Making a Busy Box

Busy Box

Dempsey was a 13-month old curious little creature. He always seems to be getting into things. Everything, in fact. Whether he is trying to crawl into the dish washer, pulling on (or trying to escape through) the baby gate at the stairs, terrorizing the kitties, splashing in the kitties’ water bowl and trying to eat their food, turning off the TV, turning on the TV, commandeering the remote to increase/decrease volume and change channels (all while giggling maniacally), throwing things in the toilet, playing in the curtains, acquiring most of my cooking utensils and just being ornery in general, you get the idea that he is a capable and busy little boy.

Thanks to Pinterest and my colleagues at the Francis Institute, I had some great resources to draw from for ideas and age-appropriate activities.

Busy Box Ideas to include:

Family Flash Cards

Family flash cards (laminated wallet size pictures of the family
Nesting cups (I went to Dollar Tree and got some measuring cups)
Easter Egg (He likes working his fine motor skills to open these. Plus who doesn't love hide and seek?)
Bouncy Ball (they love to chase these around the house!)
Empty plastic food container (He really likes opening/closing the lid. Especially if there is a treat inside - ours had Cheerios, M&Ms and marshmallows. Don't judge me on my not so healthy treat...)
Filled exploration bottles (empty water bottle filled with sand and little things to spot)
Stress ball (balloon filled with flour or play dough)
Spatula (he's commandeered most of my kitchenware...)

In and Out Container

In and Out Container - This little gem is an upcycled Kool-Aide container. I wrapped it in pretty wrapping paper and covered it in packing tape to give it that laminated look. Little D can take the lid off and also work on his small motor skills getting the pipe cleaners in the holes I drilled in the top.










This is my little man having a ball with his busy box! Thanks to my subscription to BHG, I got the great idea to cover an old shoe box with an old map. That way when he's not playing with it, I can put it on a shelf and it would look like a nice little box, rather than a box with a bunch of toys hanging out of it.

Dempsey and his busy box

Bottom line: use your imagination. Anything that will occupy your little one will work. I'm a "use what you've got" kind of gal, so I like making things for my little guy. Good luck!

-Morgan