When Daniel was a little over a year old, I bought him some items from the Dollar Store to create a “busy box.” I got this idea from his Gymboree class. The teachers always had a “busy box” time toward the end of class when all the babies would grab small little items out of a plastic box. There were musical shakers and small books and little toys. Bean loved it. I decided to recreate this “busy box” idea at home.
So I got a plastic box and filled it with “Dollar Store items” like measuring cups and small boxes and the same musical shakers, books and toys. Then I saw a string of colorful “Mardi Gras” beads. I grabbed those too.
Well, TWO YEARS LATER, the most popular item from that busy box are still those beads:
These beads have provided Daniel, and now Annabel, with so many hours (and days!) of playtime fun. They wear the beads and play dress up. They twirl the beads around in circles and sing. Daniel uses the beads as gas to fill up his play car. Annabel places the beads in and out of stacking cups. They both use the beads as pretend food ingredients and mix them and cook them in pots and pans. These beads allow them to be creative and use their imagination.
(I think there used to be some red beads and gold beads too, but there is always one that breaks in a moment of chaos.)
So I learned with my kids, a dollar still does go a LONG WAY.
My husband says, “These better be the ONLY Mardi Gras beads she ever gets.”
