Wee Hands Busy School!!

I decided it was finally time to go through my junk cabinet, and while I was doing so I was wondering what to put in it :) I came up with the idea that I could fill it with different baskets of activities for the little guys. It seems like I always need things to occupy their little hands, so it would be great to be able to pull out different baskets or ziplocks with different projects for them to do while I am cooking or teaching school to the older children! I have come up with some fun ideas on my own and others I have found in magazines or have been ideas from other creative, desperate ;) Mother's!

#1 newspapers, catalogues or old magazines, glue stick and a notepad. If they are old enough to cut then they can make a fun picture book!

#2  measuring cups, measuring spoons, funnels, plastic cups, BIG THICK towel and of course water :) they could play with it in a shallow tub in the kitchen, or I have just let them sit on a towel with a big bowl of water

#3 cheerios or fruit loops...the options are endless with cheerios! They could practice counting, they could put them on a string and make a necklace or glue them on a paper to make a  picture

#4 For older toddlers 3 or 4 under supervision: a thumbtack and large letters from the alphabet printed off the computer. My cousin's son was in a montessori( Sp?) school and they would have the children poke holes in the paper tracing the letter. They said that it was wonderful practice for learning to hold a pencil!

#5 Spray bottles and rags.  Let them "clean" :) your shower or tub for you or if your windows need washed anyways they can do the prep work!

#6 Bean bags and a bucket

#7 cornmeal on a cookie sheet or tray to practice writing with finger

#8 crayons and sandpaper (an interesting change from paper)

#9 A pie tin and small toys with magnets glued to the bottom of them

#10 A can of  shaving cream and a nice smooth surface (counter, small inflatable pool, cookie sheet) This will also make your tile floors sparkly clean! :)

#11 A drop of food coloring in water, an eye dropper, and a paper towel or coffee filter

#12 Clothes pins and just abouth anything that can be clipped together; paper, cloth, paper cups

#13 Pictures with colored glue. If you use this on a smooth surface such as a page protector, then you can peel the pictures off when it's dry! It's also great fun to paint your hand, let it dry and then peel it off like x tra skin! :)

#14 Pudding painting with your fingers!!

#15 Playdough!

#16 Paint with water books or coloring books and crayons

#17 Very big beads and a drinking straw ( easier to handle than string) Mom can make a sample pattern for the child to follow if she glues the two end beads

#18 Empty containers with lids (such as, empy yogurt containers, bacon bits tubs, Baking powder containers) and plastic animals. They can take lids on and off and put small animals or other objects inside and practice putting in and taking out! :)

#19 Alphabet magnets for the fridge. I love our leap frog alphabet magnets!!

#20 Sewing cards or cardboar!d shapes with holes punched all around the edges, and a piece of yarn tipped with masking tape

#21 Flashlights!

#22 Blank notebook and stickers of all kinds!

#23 Egg carton and 12 wooden eggs ( you can buy these at Michaels or Hobby lobby) They can decorate the eggs with paint and then use them to practice counting with