Cheerios Necklace: A Snack and Activity in One

Moms of older babies, toddlers and preschoolers often have plenty of Cheerios around. Turn them into a learning activity (but still a treat). For older kids, use a piece of string or non-flavored dental floss (they're floppy so harder to string); for the younger set, use pipe cleaners, which are stiffer. Tie or loop the first Cheerio to the end of the string so it acts as a stopper and won't allow the rest to fall off. Have your child string the rest of the Cheerios on to create a necklace or bracelet (or just slip them back off once they're tired of the activity. Stringing items will help develop their hand-eye coordination and give them a snack! You can use any o-shaped cereal and any flavor (fruit-flavored would give great color--plus, another color-learning opportunity). Some have larger holes, so see which works best for your child.

And if you'll be needing a new box of Cheerios soon, sign up for $4 in coupons!