Give Your Child Some Stationery to Play With
My husband works with steam equipment and often brings home these large product catalogs. Only one person in our house was ever interested in what was inside (that person would be him) – until we had a baby. Our daughter is delighted when she sees “dad’s work books” and asks to give him those that he no longer needs, so that she can circle various objects, as if she were a real buyer.
Wait, why are we buying toys again?
After hearing other parents tell me, I learned that young children love “adult” work, especially if it allows them to pretend to be at work. You may have some of these items, or you can buy most of them cheaply at office supply stores.
Guest checks
Joanna Goddard of Cup of Jo writes that guest checks such as the ones that use restaurant servers were a huge hit with her son: “Toby got them for Christmas and has played with them a million times since then. He always accepts our orders for delicious breakfasts, lunches and desserts. “
Prescription pads
Children love playing doctor, so have them write prescriptions on real notebooks. Just know that they will probably write themselves a recipe for three scoops of ice cream and this new Toy Story 4 set. Don’t fall for it.
Strap badges
Piria, a member of the Offspring Facebook group, writes: “Both kids love our old work ID laces. Bonus if the laces have retractable badge holders. “
Date stamp
They can play librarian or mark the date on their artwork.
Old business cards
Don’t throw away business cards after you’ve digitized information. My child loved to put cards in his wallet. It’s the same with the old hotel keys, which she calls her “credit cards.”
Tickets
Kids love all types of tickets – carnival style, tear-off tickets, or those sold in number vending machines. My daughter has set up ticketing systems for all of her living room singing performances and storytelling kits. Everyone needs a ticket.
Envelopes
These office envelopes make children’s letters more formal.