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I recently got out the old 'Connect Four', Checkers and 'Jenga' games. These were just collecting dust on our game shelf and the kids love them now. It inspired me to search out other things that they would love around the house (aka. Not costing me a red cent;). Other than the obvious pots and pans and cleaning cloths to 'wipe down' all the toys...any ideas?
Odd Button collection and ice cube trays for sorting activity
Gemstones (those clear colored stones for in vases) and white paper work station for mosaic design making
Ice cube trays and eye droppers with water and food coloring in a couple jars to 'mix' in the ice cube trays .... little scientists LOVE this and its essentially FREE to :)
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Make 'magic shaker bottles'
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Raid your spouses poker chips ;)
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Great ideas Reggio! Do you have anything for the under 3's? Most of my kids would put the poker chips and buttons in thier mouths! I may try the dropper with food colour idea with the 2 year olds...but not the younger ones as they would eat it, spill it etc. Anybody have a good use for wipes boxes? I've got a million of them and other than storing things in them or letting the kids put things in and out of them, I haven't found a creative thing to do with them yet. Ideas?
I have a collection of plastic lids such as off sprays - use the ones from cooking spray and hubby's shave cream not the cleaning supplies. Empty plastic jars - put a toy in one and close and let them roll them - use them instead of balls for bowling. We have a collection of large yogurt tubs and lids - the lids fit into a large cereal box and teh tubs stack. We put the lids on and they build walls with them and then roll the jars at them.
Have several exercise balls we roll around and I give them "bouncy rides" on.
I have a lot of homemade toys too such as fabric scraps for sorting.
my little ones love tupperware and plastic spoons. I fill ip small jugs with rice and pennies and tighten the tops so they can shake them. My boys LOVE toothbrushes and brushes. I went around the house one day and filled a laundry basket full of stuff. They had a HAY DAY. Taking EVERYTHING out and analysing everything. then putting things back in. the when it was empty, i gave them a ride in the laundry basket lol
I love Value Village and garage sales for scooping up old phones, cameras and "real" things for the playroom - they love those things.
When I have wee ones I put some of my button collection in clear plastic bottles for shaking and exploring.
Wee ones love scraps of fabrics in differed textures
Kitchen utensils like whisks and mashers have awesome textures to explore
I saved a lot of old water bottles and washed them and took off the labels. We went through my craft box and the 4 year old children filled the bottles with different beads flowers and we added some rice. I duct taped the tops and we added them to our musical instrument collection. When I have an empty tissue box I give it to the children to play as a car garage or something else or a paper towel roll is a telescope or two elasticized together is binoculars. Yes, I do things like this all the time just for something different and spontaneous.
You all rock!!!!
Thanks for the awesome ideas:)
Great thread! Thanks everyone!! :D
I too, save all old cameras, phones, goofy clothes and costumes. Empty coffee canisters are drums, or building "blocks", or can be put on the grocery store shelf. I stole someone's idea (from here, but I can't remember who posted it!!) and made large blocks out of empty milk cartons (rinse/wash with bleach, cut the folding top off and slide one into another). They too are used for building, shopping, making walls for the car tracks. I tape closed the empty, sturdy cereal boxes. They can be used as giant dominoes. Empty 1 or 2 L bottles make for a great game of bottle bowling!
As you guys have mentioned before, I am finding myself weeding out the single use, battery operated toys. Kids more often like to play with "real" stuff anyway. And then I don't lose my mind when it (inevitably) starts to wear out. LoL
I tried out Reggio's idea of eyedroppers and food colour and ice cube trays....my 2-4 year olds LOVED it! I just did it when the 1 year olds were having their morning naps. They were absorbed in it for a good 30 minutes or more before getting the urge to splatter ;)
Yup this is one of my crews all time fav things to do - any rainy day this is the first request!Quote:
Originally Posted by kangaroomama
Their new favorite thing (for now) was my jumbo bowl filled with water & with measuring spoon set (8 pcs) and watering the "flowers" aka. weeds :)
I LOVE that you posted pictures. I'm visual and pictures make me happy! :D