Toys: Are You Getting Your Money’s Worth? Part 1
We’ve all heard about (or seen firsthand!) the kid who ditches the toy, and plays with the box instead.
Today’s blog post is for every parent, aunt, uncle, grandparent who has ever wondered why that happens.
Why big cardboard boxes are such a good fit for little kids, and your budget.
- You get good recycling karma from reusing that box your fridge came in!
- You don’t mind tossing out the box when it has been, literally, played out.
- Boxes provide open-ended play. Your child can hide and seek his friends, his toys, himself.
- Boxes set the stage — actually, boxes are the stage. With your child’s imagination in play, a box can be a cave, a spaceship, a boat, or an ocean.
- Toddlers and young children love crawling into small spaces — and not just because they know we can’t follow them. Those small contained spaces let kids hide or feel safe.
Speaking of safety…..
Once your toddler discovers the joy of hiding, he might hide in unexpected places.
Be sure to:
- Put away large boxes after playing with them — adult supervision is very important.
- Remove one side of the box for ease of escape.
- Choose a newer model toy chest (looks like a box, right?) that won’t slam down on tiny hands.
- Always make holes for ventilation, whether using the boxes inside or outside.
More ways to play with boxes and the toys that resemble them:
- Play jack in the box. Using a snippet of a recorded song your child knows, decide together when it’s time to pop out of the box.
- Tape the boxes together. Every castle needs a tower, yes?
- Open the end flaps, then tape boxes together to make a maze.
- Paint them. I’ve offered this activity on family fun nights — it’s a blast.
- Add pillows. Somebody just might decide to nap.
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Carly Jennings | Parenting Skills | 
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