1. Nature craft
Collect leaves, twigs, flowers etc. from the park or your back yard. Have toddler display them on a piece of paper, you may like to encourage toddler to use up lots of the space on paper. Cover the paper and leaves etc. with clear contact and frame it for a lovely picture.

2. Sticky tape fun.
Hang lots of pieces of sticky tape off the side of the table where toddler is sitting. On the table have a piece of paper and different pieces of scrap. Scrap paper screwed up, bits of string, left over craft bits…The idea is for the toddler to pull the sticky tape off the side of the table and stick some-thing down with it. It is very much the process not the finished product with this activity. It is difficult for a toddler to get the sticky tape right way down and flat - but they have lots of fun trying. Great for fine motor skills.

3. Sticker fun
What is it about stickers and toddlers? They seem to just love them. Let them go wild with a page or book of stickers and a blank piece of paper. Buy cheap stickers from discount shops. The one rule for my daughter with this activity is that she stays seated in her high chair to play. Great for fine motor skills.

4. Rock men
You take a rock and assist toddler to stick some googly eyes onto it with glue. Or use small felt balls. For hair you could use tinsel or anything curly/fluffy. Draw a mouth and nose on and there you have a very cute little rock man. Idea - Zoe from Kinross, Perth WA

5. Bubble painting
Fill a roasting tray or other shallow container half full of water. Mix in some food colouring and some detergent. Toddler uses a straw to blow bubbles into the water. You can help as well for lots more bubbles. Lots and lots of lovely coloured bubbles form. To capture the moment in art, take a piece of paper and gently place on top of bubbles. Remove and there you have a bubble painting. Word of caution, when I tried this at playgroup some children sucked instead of blowing!! We ended up with some very blue mouths. Quickly remove straw if you little one starts to suck! I saw this idea on ABC's Playschool.

6. Feet painting. Outside activity.
Another idea taken from ABC's Playschool. Put some paint in a shallow tray. Roll out some butcher paper or place some large pieces of paper in a row. At the other end of the paper have another shallow tray filled with clean water and detergent. Next to this have a towel. Toddler steps into the paint then walks along the paper into the clean water. Ask the toddler to walk side ways, in a zig zag, on their toes for fun and different effects. Toddler can walk over same paper with different coloured paint each time for another effect.

7. Roller painting. Outside activity.
Lay out a large piece of paper. Have a few different sized balls and a tray of paint. Cover a ball in paint and roll to toddler over paper. Ask her/him to roll back. Use different sized balls. You could also use an old car or truck - dip the wheels in paint and roll along. Makes quite an effective painting. Can be a messy one though - have a bucket of water and detergent and a towel on hand. Old clothes required for toddler.

8. Nappy box car.
Cut or rip out top and bottom of the large size nappy box. A perfect fit for a toddler. To keep it simple just use paper plates for wheels, tin cake holders or patty cake cups for headlights and string to attach to sides and hook over toddlers shoulder to keep car on. You could get really fancy and paint body/doors, add windows and wind shield wipers etc. if you like. Obviously the string could be a strangulation hazard so remove if you are not going to supervise at all times, toddler can hold car up with arms.

9. Potato stamps and more...
This one really makes me feel nostalgic. Cut a few potatos in half and cut designs into them. Geometrical shapes work well - a square, circle, triangle or star. Toddlers then dip the potatos into some poster paint (spread paint thinly onto a margarine container lid) and then stamp them onto sheets of paper. Tip - keep the paper and use it as special home made gift wrap for family and friends. You can also use other vegetables to make stamps - onions, carrots and apples for example - even leaves coins and hands and feet make good patterns.

10. Best table in the world
If you have a glass dining/coffee table you may like to buy a sheet of wood and have your children paint and decorate it then place the glass back on top. Personalised furniture! Can change the art work by putting large butcher paper that has been decorated by your children over it - to suit an occasion or just for fun! Thanks Lisa-Jay for the idea.

11. Paint the fence/path
Paint an object such as a fence with water and a brush or spray bottle. It dries clean. (Taken from P.A.L. Play and Learn Program, Dept. of Health, Govt. of Western Australia, Feb, 2006)

12. Shaving foam
Squirt onto a plastic table cloth or laminet bench, to be smeared and drawn in. It easily washes off with a damp cloth. (Taken from P.A.L. Play and Learn Program, Dept. of Health, Govt. of Western Australia, Feb, 2006)

13. Make a butterfly painting
Dob different paint colours onto half a sheet of paper, then fold the other half over and press the paper together. Open the paper to see the butterfly. (Taken from P.A.L. Play and Learn Program, Dept. of Health, Govt. of Western Australia, Feb, 2006)

14. Experiment with different materials - drawing and painting
There's painting, finger painting, feet painting, textas, crayons, pencils, chalkboards, potato prints, blow pens, spray bottle on the path, magnadoodle (great to keep toddlers occupied on outings - no messy pencils to pack up), pavement chalk. (Adapted from P.A.L. Play and Learn Program, Dept. of Health, Govt. of Western Australia, Feb, 2006)

15. Home made toys.
You can make a stove from a cardboard box; set up empty grocery boxes to play shops; a tennis ball in the end of a pair of pantyhose makes a great swinginh target game; cut a slot in a wine cask to turn it into a posting box; mix up some dish washing liquid for bubbles; cook up some palydough or turn a shoe box into teddy's bed or a tool box.. (Taken from P.A.L. Play and Learn Program, Dept. of Health, Govt. of Western Australia, Feb, 2006)

- Bat and ball; To make a bat re-shape a wire coathanger and make the hook into a safe circle. Thread stocking over the top and secure around the handle with insulation tape. For the ball, stuff the toe of the stocking with plastic bags. Secure with a knot and tie on extra stockings to give length to hang from clothesline or under patio rafter.

16. Home made jewelry.
You can thread penne pasta onto shoelaces to make necklaces. Toddler may like to paint the pasta first - let it dry then thread.