Mommy Made Hand Assembled Toddler Hospital Homecoming Gift

Our little cousins had surgery recently. As a home coming gift for him and his siblings we assembled a hospital homecoming gift.

Kids are stellar in play based learning. Kids understand the basics if what's happening to them and these ideas are solidified in play. This was a mommy made gift when I didn't find much in ideas online. I wanted something simple that the kids could play with based on their understanding of the experiences that were happening not only to the sick nearly one-year old, but for his brother and sister, who were also experiencing this illness crisis (because when our kids are sick it really is a crisis).

This little Hospital Homecoming kit makes a fun gift, but it's also a fun simple kids activity to assemble at home too.


Handmade Kids Birthday Gift and Hospital Homecoming, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

Our Homecoming from the Hospital Kit:

- A new Elmo doll
- Elmo wrapped in a stretchy piece of bandage (from home)
- a bandaid on the bandage
- a box / container for our Doctor supplies: a small sponge square, an empty travel size shampoo container (which we use in the tub so we have plenty), a small notebook for writing down symptoms and a pen, get better stickers, pill bottle, bandaid box with 5 real bandages, and a small cup for water or syrup sipping.

Some parents feel children shouldn't open pill bottles, we advocate for teaching responsibility and never playing with real syrups and medicines. Also, parental supervision should be included so the blue bandage which is removable doesn't go around a toddlers neck.

Of course my kids made a handmade get well card too. We don't feel spending loads of cash is necessary to make fun, heartfelt gifts.

Make Mistakes. Breathe, Reflect. And Laugh.Out.Loud

More sensory bags... Some Details on What to Use

Here's some things I've discovered while making our Sensory bags and Learning Trays.

-- Baby oil adds a richer color to the paint or food coloring.

-- Dollar store hair gel dissolves. But it's a nice science lesson on liquids and their forms. 

--Baby Oil will stay intact and floats on top of the water. Olive oil sinks and stays on the bottom because it heavier then water. And gel melts away, leaving only bubbles. All are a nice science lesson on liquids and their forms. 

As we filled our jars we used terms like:

Half

Full

h2o 

--Kids fill their own sensory bags or bottles with their pre selected items.

-- Kids first add "items to their jar, on their own they pour glitter and leftover beads and sequence. Maybe add a funnel for easier clean up. Parents usually have to hold the funnel. 

-- then Fill w 2 squirts of paint (infer paints are nice).

-- Don't add water to bags for walls or widows, it's too heavy and doesn't allow for finger play. Gel works better, alone, as does paint only in the bag. If you will tape a sensory bag to the table, Table bags are okay to add water too. 

-- Baby oil floats on top of water I bags and bottles. Adding a Cool effect and beautiful colors.

--Make a rice "I-spy" bottle without water. All oil. The "flow" of objects is smoother and again teaches about textures in liquids.

Have fun!! There are no mistakes here.

Make mistakes. Breath, reflect. And Laugh.Out.Loud