How to make the little ones in your life happy with three fun projects
By Anne Zoet
What could be more fun than to please your child and your kitty at the same time? Create a fun cat toy with your child with one of these three projects. Supervision required: these need to be safe both for your child in the making and for your kitty to play with til they it to shreds (which is what they attempt to do with every toy).
Great reasons to make cat toys at home with your kids:
- The more you involve children with cats, the stronger bonds will form and the greater understanding your children will have about cats and play
- Most cat toys found on the market are made in China with unverifiable contents, thus the safety for cats chewing them is unknown
Three fun toys to make:
Project 1: Pom-pom Pull Toy (ages 5+)
This is a simple project that can be done with young kids. All imperfections can be masked in the trimming process: if you don’t have enough of a lead string after cutting, just trim that one down and tie a longer one to the pom-pom. For a lopsided ball, just trim-down the longer pieces.
For downloadable instructions, please see the Pom-pom Pull Toy.
Project 2: Half Moon Mouse (ages 7+)
Sewing and crocheting takes some skill, but at around age 6 or 7 kids really start to have some dexterity. This is a great, simple project to start off both boys and girls on seeing the results of their craftsmanship in a very short time. If you want to eliminate the crocheting, the tail can be left as a string.
For downloadable instructions, please see the Half Moon Mouse.
Project 3: Crochet Octopus (ages 9+)
This project is very forgiving: a few missed or extra stitches or a longer or shorter octopus leg will go unnoticed. Essentially, my crochet skills are that of a 9 year old’s, so if I can do this, they can too.
For downloadable instructions, please see the Octopus.
Have fun creating joy for both you children and your cats!
About the author:
Anne: Her passions are art, words, travel, the environment and animals. In addition to her human family, she shares her home with three domestic cats (though sometimes she wonders if they’re not just a bit wild). Since cats are so scrumptious, hers are always named after Italian foods: Panino 15 years old, Nutella 8 years old, and Trofia 1 year old. Anne created Radlilcat to share projects and a passion for felines. She would love to pass along her love of animals to children with her new children’s picture book, Purrball Meets Burrball in Brazil.
Very cute!
Reblogged this on Rattiesforeverworldpresscom.
So cute and the picture is also so beautiful. Good post.
I’m not sure how to send you an e-mail, except via Katzenworld comments.
I just found your comment about posting one of my poems at your site (Purrfect Poetry?) …
YES. I’d LOVE IT!.
Here it is!
Sorry, if this isn’t the right way to do “this”. These days computer jargon confuses me!
VOYEUR Posted by hugr5 on November 5, 2016
*Molten molded glass,* *the svelte black cat* *sat on the shelf —* *faced raised, sunlight,* *his eyes closed.*
Hiya! That’s no problem at all! 🙂
If you can send it to me via marc@katzenworld.co.uk with any visuals you’d like to use I’ll get it added right away. 😀
Ah, thanks! I sent it to your website, but I will correct that mishap posthaste. I do have a photo that might work – it’s old but it’s him! 😀
Looking forward to it. 🙂
My kids have made the pompoms! Sweet! ?
adorable!
Anne, I love seeing you here! Great article, too! ~Rachel
Thank you! Glad you liked Anne’s article. 🙂
Well hello Rachel! Don’t all cat lovers converge always?! Nice to see you here 🙂
Reblogged this on ZodiacImmortal and commented:
Teach your child how to make toys and play with your cat.
A kitten or cat is the best pet to have for a young child to grow with. My first cat err Kitten, chose me when I was 3 or 4 years old. He would follow me around my Pop-pops yard. He had a few siblings but they didn’t really bother with me. One day while there he sat in front of my dad’s car near the tire like “Take me home or run me over”. He used to nap with me, and the coolest thing was if I couldn’t find one of the dolls to my doll house, he’d find them and show us where it was.
Cats are easier to care for as they are normally independent. They don’t have to be walked a few times a day and you just have to leave out a bowl of dry food and a bowl of water. Also feed them some wet food for the morning and at dinner plus of course you need the litter pan. (and to change the box at least once a week but we do it twice.)
You can make quick toys by rolling up some foil into a tight ball to play, a box (they can play in and with an old pillow or shirt can be made into a bed for them) until you can get the supplies at a store. Always be sure there’s places in the house they can climb around as well.
If you know someone who sews, crochets or knits ask them if they can make a toy for your kitten (especially one that is furry) maybe it can be made in a way that it can be opened so you can stuff it as well as putting some cat nip in it. Then you can always refresh it.
You can use some string (play with close supervision to the child and cat and never just leave the string around as the cat can eat it, and it’ll bind around their intestines and could die we know someone who’s cat it happened to)
My cats have always been part of the family, our current one is our fur baby, and spoiled by my parents. She’s been my alarm clock, she comes and gives me hugs (head butts or rubs) She knows when I need a laugh (really I swear this cat, my Sully likes to hear me laugh… She seems to forget when her tongue is out and no matter how little or far out it is always gives me a laugh. She shoots out of the litter box like a bat outta hell and runs around the house as though its chasing her. There’s are just a couple of things that make us laugh (or laugh at her).
If they are allergic to cats, get them a small animal like a mouse or hamster something furry that they can learn responsibility with then when they are around 10 or 12 then if they want a dog they should be responsible enough to care for them.
Very cute, great post!
Pingback: Toys Made by Kids, Great for Cats — Katzenworld | My Health Selections
Thank you for the kind comments, glad you enjoyed my kid-cat-toy post. I love bringing cats closer to their families. I would not be the same person today if it were not for my very best friend in the world (the first cat I had when I was 5 yrs old!). Having a cat in my early years is one of my life’s fondest memories. It is very fun to see children connect more and more with their family cats and understand the mutual joy they can bring each other!
https://youtu.be/exx2swajeq0