Latter-day Chatter: Nursery Supplies, Activities. Recipes

The Dollar Store will seriously become your ~~BEST~~ near best friend. There's a treasure trove of supplies that are cheap and good to have on hand for these cute little tykes.

Nursery Supplies

Plastic table covers (use for sensory bins, painting projects, etc) these are perfect to minimize the mess but not the play.
Parachute (DIY - $6, Amazon) and plastic balls (find at Target/Walmart in the toy area, Amazon) - you could also just use a flat sheet!
Scissors (adult and child size! DSS- won't cut hair)
Stickers (Smilemakers -this is probably the LOWest I've seen stickers priced for, cheaper even than $ store), Oriental Trading, Amazon)
Paint (DSS-Colorations - my personal favorite! 11 colors (16 oz) for $22!)
Paintbrushes (DSS)
Crayons (DSS)
Gluesticks (DSS, Amazon)
Playdough (Homemade, DSS, Edible)
Cookie Cutters (DSS, Amazon)
Pom poms (Crafts and Gathering Activities)
Googly Eyes (Craft projects)
Pipe Cleaners (Gathering activities or crafts)
Popsicle Sticks
Koolaid packets (these are great to go in place of food coloring) or gel food coloring (AMAZING, works better than normal food coloring and a little goes a long way)
Paper bags ( Crafts)
Feathers (Crafts)
Foam sheets (Crafts)
Construction Paper (DSS, Amazon)
Yarn (Crafts)
Hand Sanitizer & Hand soap ( $ Store)
Kleenex
First aid kit (bandaids, antiseptic wipes)
Paper towels and paper products
Sponges (these are great to use for clean up but also as fun paint applicators and Glue Sponges)
Disinfecting Wipes
Sippie Cups (take these home each week and wash - cheaper in the long run than paper cups)
Dry Erase Marker (handy for sippies and name tags)
Labels with names of kids (instead of writing the name on each paper, have a sheet of return address labels with each child's name)
Grocery Bags (these are great for if parents have an explosion/accident and need a bag for dirty clothes)
Cupcake tins (these are great for paint, googly eyes, pom poms, beads) ($ store usually has them)
Sweeper Vacuum (THIS is the one I have)
Play Tunnel (Amazon)
Wipes (for face clean up/dress clean up/hand clean up)
Flannel Board
Chalk
Inflatable Ball (great for outside group play)
Glitter Glue (a good alternative to regular glitter, best avoided HUGE MESS)
Contact Paper (Activities) Laminator and sheets (to keep the things you want, great for singing time stuff or your schedule)
Tape/ Painter's Tape for roads on the carpet
Clock and extra batteries
Bubble Machine/Bubble Gun

Things to Collect (ask your ward members to save and bring in)

Baby food jars
Milk jugs
Pie pans
Boxes (Cardboard, Cereal)
Aluminum Foil
Egg Cartons
Button down shirts ( paint aprons, put these on backwards on the kids so they don't get paint, messy stuff on their Sunday clothes)
Paper towel/toilet paper tubes
Tissue paper
Clothespins
Plastic Easter Eggs
Yogurt Containers
Containers with lids (cottage cheese, sour cream, butter, etc)
Milk Caps
Oatmeal Canisters (hot cocoa too)
Ketchup Bottles (great squeeze bottles!)

Gathering Activities

This is an activity that you can do for the first 15-20 minutes to let the kids have some free play while parents are dropping off. These should be as independent as possible, but make sure a leader is there to supervise or ask a parent to stay and help if you don't have enough leaders yet.

Please note that some of these activities are for older nursery children, pick activities that are appropriate for your ages.

Blown up balloons to play in

Parachute and balls

Marshmallows and toothpicks

Books (go to DI or check out yard sales)

Lacing Cards (laces/shoe string/yarn)

String and Buttons/ Beads (large)

Playdough and Cookie Cutters

Paint Bags (could also use gel and food coloring so it's cheaper)

Balls and a Basket ($ store)

Coloring

Pipe Cleaners and Strainer ($ store)