DIY with Sass {Gas Pump}

I am starting a new segment called "DIY with Sassafras" aka Leighton's Kidspiration.
She named the segment herself. I was going to go with Toddler DIY. BORING she said, how about Sassafras? It's your segment baby girl.

Sass comes up with all sorts of things to create. These are all completely from her mind, her ingenuity with little assistance from the 'rents. I figure A. I don't want to forget her cuteness. B. Maybe it will inspire you and your kids and C. Maybe she can put these in her portfolio someday.

I recently went on a rant to anyone who would listen about toys and the impending gifting of toys courtesy of Christmas and their birthdays. It dawned on me to really just sit back and take in HOW/WHY my kids play after the umpteenth time I yelled "GO PLAY WITH YOUR TOYS!!!!!"
1. I am bothered by the fact that we have an entire room dedicated to toys, that are seldom ever touched.
2. My kids' FAVORITE toys {and I kid you not} are in ORDER:
                 A jump rope and dog leashes.
                 Their pink pony and walker toy both scored at a garage sale for $1 each
                 Their Jake sword, or really anything they can use as a sword.
That's it. They just HAD to have a Jake and the NLP ship last year...played with 2x. As my mom always says I can't wait to buy this for $40 so I can sell it at a garage sale for $5. Truth.
3. My kids just like to be imaginative. I applaud this. I think we don't encourage it enough today. My kids like to be physical. They love to be outdoors riding bikes and scooter or just drawing with chalk.
4. Finally they love crafts. Even MW. They love to color and create. Guess that goes without saying when you are highly imaginative.

Therefore, I am over certain toys, especially after my daughter flips through a toy catalog and finds a toy gas pump and exclaims "we can make that!" And that is just what we did this fine morning. We do a lot of online shopping so we have just 1 or 7 extra boxes on hand.

Now for the Tutorial on your DIY Gas Pump:

1. Find large box.
2. Mom outline gas pump images.
3. Have your Little color, decorate and write their logo on gas pump.

4. Dig through recycling to find and empty contain that resembles a gas pump handle. We chose a small liquid creamer bottle.

5. Find some sort of tubing. We happen to have clear tubing lying around from another project. You could use rope, old phone cord...the possibilities are endless {be creative--see if your Little has any ideas.}
6. We hot glued the tubing to the creamer bottle, but depending on the cord you choose the attachment may very.
7. I cut an "X" in the side of the box and we slide the tube through, so as she pulled it out to "gas up her car." it would slide in and out easily without completely coming out.

8. Take the Littles out to try out their new gas pump on all their "cars!"

~Love Sass.