Boo and Busy Boxes

Hi! I am Boo and I have been invited to be an author on Kids Don't Cost the Earth. This blog ticks all the boxes for me - when we had X we made an agreement that we wouldn't sacrifice the planet to raise our child. We avoid plastic where we can, especially of the disposible, easily breakable variety, get clothes second hand or from organic sources where possible, and generally try and be inventive and creative when it comes to entertaining our son, so that we can avoid leaving him the inherentance of a planet in an even worse state than it currently is.
I also write on my own blog on evidence-based parenting.

So, that is me. Let me tell you about "Busy Boxes".

You know when, with toys strewn everywhere, paper littering the room, crayons stuffed down sofas, a toddler who doesn't seem to focus on one thing for more than two minutes, and who seems hyeractive and bored....you suddenly get that sinking feeling that everything is a little out of control? I often feel like that at 630 in the morning and I just want X to have a task, something different that will keep him stimulated and busy. So I stumbled on busy boxes.

For me, part of the concept is that, with the room described above, there is no containment to an activity. Even with the craft area we have made for X it is often not focussed enough for him. Busy boxes are a box (any will do, we use the Ikea ones from our shelf system) with one clear discreet task in it, that I change every night so there is a new one for the morning. That way it is novel, fresh and contained. Hopefully it is a task that stimulates, either something sensory, learning orientated or just plain fun.

The first one I made was so obvious it was just waiting to be created - several handfuls of lentils (puy, green and yellow in this case. But rice would work too, or corn. But the lentils can be used as an emergency soup mix too, once playing is finished!) poured into the box with his construction toys added. X proceeded to dig, carry lentils, and generally scoop and flatten, with the construction toys. He bought in other cars (and people, alarmingly!) to bury in the lentils.

The second box was less of a hit (it is a learning process!) as I simply gave him a collection of red, blue and green blocks, letters and crayons and an old insert from a box of some kind that divided into three, so he could sort by colour. Dull, Mummy. But the blocks were piled up and knocked down - even though the very same blocks are always available in his playroom - something he really enjoyed and has not done in a while.

Tomorrow is stickers and pictures.

Other ideas for future busy boxes-
Paint, paper and straws to blow paint around the paper with.
The sparkly jelly blogged about previously.
Playdough, rolling pin and cutters ready to go.
Stamps (potato or made from old sponges etc), paint and paper
Threading paraphenalia
Pouring games - lentils or rice and cups or different sizes, maybe a funnel?
Chopsticks or tongs, two cups and lots of little objects to put into the cups (for more dexterous toddlers and children)
Ink stamps and paper (and pens for making finger and handprints into animals, cars and trains!)
Cut out images from magazines, glue and paper to make a collage. Or just the magazine so they can chose what they want to cut out.
The possibilities are endless......

Obviously, once the day is over and the next box being put together, just shove the previous box contents into a bag and put it away ready for next time (in fact feel free to just give the child the bag for a lot of these rather than the activity in a box. Much more portable that way. This is the ideal entertainment for you to be flexible with!)

Busy boxes/bags are also handy to have stashed away for those moments when you need to pull something out of your hat - an important phone call or work that just has to be done that your toddler can't join you for. Have a busy box nearby, pull it over and you may get...oh I don't know, as much as ten minutes quiet time (no guarantees)!