[robandjulie]

DD at three adored puzzles but every kid is different.

For DD's 3rd birthday we got those foam stickers with letters and flowers and birds and got each kid a styrafoam hat/crown which they decorated. She had an outdoor summer birthday, though. Not as useful for winter.

Right now our kids are crazy for macaroni art: color a bunch of different pasta shapes a bunch of different colors*, then either draw a shape with glue or outline a simple coloring page with glue and let them place it all. You can also use straighter noodles to string necklaces, bracelets, etc.

*to do the pasta put some rubbing alcohal (about 1/4 cup) and some food coloring in a zipper bag, fill 1/2 way with pasta, seal and shake/swish until it's all coated. Let sit for about an hour, shake and flip a bit, set another 30 mins, then dump out on newspaper to dry (takes about 2 hours to dry). DO NOT eat the pasta.