20 min
Cardboard Tube Drop
A tube taped to the wall and a basket of things to drop through it.
📨
Homemade Posting Box
One box, one slot, and a toddler who will not stop posting.
Cut a slot in a cardboard box and give them things to post through it. Endlessly repeatable and needs nothing you do not already own.
What you need
- cardboard box
- scissors for the adult
- large lids
- coasters or thick card pieces
How to do it
- Cut a slot in the lid of a shoebox, slightly wider than the objects you will use.
- Gather safe, large items: jar lids, coasters, thick cardboard squares.
- Show them once how a lid goes in, then hand it over.
- Open the box together to discover where everything went.
- Close it and start again.
Why this is good for them
Posting is one of the earliest examples of a child holding a goal in mind and working towards it. Lining an object up with a slot requires wrist rotation and depth judgement, both of which are hard work at this age.
Adapting by age
12 to 18 monthsMake the slot generous so success comes easily.
2 to 3 yearsCut two slots of different sizes and let them sort by which fits.
Keep it safe
Every item must be larger than the childs mouth. No coins, no small lids. Keep the scissors well away once you have cut the slot.
Cleanup tip
Everything already lives in the box. Put the lid on.
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