I am a member of MOPS...Mothers of Preschoolers (http://www.mops.org/) so a lot of the recipes and ideas I've shared from on my blog from my most favorite resource: other mom's! Tried, tested, tried again, over and over and over again!
A few weeks ago my MOPS group made busy boxes for the kiddo's! And these, are by far, the most brilliant idea ever! First off, I'm a mom who frets...a lot! I worry if my son watches a lot of TV, that the activities that we do aren't educational enough, that he's not trying new things...so a typical first time mom! I've been assured that by the second one that I'll loosen up some :0)
A busy box is a great concept for any parent who has kids! They are so great because you can really personalize them for your child and they help with the sanity! And they, as the name suggests, keeps your child busy! They also don't have to break your budget!
Toddlers are busy busy busy people! My son has an attention span of about 5-15 minutes...that is a typical almost 2 year old! And like many parents, we have tons of toys...and they aren't played with that often! So after seeing the MOPS busy boxes, I decided to start making my own! I've decided that 10 boxes will be my goal.
The best thing about busy boxes are:
1. They don't have to be fancy...simple might even be better! So I picked themes that I thought my son would enjoy and be educational. Thus far we have an ocean box, a shape box, a number box, a letters box, a bug box, a dinosaur box, and a colors box. I also have two additional items that aren't so much as a theme, but an educational component that works with sensory, dexterity, and colors. I call them my busy bags because I had to store them in a bag! I also hope to add a transportation, space, zoo, and a farm box in the future!
2. You don't have to break the bank! I sat down and made a list of ideas of what I wanted my boxes to represent (the themes I listed above!). Then I went through all our toys and books and pulled out any that were relevant! And I had plenty!!! Then I decided to research some ideas to go with each box. I joined www.pinterest.com and typed in Toddler Busy Box and was in heaven!!! So many great ideas out there! And so many different ways! I decided on themes...I feel that is better suited for Samuel and what I hoped for us to gain from the boxes. Other mom's decided the boxes were better used as quiet time/break time so some people made 7 boxes, one for each day of the week. Some mom's just have travel boxes, or restaurant boxes, or boxes for while they are on the phone. My friend used her busy box last week while her daughter was sick. The possibilities are endless!!! Any supplies you don't have, you can get cheap too! I paid a visit to the dollar tree and was amazed at all the great items I got for such a reasonable price! As I list my boxes over the next few weeks, i'll also post prices!
3. The idea is that the busy box will keep your toddler, well, busy, and give you a little bit of a break. You know, break...so you can go to the bathroom without a toddler asking what you are doing or trying to flush the toilet while you are using it! Or you can cook garlic bread in the oven without little hands trying to help! Or you can switch out the laundry and throw in another load...at the same time! Or you can make a doctors appointment without screaming! Or maybe you just need a few minutes to yourself...we all do! Your toddler only gets the busy box on occasion. Once or twice a week...that way it seems new to them! It's also the reason you can make multiples! Yesterday we just used one...today we did two. One in the morning and one in the afternoon. Once again, your boxes your decision! Here in Maryland, it starts getting cold in October and regular outdoor time might not happen again until March or April! And there are plenty of rainy days out there too!
As you can tell, I am a fan of the busy box...and so is my son! And I feel so much better now that I know his downtime is being used in a way that is fun and somewhat educational. Trust me, my son watches Nick Jr....he loves Dora! But I also prefer knowing that if I need to get dinner on the table, that TV isn't my only option for entertainment!
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