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 go to anything anymore.
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| {the finished key chain} |
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.
Very sweet!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing on Kids Get Crafty!
Maggy
It's getting lots of play at our house so I'd call it a success!
DeleteThat's a really cute idea. My kids have always had toy key chains. With sound. Without. Yet, they still preferred to play with mine... so this is cute as they are "real" keys!!! :)
ReplyDeleteShe loves it. We've had to come back into the house a number of mornings to get the keys so she can lock the door, lock the car, open the mailbox, etc. The keys don't work, but she's perfectly happy to jam the keys in the locks and try.
DeleteOh, I love these! My kids are always trying to take my kids so this is a perfect project.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to stop by and let you know that I featured this over at Just Us Four today! I hope you will come by and grab a featured button!
Thank you so much! It's certainly cut down on the key swiping at our house!
DeleteThis is awesome! My youngest would love to have her own keys, thanks for sharing the template it is great! And thanks for sharing on the we made that Linky!
ReplyDeleteHappy to share, especially if it solves a problem for some other moms!
DeleteThanks for sharing, I really love this idea and I am featuring it today!
DeleteOh wow, thanks so much!
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