love that you can also make it work for babies too. Great work.
Marianne Churilla-Sheridan
Great use of these containers. I feel as you did about taking the “samples” I like them for our cutting bin and often struggle with *stealing* them . 😉
happyhooligans
Thanks, Marianne! The hooligans LOVE using them for cutting as well. That’s a favourite activity here too. 🙂
nancy
I did a similar thing with one if those tootsie roll banks and the little plastic things that come on pkgs of buns… worked great…kiddos loved it.
happyhooligans
Great idea, Nancy! There are so many possibilities, aren’t there?
Dominika @ Montessaurus
Amazing idea! Very creative and inspiring 🙂
happyhooligans
Thank you, Dominika! So glad you enjoyed it!
Anne Holt
I made Pringle tubes into mark making kits. I covered the tin in popualr themed paper eg Ben 10, Disney etc then added a strap so that it then looked rather like an holder for carrying arrows, put paper and pens in and left them outside. All our nursery children loved them and mark making increased.
happyhooligans
Wonderful, Anne! We may have to do something similar here! Love the versatility of the humble Pringles can!
Cha
I have a very hard time letting go of recyclables! My husband calls me a functional hoarder. Im so very glad you posted this, a lot of us can breathe a sigh of relief over paint sample anxiety. 🙂
happyhooligans
Hahaha! That had me laughing out loud, chalee8! A functional hoarder, exhibiting paint sample anxiety. Oh my. I think that probably describes a lot of us!
Jill
I always grab a few of the paint chips too!! My new pile of craft/cutting pages…the travel brochures at the front of the hotel. My littles love cutting and gluing and using them as maps.
happyhooligans
Love the idea of hotel brochures. We haven’t tried map-making here, but it sounds like fun!
bev
I just recently started grabbing them for my pre-k class we use them for cutting practice then we craft with them thanks for the game ideas
June Roush
I did the same thing almost I used the plastic wipe boxes and use the metal juice tops and bottoms we used different stickers on them in numbers, colors, animals, the ABC’s what ever you want to work with them mix them up and have them separate them and put in the boxes the real little one just over 1 love to take colorful scarves out of the opening in the boxes their little hands go in there real easy…
happyhooligans
Love your ideas, Ruth!
Adele Wilkes
Love this pringles can make. It’s so good to be in the company of people who understand the need to save things like paint cards, pringles cans, etc. etc, etc. I’ve never seen the blue plastic holder shown on this page.
happyhooligans
Oh, you should see my craft cupboards, Adele! LOL I have a hard time parting with anything that looks like it *might* come in handy one day! The blue canisters are by “Lays”. Very similar to a pringle, just a different brand. 🙂
Beth
Awesome idea! Will be heading out for paint samples today! My daughter loves doing stuff like this! This is similar but my mom got a wipe box one that was soft when you put your hand in it because some of them are hard! Anyway she cut up different fabric strips and my little loves taking them out and putting them back in! Thanks for sharing!