Phee asks to drive the car all the time. She loves to play with my keys, often swiping them and running away, giggling like crazy. Oddly, she's never had toy keys.
A few weeks ago, we received a couple junk mailers with keys attached to them. You know these, right? "We've mailed out the matching key. Come to the dealership and try yours!" I tossed them, but luckily hadn't emptied the recycling bin yet so I was able to dig them back out. (Yes, I realize I shouldn't recycle them with the keys still attached. This was right after our return from vacation and I was busy.) I also dug around and found a few old keys that don't seem go to anything anymore. At least not anything I can remember.
In my craft stash, I found a large metal ring to hold the keys. But, I couldn't find any old key chains, or anything that could double as a key chain. So, I decided to make one for Phee's keys.
I created two 3" x 2" shapes in Publisher. Each got a nice border.
One one side, I added buttons with the lock and unlock symbols. On the
other side I added buttons with a house and a car.
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| {key chain templates} |
Materials
- old keys
- metal craft ring
- card stock
- hole punch
- clear packing tape
Directions
- Use my template, or create your own key chain design
- Cut both sides out
- Fold a piece of card stock and trace the shape of your key chain on the front
- Cut out the traced shape on the extra card stock (provides some bulk for the key chain)
- Hole punch each piece of card stock and key chain piece
- Line them up evenly and carefully apply clear packing tape to laminate and seal the key chain
- Repunch the hole once you're finished laminating the key chain
It doesn't make noise, but Phee has had a lot of fun pretending to lock and unlock the front door and car doors. Most mornings she'll grab the keys on the way out the door. When I gave her the finished project she entertained herself for twenty minutes with her keys and her bag pretending to drive to school.
Have your kids gone through a key phase like this? And how do you manage if you have the actual plastic toy keys that make sounds? I can't handle those!
Have your kids gone through a key phase like this? And how do you manage if you have the actual plastic toy keys that make sounds? I can't handle those!
