I have a brain that sees bizarre possibilities in the normal. I am never content in using something for it's intended purpose. I can walk the aisles of the Dollar Tree conjuring up all sorts of creative things to do with the ordinary and walk out with oodles of options.
This idea was sparked while I was making some magnets my fellow family childcare buddy Jenn (known as "My Jenn" in Let them Play ) was making (basically adding magnets to the ordinary...plastic lizards, puzzle pieces, fuzzy pom poms etc.) While doing that I thought to myself: "Self...how could I make bendable magnets that could be manipulated with little hands into whatever shape they desired?!" Wah lah...the pipecleaner magnet was born.
Here's how it's done:
- Simply take 4-6 pipecleaners (after making several, I prefer 6 pipecleaners)
- Braid the pipecleaners together
- Attach each end to round magnets using a hot glue gun
- Ta Dah!
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| This is a mass of a bunch of pipecleaner magnets...they are soft, flexible fun! |
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| One can make all sorts of fun creations with pipecleaner magnets! |
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| It is challenging for little fingers to manipulate the pipe cleaner magnets....it's also super fun, so the motivation is there for some excellent small motor work..er..I mean PLAY! :) |
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| Pipe cleaner magnets are great for teamwork too! Gavin and Ethan are creating a........ROLLERCOASTER!!! |
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| Can you guess what this is?!! A beautiful butterfly! |
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| To make just take four or six pipecleaners. This one was made with four. Two yellow, and two blue. I then braided the pipecleaners...keeping the two blue together as if one, and each blue seperately. Then hot glue each end to magnet. |
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| Two year old Lindsey is twisting the pipecleaner magnet in an attempt to make a springy magnet |
What are you waiting for? Go get some pipecleaners, round magnets (52 for $5 something at Walmart) and pull out your hot glue gun and let your inner glue nut go crazy!! You will probably invent some other fun magnets! If so...share in the comments below!!!
Hungry for more? Here's some of my personal favorite blog entries:
Inspire Imaginations with Curiosity....part 1 (make sure to follow the link on the blog to part 2!!)
Check out the list of "popular posts" on the right side of your screen for more favs!
