DIY toys kids will love

You may not know it, but your house probably contains enough items to make safe and hilarious games. Here are some simple ideas that will surely captivate your kids for hours.

If your child has a taste for the mysterious, teach him the secret of invisible writing. All that's required is a small bowl of lemon juice, a cotton swab and a piece of paper.

1. Dip the swab in the juice and write on the paper. When the paper is dry, there will be no sign of the lemon juice "ink."
2. Now hold the paper near to, but not touching, a hot lightbulb, moving the paper slowly over the heat. Magically, the writing will turn brown and legible. A trick worthy of the wizards of Hogwarts!

Here's a fun activity that can help preschoolers master their counting and sorting skills.

1. With a marker, write the numbers one through 12 in the egg sections.
2. Provide edibles such as shaped cereal, raisins or nuts and have the child put the right amount in each numbered section.

You can play a similar sorting game by having him separate different shapes and colors of cereal, dry pasta or dried beans. Or, another variation, give the child a bowl of raw fruit and vegetable pieces — sliced carrots and apples, peas, grapes, mandarin orange segments, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, button mushrooms — whatever you have on hand. Then have him sort the food into the egg sections by type.

Kids love bubbles. Big bubbles. Little bubbles. Clouds of bubbles. And your house is full of items that can make bubbles of all shapes and sizes. Many bubble-ologists swear by a simple blower made of two sheets of plain typing paper. Here's how to make what is prized for its humongous bubbles:

1. Stack the sheets and roll into a cone lengthwise, with the tip at the corner of the pages; the diameter at the large end of the cone should be about three to four centimetres (one and a quarter to one and a half inches).
2. Tape the cone with masking tape starting about five centimetres (two inches) above the large end — it's vital that the tape and bubble solution don't touch.
3. Trim the small end of the cone to about 1.25 centimetres (half an inch) in diameter.
4. To make the flat, smooth-rimmed opening essential for bubble blowing, trim the large end at a point where all layers of paper are overlapping. Cut off any rough spots on the bottom rim, testing for smoothness by running your finger over it. Also test it for evenness by making sure the cone will stand upright on a smooth surface.
5. Dip the large end in bubble solution and blow slowly to make bubbles. Experts advise leaving the cone in the mix for 30 seconds the first time it's used; after that, a two- or three-second dip will do.

You'll be glad you'll have these easy and fun DIY projects up your sleeve the next time you're looking for something to keep the kids entertained. It won't be long before they're buzzing like happy, busy little bees.