It’s Thursday and time for another Thursday Thirteen! There was a great response to the last one- hope you enjoy this one as well. Instead of running out to buy a new toy when the kids get bored with what they have, try out some of these options that are probably already lying around your house:
1. The phone book – who needs a phone book anymore when there’s Google? For scribblers, the phone book offers page after page to scribble on with one of those big fat crayons. My son (21 mo.) loves to sit at the table and flip the pages and write something on each one.
2. A big box – this one is obvious. I’m sure we all know about the entertainment a child of almost any age can get out of playing with a giant box. Speaking of boxes, check out all the things you can make with giant boxes using box rivets by Mr. McGroovy. Isn’t that cool?
3. Used plastic containers – my aunt babysits kids, and she keeps the plastic containers for items she uses regularly (like Nestle Quick for example) and uses them as blocks. The kids she keeps play with those “blocks” more than any other toy she has. They are also great for the little bitty ones if you put a couple of things that will rattle in them, and put the lid on tight. One of my son’s favorite toys was a Mt. Dew bottle with some pennies in it. Boy that was a loud toy!
4. Dried beans – put several bags of dried beans into a tub and let the kids scoop and pour. This only works with kids old enough not to fling the beans around the room, of course.
5. Plastic cups – great for stacking and for use as bath toys.
6. Old magazines and catalogs – for cutting up and pasting
7. Baby Wipes plastic containers – great for stacking and hiding things in.
8. A set of measuring cups – these “nest” so they’re lots of fun to play with while parents are making dinner
9. A colander and uncooked spaghetti – turn the colander over on the floor or table and show them how to poke the spaghetti through the holes and watch it disappear! (I saw this in Parenting magazine the other day)
Here are a couple I found at Play Library:
10. Metal pots and wooden spoons – another loud one!
11. Old computer keyboards
12. Paper towel rolls
13. Ziploc/GladWare containers. Cut a hole in the top, find objects in the house that can slip through the hole. Great object for sorting and such.
Do you have a Thursday Thirteen we can check out? Leave your link in the comments so we can pay you a visit!
