[blparent] homemade toys

Mon May 7 17:12:36 UTC 2012

Great ideas.  I'd add:
A pasta box instead of a sand box...  We have a large bin, low to the
ground, and we've put all different types of pasta in it for fun sensory
play.  The different shapes and colors of the pasta can provide fun sorting
activities as well.  Yes, this can be messy, but IMO not as messy as sand...
And not so gross to eat if put in the mouth.
	We've also done tons of stuff with empty diaper or other cardboard
boxes.  Garages for matchbox cars...  Space ships...  Houses (if the boxes
are big enough)  Lots of fun.  My sister and I were both really into the
Little House books when we were young, and I still remember my mom making
"log cabins" for us to play with our small dolls and pretend they were a
pioneer family.  She used a box for the cabin itself, and then a shoe box
cover or piece of cardboard placed about halfway up inside the box to make a
loft for the cabin.  Totally cheap entertainment, but my sister and I would
literally play with those for hours, and we would invent all kinds of
complicated stories for the families and their struggles...  Of course,
these included sicknesses, emergencies in childbirth, hard times on the
farm...  You name it.
	I also remember making bunk beds for small dolls out of a shoebox,
its cover, and popcicle sticks.  
Melissa

-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Erin Rumer
Sent: Monday, May 07, 2012 12:30 PM
To: NFB blind parent listserv
Subject: [blparent] homemade toys

Hello list,

So, my 18 month old son Dawson was prancing around the house this morning
with a crown of plastic shower curtain rings on his head and I got to
thinking how our kids are excellent at making anything into a toy.  I
thought it might be fun to share with one-another what types of safe things
we've used around the house as a makeshift toy for our kids.  The
possibilities are endless and I think that as we share it will be fun to see
what folks and-or our kids have come up with.  Off the top of my head I can
think of the following.

Paper towel role as a play horn

Strong plastic straw to blow in and make a fun flute sound

sturdy Metal or plastic spoons that are attached to each other to jingle and
make believe meal times

A regular bucket or bowl of any size to make an inexpensive water table or
sensory table with any items inside to play with

Any safe kitchen gadget like a Wisk, rubber spatula or wooden spoon.  I've
even given my son my double sided nylon spatula that he then grabs small
toys with and this is a great activity for him to work on refine motor
skills.

Plastic cup

Strong rubber coasters

Any of the dog's strong rubber toys.  I've even caught my son giving my
dog's Nyla bones a taste but thankfully that phase didn't last long! LOL

A box of dry food like jello or cake mix to shake and bang on

An tin popcorn tin to bang on with different objects to make different
sounds.  You know the type, we all have one around our house from a past
Christmas gift.

An empty pill bottle with Cheerios or something safe inside to shake.  I
recommend a bottle with a pretty big cap because it's amazing how easily
kids can get those child-safe caps off and you just want to make sure they
can't swallow the cap.

Towel of any size to play peekaboo with

Happy playing

Erin

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