DIY Project
About

Paper

Paper tearing basket

A basket of junk mail and scrap paper your toddler is allowed to rip to bits, which is very good for small hands.

Paper tearing basket
LevelBeginner
AgesAges 18 months to 3
Time15 minutes
Cost$0
Rainy dayDollar store

What you'll need

Materials

Tick them off as you find them.

Tools

How to make it

Safety

Watch for paper going in the mouth, and skip shiny catalog pages for younger toddlers.

  1. Step 1: Fill the basket
    1

    Fill the basket

    Gather a mix of papers. Thin, crinkly and thick all feel different.

  2. Step 2: Start the rips
    2

    Start the rips

    Make a small tear at the edge of each piece. It gives little fingers a place to start.

  3. Step 3: Show 1 rip
    3

    Show 1 rip

    Tear a piece slowly so they hear it.

  4. Step 4: Hand it over
    4

    Hand it over

    Let them rip everything. The noise is half the fun.

  5. Step 5: Clean up together
    5

    Clean up together

    Stuff the scraps back in the basket. Save them for a collage.

Edie's tip

Keep the scraps. They're perfect for the paper plate lion or the torn paper fish.

Written by the DIY Project team. How we check · Report a mistake

More toddlers projects

Make this next

See all 100

Heart tissue suncatcher
Paper

Heart tissue suncatcher

A see-through heart of pink and red tissue that glows in a window for Valentine's Day.

Beginner20 minutes$2 to $5
Paper plate Christmas wreath
Paper

Paper plate Christmas wreath

A green paper wreath your toddler covers in torn paper, finished with a red bow for the front door.

Beginner25 minutes$2 to $4
Sticker line up
Paper

Sticker line up

Big stickers stuck along thick marker lines, a calm table activity for building strong pincer fingers.

Beginner15 minutes$1 to $3