Entertain Your Little One With a Colander and Pipe Cleaner
Most parents know that while children love to play with toys, they do not like to play with toys. A real TV remote, not the bright plastic version you bought them. A wooden spoon and soup pot, not a toy drum as you thought, will go crazy. Add to this list: a colander, as well as pipe cleaners.
I don’t remember where I first saw this particular combination, but a quick Google search for “ colander and pipe cleaning activities ” reveals that the idea has been borrowed quite a few times. Drop the colander on the floor (or on the kitchen table if you want to get creative) and give your child something long and thin enough to slide through the holes. Pipe cleaners are especially good because they are easy to bend and manipulate.
This little girl calls this activity “ spider making, ” which makes this idea both effective and delightful:
As a last resort, you can also use any leftover plastic straws you have on hand before we realize how awful they are .