[blparent] homemade toys

Mon May 7 21:15:18 UTC 2012

Bubble wrap is a favorite around here, as are big boxes that Sarah can ride 
in while her brother pushes.  Big cardboard wrapping paper tubes make great 
light sabers.

Jo Elizabeth

"How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, 
compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of 
the weak and the strong.  Because someday in life you will have been all of 
these."--George Washington Carver, 1864-1943, American scientist

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Melissa Ann Riccobono" <melissa at riccobono.us>
Sent: Monday, May 07, 2012 11:12 AM
To: "'Blind Parents Mailing List'" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [blparent] homemade toys

> 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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