Busy Boxes...Or Whatever You Want to Call Them!

Busy boxes.  Quiet time bins.  What do I do now? containers.  Whatever you want to call them, they all serve the same purpose.  I initially came across this idea at The View from 5'5" and I was in love at first sight!  The original idea is that these boxes will serve as "quiet" activities for the littles during times of the day where quiet is needed:  during a naptime that is transitioning into awake time, during the time before nap, during the time before bed, etc.  However, I am using it for a different purpose.

My daughter is 20 months old and always looking for something new to do.  Frankly, I often run out of ideas.  I mean, I can only color, play with HotWheels cars, roll on the rug, and make her dollies dance for so long.  I came across the quiet time bins idea and thought, "Bingo!".   When I can't think of something to do, I will just go to her Busy Box of the day and pick an activity to do!  Initially, I tried to incorporate 5 categories into each box:  Practical Life, Learning, Fine Motor, Creative Play, Problem Solving.  As I put the boxes together, it was taking me forever to decide on all 5 categories for each box so I figured, hey, I'll just put at least 4 categories in each box!  For reference, the majority of materials I had on hand at home.  If I didn't have something I wanted, I purchased it from The Dollar Tree.  In the end, I probably spent about $12 to create these boxes (I purchased the actual bins from The Dollar Tree, too!).  Also, I came up with some ideas on my own and some ideas were gathered elsewhere.  If I got the idea from someone else, I've provided a link, so just click on it!  So, without further adieu.....

I have a bin for each day, Monday through Friday.  If I am ever at a lull point in the day, I will reach for that day's bin and pick an activity to do.  By the way, I keep these bins out of my daughter's play area.

MONDAY'S BIN:
2 washcloths for folding practice, first words flashcards, stamps & stamp pads, a puzzle, Coke bottle game (she won't get it, but it will be good for fine motor practice).

TUESDAY'S BIN:

Color matching felt squares (she has colored blocks that we can organize according to color), spaghetti noodles in a cheese shaker jar (for fine motor skill practice), hot glue crayon rubbing plates,  table setting (cup, fork, spoon, napkin, plate, place mat)

WEDNESDAY'S BIN:

Tinfoil (just for creative fun), hygiene kit (brush, loofah, toothpaste - hot glued shut, toothbrush) for practical life play, shape flashcards, puzzle, clothespins (for fine motor - to pin on edge of Tupperware container)

THURSDAY'S BIN:

Peg board strip & golf tees (fine motor), felt shape pieces, child safe scissors (only cut paper) with a magazine (to practice cutting), Etch-A-Sketch

FRIDAY'S BIN:

Color flashcards, mini containers of playdoh, flowers for flower vase arranging, pom poms with a spoon (transferring from one bin to another for fine motor practice)

After a month, I plan on switching out some of the activities to add some newness/variety.  I haven't yet used these with Olive, but I think she will like it.  Given that she only gets to see each activity once a week, I think that it will help to keep her attention longer than a normal everyday activity might.

DIY Magnets

I have a metal dry erase/magnetic board (leftover from my previous life as a teacher) that I have for Olive to play with.  However, she's never really played with it because I haven't been able to find any magnets that I'm comfortable with her using.  She still (at 20 months) puts everything in her mouth and I'm paranoid that she'll end up swallowing a small magnet.  So I came up with a solution - make my own choking-hazard-free magnets!

What you need:
- Mod Podge
- Clear Acrylic Spray Sealant
- Magnetic Photo Paper (I got mine at Amazon) - this magnet paper is made to go through your printer, too - cool, huh?
- Already read magazines

How to:
1) Go through your magazines and cut out pictures you think might be of interest to your little one.  If you're like me and don't get a lot of magazine subscriptions, ask around.  Family members, coworkers, and friends will probably be willing to give you their magazines when they're done.  I got my pictures from Parenting, Westways (AAA), Country, Cooking Light, US Weekly, etc.
2) Using the Mod Podge, glue the pictures onto the magnetic paper and then paint over with another layer of Mod Podge.  Let dry overnight.
3) Spray with clear acrylic sealant and let dry overnight.

4) Cut out your pictures and you're ready to go!

If it's easier for you, you can skip the Mod Podge and acrylic sealant and just cover the pictures with clear contact paper.  My daughter's a "picker" and would have picked the contact paper off in minutes, so that's why I went the route I did.

Here she is sticking the magnets on.  I really like the magnet paper because it is lightweight and easy to get on and off the board for her (unlike some heavy duty magnets that start to stick when you're still inches from the board!).

 I think she likes it!

As I gather more magazines, I'll continue to make her new magnets little by little.   I'm also planning on taking pictures of our family members and turning them into magnets, which I know she'll love.   I really like this because they are personal, unique, and don't have any small magnets that she could swallow or choke on.  Yes, she could still rip one apart and eat it if she really tried to, but it would take her a while and I am always near her when she's playing with them as I am with any other toy that could be a potential choking hazard.

Have fun creating your own unique magnets!