I hoard a lot of food/home living containers and pieces because I always think I can use them with Skyler. Joe just loves it ;) Most of the time, I can think of a fun way to recycle our what-would-be trash to create with Skyler. One thing I have been saving forever, but have never used is the baby food pouch caps. Skyler recently discovered the gallon bag of them sitting in the cabinet that holds his magnetic letters and bowl drums and wooden spoon mallets. I posted this picture on Instagram from when he discovered them. He sat and played with them the entire time I made dinner.
A few days later, he pulled out the bag again. I told him that they weren't a toy, but then I thought about it for a few seconds. Why couldn't he play with them? So I emptied the caps, fruit cups, and a random spice jar into an empty sensory bin and Skyler started to play. I gave him yogurt and gelato containers to scoop with and he started to play (I added the egg carton and paper towel/toilet paper rolls after he had been playing for awhile)!
A few days later, he pulled out the bag again. I told him that they weren't a toy, but then I thought about it for a few seconds. Why couldn't he play with them? So I emptied the caps, fruit cups, and a random spice jar into an empty sensory bin and Skyler started to play. I gave him yogurt and gelato containers to scoop with and he started to play (I added the egg carton and paper towel/toilet paper rolls after he had been playing for awhile)!
Trash turned exploratory play: food containers, milk and water caps, fruit cups, a spice jar, egg carton, paper towel and toilet paper rolls.
Plus lots and lots of food pouch tops!
Skyler started exactly how I thought he would. Scooping, dumping, and transferring.
He enjoyed pouring the cups onto the egg carton, but he also made "muffins" and "eggs" putting individual pouch caps into the egg carton spots.
Paper towel chute.
The spice jar was a challenge because it only fit two pouch caps and they got stuck easily, but Skyler really liked playing with it.
And then I looked up and this happened. He called them his mittens and waved his arms around like crazy until they came off. It was too funny.
Making "ice cream" and "yogurt"
Making "muffins." I promise I did feed him before we played this activity. He must have been inspired by all the food related scoops!
Our kitty got in on the exploration as well. Skyler was very excited about it!
Of course the big bin is fun to dump as well.
Skyler continued in our recycled material play by using the bag the caps were held in to hold all of his small play balls.
This simple activity has been a lot of fun. There are so many ways to play and we have so much fun talking about everything that is in the bin. This could be done with a huge variety of materials. I will be keeping my eyes out for fun recycled parts for Skyler to explore!
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