You probably got a hint of this already but let me lay it out for you – I am cheap. I have an awfully hard time buying anything that could concievably be made. And even some things that can’t lol! <g> This has led to some botched construction projects but also some great successes. My favorite preschool and early elementary books are by Labritta Gilbert and Mary Baratta-Lorton, probably because these women had a gift for using common materials in uncommon ways. After seeing their ideas you stop looking at hardware and you start seeing fine motor perfectors. You stop seeing lumber and start seeing manipulatives.
These are a few of the materials we have made from these books. (see sidebar) The first is a lacing bar. Next is the pegboard. They use golf tees to make patterns. Before we had the board we poked a series of hole around the outside of a bowl’s plastic lid. That worked well too. The 
bolt board is new for us. Before Allen made it we had a bowl of nuts and bolts in various sizes and they worked with them that way, which worked fine also. This is a bit easier for the smaller boys though. The braiding board is an 18" 1×2 board with a hole drilled at the top and cording pulled through. This is more of an elementary task.
Starry Sky Journal 
Thank you so much Kim for reminding me of those wonderful books. I use to borrow them constantly from our local College library. I just ordered some used copy (ah, the wonders of the internet!). I can just picture our soon to be four driving his little matchbox cars into its appropriate little garage, one of the idea I remember from one of the Workjobs book. Lowes here I come!
This summer will find me busy making material from all those books. You brought me back down memory lane. I can’t believe it has been so many years since I’ve used these books. I love the Hainstock ones too.
Blessings,
Louise
BRAVO!! Don’t you learn more by doing it yourself?? I know I do! My husband loves Home Depot to begin with and when I give him a project to troubleshoot with me, he feels a great sense of accomplishment and a sense of belonging into the schooling end of the house ;o) i have the Baratta books too…can’t wait to ck out the other author…it looks like fun for me too…ssssh…dont’ tell the kids I told you!!
I look forward to reading more things you are doing!! Bless you and Happy Mother’s Day!!
oooh yes, one more thing…ck out the Baratta site for free blackline masters…my kids ate mine so this comes in handy! http://www.center.edu/
HTH!
I have always loved Mary Baretta-Lorton’s methods for the same reason. I love to look for manipulatives as I walk through the woods (acorns) or after eating shellfish (muscle shells).
Thank you for reminding us all of the wonderful things we can do with very little money.