Your toddles's party of a Budget
Posted on Apr,16 2019
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By Tracy Lane

Have you encountered the summer slump yet? It comes fast! In our house we’re learning to juggle a slow summer schedule with my busy work-at-home schedule. So I’ve had to be creative with getting my kids into independent play so that I can do my independent work.

Even if you don’t have work deadlines, we all need a few quiet minutes as moms where we aren’t the primary entertainers.

If you haven’t heard of quiet bins, get ready to fall in love with them! A quiet bin is a box or container with a simple, engaging independent play idea. They give young children invitations to explore, discover, and play. All while developing important early skills. 

Here are 8 quiet bin ideas to give you a break.

  1. Nuts, bolts, lock, and keys. Find spare ones laying around your garage and junk drawer. Fill a small bin with them and your three to five-year-old is set for some fine motor play.

  2. Foam alphabet letters plus something that starts with each letter. Ask your child to match the letter to the object. This is great for preschoolers or beginning readers.

  3. Play-Doh creative play. Add several mini containers of play-doh (so you don’t panic if they mix or dry out). Include a few clay tools and mini cars or dolls. Whatever you kid is into.

  4. Cutting fun box. What child isn’t begging for scissors? Make it a safe and fun option. Add ribbon, colored paper, old cards, straws, parts of a pool noodle, and streamers to vary the textures.

5.  Sensory seeking box. This is also a great calm down option for settling emotions too. Add a light up ball, a spiky ball, a bendy rabbit, a stretchy bracelet, a plastic hourglass timer, and a balloon filled with sand.

6.  Sticker box. Fill the bin with rolls of stickers and notepads of paper for the most basic. You might also like to pick up a few of the Highlights books that include sticker puzzle pages in them.

7.  Threading box. A few pipe cleaners. A few big beads and you’re child is set for at least half an hour of creating.

8.  Sponge blocks box. Cut up a package of store bought cleaning sponges into strips. Those are your child’s stacking, building, or pattern blocks.