DM cards turn into a game toolset for kids to enjoy being little entrepreneurs!

As toddlers grow, no amount of toys can satisfy them anymore.
Any toy only holds their interest for three minutes.
There’s almost nothing they’ll play with non-stop for three months.
And even less so a toy they’ll play with “all by themselves” for 30 minutes…

So I’ve given up buying new toys and even abandoned the fantasy of peaceful solo play.
But to be honest, even I get bored playing with the same toys every day with my little one.
Let alone a toddler who constantly wants something new?!
So I started actively brainstorming and thinking of new play ideas every day.

☆

Let me share the first idea – “DIY fruit and veggie picture cards.”
There are always endless promotional flyers from supermarkets at home.
How do you all usually use them?
Apart from using them as lunchbox mats or turning them into trash boxes,
In my house, they’re actually great teaching tools!

Because unlike the hand-drawn illustrations in toddler books,
The photos in supermarket flyers look the most like real fruits and vegetables.
They’re perfect for teaching toddlers to recognize different produce.
Give it a try – make good use of what’s around you.

☆

At this stage, toddlers love playing “shopkeeper” games.
Along with the shopkeeper toy set that came with Tigger (a popular kids' character),
I specially made lots of fruit and veggie picture cards for my little one.
It helps with learning and recognition, and also makes the playtime more fun and varied.

The tools are super simple – all recycled materials.
Unused supermarket flyers.
Unused cardboard.

Since handmade toys get worn out quickly, there's no need to spend extra money buying new ones.
And the best part is the joy of making things together, which extends the quality parent-child playtime.

“Simple and fast” is my principle.
Just glue the cardboard onto the flyer.
Just cut out the photos you want.
It’s done in no time~

☆Since you’ve made them, find ways to use them more

How to play?

“First way: Food recognition”
First, have the little one cover all the picture cards
Then play the card-flipping game
Let her flip them however she wants, and when she flips one, she has to say the name of the fruit or vegetable
Then have her describe the taste of the food—she’s amazingly good at it

She’s eaten many of these foods before
But she only recognizes their cooked forms or hand-drawn versions
She doesn’t recognize what they actually look like
So making your own picture cards is a great teaching tool~

☆“Second way: Sorting game”

Figure out which are fruits and which are vegetables?
The little one even pretended to eat them herself
So cute~ haha

☆“Third way: Color recognition”

The cards are all flipped over~ now it’s time to learn colors Up
Mom gives a quiz: Which ones are green?
Watch the little one having so much fun
It’s way more fun than learning colors from a book~

☆“Fourth way: Little shopkeeper game”

Now that she knows them all, it’s time to officially start the little shopkeeper game Up
Pair it with the Tigger mini cash register, and the little shopkeeper’s store is open for business Up
There are so many items inside, let mom, the customer, pick to her heart’s content
Have a great time killing time~ haha

But with just some upcycled picture cards, as long as you use your creativity, there are so many ways to play
Everyone, put on your thinking caps and come up with fun ideas~ enrich your child’s every day!