When it gets hot, I get grumpy. I'm hoping this makes us happy (and by us, I mean me), having to stay inside a lot more this summer.
First, before you confuse me with an actual over-achieving mom (have you seen my kids' snacks?), let me reassure you that the primary purpose of these kits are to get my children to leave me alone, not their development. (Did I just go from over-achieving mom to terrible parent?)
Sorry, but I strongly support independent play. I don't mind getting kids started on a game or a task, or a pretend scene, but I rarely participate. I think kids need to learn to how to imagine and manipulate stuff to make it work for them. I place boundaries, they do the rest. These kits are no different.
They're all no-mess activities (if you don't mind picking up 563 clothes pins or tooth picks), that mostly come from regular household items. I hardly spent anything to fill these suckers up. The secret is keeping them out of sight - so the novelty sticks around awhile. It's got to last us at least through the summer. Here's what's inside:
clothes pins, plastic cups, child safety plugs, and sponges cut into pieces
magnet paper doll set that Kristi made for Joan & an old baking sheet
buttons and pipe cleaners
pipe cleaners, drink stirrers, empty seasoning can
Easter eggs and cartons
ice trays, beans, and foam shapes for sorting
cardboard shapes
free paint swatches and brushes
beads, oil, water, and food coloring
oatmeal carton, straws, popsicle sticks
shoe strings from shoes I never wear and cardboard
alphabet puzzles
felt sheets and felt shapes
old boxes with slanted tubes inside
they'll shove anything into this for hours
Don't take everything out at once, which I did to take these photos.
It'll make you swear you'll never take them out again.
1 comment:
Wow, you're a genius! I'll start making Andrew's bins now. :) The boxes with slanted tubes is so funny-- how did you come up with that?? Ruston and I though of you guys yesterday when we were playing the bean game!
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