If you save a thing for seven years you will find a use for it

-Anonymous

At first glance this chapter will seem to suggest that things be saved so that Mother may make them into toys and games for her child. In nearly all cases, however, there is a way in which the child can actively participate. He can soak labels off cans, fill a rattle with rocks he has collected, and go through the catch-all drawer in the kitchen to sort the treasures. So both mother and child find many every-day things which become materials for original creations.

Although you, not the child, will add to many of these things to save, some of them are good toys as is.

Oatmeal Boxes

Pull toys: Make a pull toy for the littlest one by filling the carton with marbles, rocks, jingle bells, bottle caps or sea shells. Punch a hole through the center of the ends of the box. Run a string through the holes and pull the string so the short end ties on the longer end about four inches from the box. Tie a loop on the end of the string for the child's hand.

Knitting box: Cover the box and the lid separately with wallpaper, colored paper, or a finger painting. Punch a hole in the lid after it is decorated, and do not make the mistake of pasting the lid to the box. Punch a hole on opposite sides of the box and use a pipe cleaner for the handle. This could be a Christmas gift for Aunt Lois or anyone who knits.

Drum: Paste or glue the open end to the box. Paste long triangles of colored construction paper around the box or color with poster paints and add a few Indian designs to make it look real. The child holds it under his arm or between his knees and beats on the end with his hands, (see You Can Make Your Own Music.)

Toilet-Paper Tubes

Rattle: Put a wad of paper in the end of a toilet-paper tube, then fill it with rocks, small stones, or dried beans, and stuff more paper in the other end. It should be covered with plastic leather or oil cloth and glued tightly. (See You Can Make Your Own Music.)

Blower: Toilet-paper tubes make good noises when you blow through them (referred to as "woo-woo's" in the section You Can Make Your Own Music).

Favor: Fill the roller with a piece of bubble gum, some gumdrops, a shiny penny, a balloon, and wrap in a piece of crepe paper that extends over the ends an inch and a half. Twist the ends and tie with ribbons. All the treasures are safely inside. (See Children's Birthdays and Parties.)

Wax-Paper Tubes

Quiver: Cover the tube with plastic leather. Extend the leather on one end only and fold it under so the bottom end of the tube is covered, and the arrows don't fall out A piece of rawhide thong (from the shoe-repair store) is then run through the top of the tube and hung over a boy's shoulder. This will make an authentic-looking quiver.

Sturdy Egg Cartons

Treasure chest Each hole can hold the week's surprises and secrets-a few old nails, some marbles, jacks, golf balls, and rocks.

Game: Toss marbles and see how many you can get into the holes. For older children, paint numbers on the sides and keep score.

Shirt Cardboards

These are fun to color or paint or cut a jigsaw puzzle as described in the section Making Things. They can also be used as mats when you are mounting smaller pictures.

Wallpaper

Out-of-style wallpaper books, or rolls of wallpaper, or glueless wallpaper are all handy for many uses. You can color it, cut it, or cut it up and paste it in scrap books. Paste wallpaper inside an orange-crate dollhouse. Every side a different pattern makes a gay house.

White Bakery Bags

You can make three paper "party" hats from one bakery bag. Cut the bottom of the bag about two inches wide and it makes a headband. Decorate it any way you wish, but one way would be to paste paper feathers for an Indian headdress. Cut the next width about four inches wide, cutting notches across one side like a king's or queen's crown. The third hat is made from the bottom of the paper bag, and it fits nicely over the child's head. Roll up the cut edge about an inch to make it look better and fit better. All three hats stay on children's heads, if you get the right size of bakery bag.

Brown-Paper Bags

Masks: A paper bag large enough to fit over the child's head can be rolled up around the bottom or can be cut off. Cut eyes, nose, and mouth and decorate to suit the occasion (see "Halloween" in Holidays section).

Puppets: Draw a face on a small paper bag. Put over the child's hand and secure the bag with a rubber band around the child's wrist (See Making Things.)

Mesh Bags

Block bags: Bags that come filled with oranges, apples, and potatoes later become good block bags. You could keep small balls or dirty laundry in them too.

Ping-pong net: Rip open both sides of a mesh bag leaving the bottom of the bag intact. Extend the net between two straight-back chairs and hold with pipe cleaners.

Punching bag: Let the child tear and wad pieces of newspaper into balls about the size of a grapefruit Stuff the balls in the mesh bag until it is full. Draw the string and knot it The child can sit on it, throw it, jump on it or sleep on it

Plastic Bags

Doll's wardrobe :The plastic bags that hold fresh fruit and vegetables in the grocery store are good for little girls who like to keep their doll's dresses neat and clean.

Rain hats: Roll up the bottom of the bag to fit the child's head. Cottage-Cheese Cartons and Berry Boxes May baskets and

Easter baskets: Cover the box with strips of colored crepe paper and paste or staple to hold. Wrap a cardboard handle with crepe paper, and staple to the sides of the box. (See "Easter" in Holidays section.)