Need Pattern/Horse Tireswing for Homemade Christmas

[Horse Fork Farm]

We are going to be short on money like a lot of other people this Christmas. Its not a big deal to be short at our house because we like to make our Christmas presents at home anyway. I'm looking for a copy of the pattern used where you can cut a tire a certain way and it ends up being horse shaped. We have 2 two year olds who love to swing but aren't ready for big boy swings yet. Does anybody have this pattern or know how to do the cutting? Thanks in advance if you do!

Any other ideas for homemade "active" time or outside toys are welcome too. These boys are REALLY active and full of themselves.:banana02:
Hope I get some good ideas as I'm not very imaginative myself! Kat

[WildernesFamily]

http://davesgarden.com/files/Pony_Tire_Swing/

[holleegee]

Originally Posted by Heartstrings

Any other ideas for homemade "active" time or outside toys are welcome too. These boys are REALLY active and full of themselves.:banana02:
Hope I get some good ideas as I'm not very imaginative myself! Kat

Garden tool are on clearance right now. give you kids their own garden spot (this spring) kids love to dig.

My son's favorite Christmas gift was a box of scrap wood. We predrilled holes and gave him bolts, nuts and screws. He used his imagination and built things, took it apart, built more things....it kept him busy for hours. Now he is 5 and he could spend hours just hammering in nails.

A cheap pair of binoculars are always fun.

a notebook and a pencil. Print off a nice cover and make it look like a nature journal....then let them go out and draw things from nature.

you can find lots of sports items at thrift stores, balls, bats..... (a Mr Clean magic eraser can really clean up used toys to make them look new!)

I have a really active 5 yr old who loves anything outdoors.

[Horse Fork Farm]

Thank for the links and ideas!

[MorrisonCorner]

I'm sure everyone with little kids has already heard about this, but it was totally new to me. My grandmother has "adopted" a little "great grandchild" from willing parents in her apartment building. She was invited to the little boy's "balloon party." She said it was a birthday party but the only gifts anyone was allowed to bring were balloons. She said the apartment was awash with them, and the kids had an absolute blast. There were helium balloons and balloons bouncing on the ground. I would assume someone popped a balloon to show the kids it wasn't that scary but the games were all "balloon" games, the little cake had a balloon theme, and a week after the party the balloons are still floating around the apartment.

I think this is a very clever, wonderful, idea for a kid's birthday party!