A WOMAN has shared how you can make your own ‘busy box’ to ensure your little ones stay entertained this term.
So if you’re worried about how to keep your kids busy this week, don’t worry, you’ve come to the right place.
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And fear not, you won’t need to go out and spend money on expensive toys or books, as with this ‘busy box’, your little ones will have things to do without needing to leave the house, and it’s perfect for those on a budget.
A mother named Nini took to social media to show off the items she puts in her son’s ‘busy box’, leaving many speechless.
The savvy mum posted her clip online and said: “With a new baby on the way and the fact that Archie no longer needs as much nap time, I thought this little box could be an effective way to change up the entertainment and keep him . busy for a while.
“I hope to get some “quiet time” in our routine once the naps are over where he will do some Cool, quiet and independent game. “Waiting” is the key word.
“Obviously you can do this using regular toys, but we love being creative and I also really like the idea of sharing budget-friendly ideas as I know toys can be expensive.
“I hope this helps! But remember, they are not necessary for healthy growth and development. Simple toys work too.”
In the short video, Nini shared a variety of toys, games and DIY activities that parents can do to ensure their children stay busy when they are out of school.
The first used a piece of Lego Duplo and some stickers, creating a fun and simple ‘matching dots’ game, in which children have to twist the Lego to match the colored stickers.
Plus, Nini made a fun game using two items you probably already have at home: pasta and string.
To make her pasta threading game, Nini simply placed pieces of penne and a strand of string into a bag, creating a fun, circular game.
Additionally, Nini cut pieces of Velcro and placed them in a bag along with some wooden sticks, which can be used to make shapes.
Nini also played a shape and shadow matching game, where she took her son’s collection of wooden shapes and drew around them on a piece of paper.
The mother then placed the piece of paper, along with the shapes, in a bag for a simple matching activity game.
Seven Ways to Save Money and Keep Kids Entertained
1) KEEP AN EXCHANGE STORE: Invite friends over for a play date and then organize a week-long toy swap so everyone can keep something new until the end of the vacation.
2) EAT OUT FOR FREE: Many big names, including Asda, Dunelm and Future Inns, are offering “kids eat free” or £1 meal deals. See netmums. with.
3) ENJOY A TRIP FOR LESS: Take advantage of National Rail’s Days Out 2 For 1 offer, with half-price entry to the UK’s top attractions, hotels and theatres. See diasoutguide.co.uk
4) BECOME AN ENTREPRENEUR ENTREPRENEUR: Ask your children to remove all unwanted clothes, toys, and books, then hold a garage sale or list the items online. Give them any profits as pocket money.
5) CHECK YOUR ADVICE: Most local authorities organize free or low-cost activities, from arts, crafts and cooking classes to sports clubs. Visit your local council website for details.
6) HAVE A WEEK OF FOOD: Make a list of the foods you have and ask the children to help you prepare meals with what you have, buying only fresh ingredients.
7) USE FAMILY VOUCHERS: Look for special half-term discounts on Groupon, Vouchercloud and vouchercodes.co.uk.
Another easy game Nini created used two other items you probably already have around the house – a wooden tube (from kitchen towel) and a package of colorful hair bands.
For her ‘color sorting tube’, Nini drew rings around the tube with colored markers corresponding to the hair bands.
Your child could then use the hair bands to place over the rings for a fun matching game.
After all the activities were done, Nini placed each of her DIY games into separate ziplock bags and placed them in a plastic box.
Plus, she’s also packed a selection of sensory pieces and books into the box, to make sure your little one has enough to have fun.
Nini later added: “Although playing with everyday objects has been widely recognized as very beneficial for children, they need close monitoring. Please decide for yourself what you feel comfortable and appropriate and what you think is a potential danger.”
BEAM OF PARENTS
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @early.explorerIt clearly left many speechless as it quickly went viral and has since racked up an impressive 1.5 million views.
These are genius!
TikTok User
Parents were surprised by the busy activity in the box and many were keen to praise Nini for her creativity in the comments.
One person said: “As a preschool teacher, I love how easy and simple these activities are to do! Yet so enriching!”
I will try with my son
TikTok User
Another added: “This is so good to take in the car on holiday!! Amazing, thank you.
A third commented: “Great ideas!!”
While one mum shared: “Oh my god they are genius! I especially love Duplo.”
Meanwhile, a mother smiled: “I’ll try it with my son.”
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
