Fun All Over the House

Have you ever noticed that, many times, your baby is at least as interested in the box or packaging that a toy came in as the toy itself? To small children, everything is a plaything, and you can save a bundle of money having fun with items already in your house.

In the kitchen

This is really the best room in the house as far as baby fun goes. Pots and pans can be a drum set, with spoons as drumsticks. Plastic containers double as building blocks, and pantry items can be endlessly stacked, “cooked” with and knocked over. Mixing bowls can be nested, filled with small items to rattle around, or worn as hats. Kitchen fun will last for years, well into toddlerhood and the preschool ages. To keep things safe, and to save your sanity, consider reorganizing your kitchen with baby in mind. Maybe you can save a lower cabinet and/or a drawer that’s just for him, filled with plastic containers and lids, cookie cutters, plastic or wooden utensils, and pantry items (oatmeal canisters are awesome!).

In the bedroom

That yoga ball you bounced on to try to keep in shape just made tummy time way more fun. Place baby on his tummy on the ball, keep your hands firmly on him, and roll him around a little. If you have a full-length mirror, or a sturdy mirror you can prop safely at baby height, this can become the most fascinating toy ever. A tissue box or baby wipe container is super fun, and babies always love to pull out every last one. Make it less stressful for mama by taking an empty box and filling with a scarf just poking out of the top, or lots of small, soft pieces of fabric that let baby feel like he’s getting into all sorts of mischief.

In the living room

Couch cushions on the floor are not only hilarious, but also useful to babies learning to sit, do “push-ups” or crawl. Cardboard boxes make great tunnels, space for play, or containers for everything else baby can grab in the living room.

Anywhere, anytime!

As long as the item is safe for baby, let him experiment with everything he finds around the house. The various colors, textures, sounds and smells, will help his little brain grown and develop—and give you a couple of minutes of downtime.