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Type: Crafts
Skills: Critical Thinking,
Math & Numbers,
Play & Creativity
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This activity will demonstrate how you can make a baby mobile out of items that you have at home. Mobiles are great to hang above cribs or changing tables or just around your child care because it helps to calm children by re-channeling and re-directing their energy to something that has movement, color and dimension.
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What We Learn |
Mobiles can help calm babies
Mobiles provide a visual stimulant for infants
Older children can develop gross motor skills while creating a mobile
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Supply List |
Paper or styrofoam plate
Hole puncher or scissors
Yarn or thick string
Various small household items (such as buttons, plastic spoons, tongue depressors, egg cartons, foam pieces, clothespins, CDs sent in the mail, etc.)
Glue or strong adhesive tape
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How-To |
First, find a sturdy paper or styrofoam plate. Using a hole puncher or a pair of scissors, make a small hole in the center of the plate. Then make four additional holes around the perimeter of the plate, about a half-inch from the rim.
Next, cut five pieces of yarn or thick string. The mobile might be more interesting if the lengths of yarn are varied. The yarn should probably be at least 12 inches long, but not any longer than around 36 inches.
Once done, turn over your paper plate so it is face down and begin placing your five pieces of yarn through the holes in the plate. For each piece of yarn, you’ll want to tie a knot at one end so that when it’s placed through the plate, it holds the yarn securely. If your knot is too small for the hole, try doing a double or triple-knot in the same place to make the knot bigger. If that doesn’t work, place a button outside of the hole and thread the yarn through the button and the punch hole, so that the button is between the knot and the hole. That should secure it.
Remember to leave at least 12 inches or so of extra yarn extending above the plate so that you have some yarn to hang the mobile when you’re done. For the center string, remember to tie a knot below the plate so that it securely holds the rest of the mobile. Since the entire weight of the mobile will be carried by this center piece of yarn, make sure it is strong and the knot secure. Again, you can position a button between the knot and the hole in order to make sure your knot doesn’t slip through the hole.
Next, gather various lightweight household items that you think might be interesting to add to your baby mobile, such as old buttons, plastic spoons, tongue depressors or colorful plastic clothespins. You can even get more creative with the project by cutting up pieces of foam into interesting shapes or cutting up egg cartons and painting animals, flowers or interesting designs. Another item you may have around the house are those CDs which we all get in the mail every week encouraging us to try a new internet service provider. Instead of throwing them out, you can collect the CDs to create a shiny, metallic mobile.
Next, fasten the items you’ve gathered to the five pieces of yarn hanging down from the plate. For many items, you can simply tie a knot around the item to secure them. For other items, you may want to use a hot glue gun or a strong adhesive to secure them. It’s important to make sure the items are secured tightly and permanently because small pieces might get loose and fall to the ground becoming a choking hazard.
You can be as creative as you want with how you arrange your items. You can create a mobile with one item, such as colorful plastic spoons, or you can mix and match items all on one mobile. You can even involve older kids in helping you to create the mobile and deciding where it should be hung.
A good area to hang the mobile is over the diaper changing area. If babies get upset during changing, they can look at the mobiles and calm down. Remember, however, that the mobile shouldn’t be hung too low. It should be placed high and well outside the reach of a child.
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