Easy Invitations to Create Trays

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A few years ago, I found a simple yet effective way to keep creative children busy and having fun. Invitation to create trays! If you have never heard of these, you may be wondering exactly what I am talking about. An invitation to create a tray is precisely that. A tray of different materials is placed on the table or desk as an invitation for your child to come and create something. It is simple yet effective, especially if your child loves to make something! 

These trays can be made for a variety of reasons. Whether your child wants more creativity in their lives or you have to work and want something other than screens to entertain your child. You can create your trays to go alongside a book you are reading for hands-on activities, or perhaps you are in the middle of a unit study and would like some fun crafts or open-ended play to go along with it. The possibilities are endless! 

Materials to Use for Invitation to Create Trays

I bought our trays at the Dollar Tree a few years back. They were set out during the summer around the Fourth of July. However, you can use whatever you want. If you love fancy, go for it! I was looking for something economical and cheap. Dollar Tree is also where I buy a lot of our materials. You can find many fun items in the craft and seasonal sections! 

The items to add to your trays depend on you and your children. What do they prefer to craft and create with? Before we get into each of our specific trays, here are a few fun ideas to get you started: 

• Puffballs
• Pipe cleaners
• Paint
• Paper plates
• Beans
• Buttons
• Playdough
• Straws
• Drink stirrers
• Faux flowers
• Shot glasses
• Cupcake liners
• Candles
• Sprinkles
• Candy balls
• Plastic forks and spoons
• Toothpicks
• Confetti
• Miniature animals
• Seeds
• Clothes pins
• Mini pots
• Rocks
• Animal erasers
• Beads
• String
• Cotton balls

Now, let’s look at several samples my children have enjoyed over the years! 

1. Summer Fun Invitation to Create Tray

All the materials in this tray were found at Dollar Tree. It was during the summer, so I just quickly browsed their seasonal items, and this is what I found:

Materials

1. Flamingo straws
2. Faux flowers
3. Drink stirrers with flamingos and palm trees at the top
4. Mini shot glasses (my kids have no idea what shot glasses are, but they love these “mini” cups.)
5. Play dough.

2. Birthday Party Invitation to Create Tray

This tray was a huge hit for my kids! I already had all of these materials on hand and threw them on the tray first thing when I woke up. The kids loved making pretend birthday cakes for one another. 

Materials

1. Candles
2. Cupcake liners
3. Homemade play dough
4. Star sprinkles
5. Candy balls

3. Fourth of July Invitation to Create Tray

After surfing the seasonal aisle at the Dollar Tree, I found a few fun items I knew my kids would love.

Materials

1. Playdough
2. Wooden forks, knives, and spoons
3. Mini flags
4. Red, white, and blue confetti stars 
5. Different size foam stars
6. Toothpicks (to help the stars stick)

4. Spring Invitation to Create Tray

This one was simple to assemble, and I loved seeing what the kids made. 

Materials

1. Popcorn and regular seeds
2. Pipe cleaners
3. mini pots
4. Faux flowers
5. Green and brown homemade playdough
6. Clothes pins

5. Spring Invitation to Create Tray Continued

Here is another version of this tray that I put together. It was also straightforward.

Materials

1. Mini pots
2. mini chalkboards
3. Puff balls
4. Rocks
5. Playdough
6. Faux flowers

6. Animal Invitation to Create Tray 

This one was a fun little one that my child put together. She loved the bright colors and carefully chose what she wanted in her tray.

Materials

1. Animal erasers
2. Mini glasses
3. Beads 
4. String
5. Pipe cleaners
6. Faux flowers 

7. Paper Plate Elephant Invitation to Create Tray

This creation tray went along with the unit study and book we were doing at the time. I laid out some materials for the kids to create their very own elephants. Aren’t they cute?

Materials

1. Paint
2. Cut-up paper plates
3. Scrap paper
4. Googly eyes
5. Glue
6. Cotton balls

Well, there you have it. It is a fun and simple way to keep your child having a blast. This is also a great way to keep your kids busy while you are working. Put the trays out at night or in the morning before your child wakes up, and they have something fun and fresh to do while you get your to-do list tackled. 

Remember to follow me on Instagram for some more ideas!