Create Sensory Baskets for Your Baby From What You Already Have
When my son was 2 years old, I quit my job to stay at home with him. It didn’t take me long to realize that I needed simple, creative ways to keep him busy, but with one income.
I began to realize that he was attracted to something interesting. If I had set up a “sensory basket” for him — a plastic tub or container filled with materials that stimulate the senses — he would have stayed busy for over an hour, which was no small victory.
I had to change materials as much as possible to keep him intrigued, but most of what he really liked was what we already had on hand.
Pasta
I used short dry noodles (like penne or elbow pasta) or long cooked noodles (mixed with a little olive oil to keep them from sticking). For some reason, large plastic dinosaurs have always gravitated towards cooked spaghetti.
You can also use dried rice or oats, but they create more mess. I have used both, but for me this is the last resort.
Dried beans
This was a popular suggestion on our Offspring Facebook group . Many parents throw dried beans into containers and add to funnels, or farm animals, or whatever is nearby, and it looks interesting.
Team member Joshua says, “My son loved his bean basket. It was a long, low-sided plastic container filled with all kinds of beans. The two of us spent many evenings on the floor, filling dump trucks with excavators and unloading them back again. Beans were everywhere, but they were definitely his favorite toy for about two years. “
(PS As popular as the bean proposal was, one parent in the group warned, “I cooked one of these mixed dried beans and some of them sprouted and it was incredibly nasty.” So watch out.)
Baby food bag lids
Do you know all those soft bags you buy filled with organic pureed fruits and vegetables? You now have a goal for the little plastic caps, thanks to Facebook group member Abby:
Of course, this requires a little more planning. This is a lot of caps. But listen, if you start hoarding them now, you have enough to fill the kiddie pool by June. (Note the small scoop and sand shovel … that’s a nice touch.)
Scissor center
Fill a plastic basket with all sorts of paper, such as colored paper, old magazine pages, or junk mail. Add rope or tape, pass the scissors and let them take them (supervised of course).
Shredded paper
While we are talking about “paper”, shredded paper in a tub was another hit in my house. Give them a large bowl on the side and a pair of kitchen tongs and let them take this paper and move it back and forth between the containers. (Development of motor skills for victory!)
Packaging materials
When you start doing all of your holiday shopping online this year, save the packaging materials that come in the boxes. Bubble wrap is good for a few minutes of bursting, but wrapping peanuts can be especially interesting when you have enough to fill the box and bury the toys. Bury 5-10 small toys for them and let them dig for treasures.
Good old water
If you’re cooking and need to move them aside for a few minutes, turn on the kitchen sink, fill it with water, and let them grab some water-safe toys. Now their sharks have an ocean to swim in, and their plastic dolls have a giant pool to dive into.
For kids who love baths, take a step further with a colored bathtub. Fill the tub with water and add a few drops of food coloring. We did red baths on Valentine’s Day, green baths on St. Patrick’s Day, and blue baths on random days.