Toddler Tuesday: One man's trash is another man's treasure

We have all heard the saying that kids would rather play with a box than the toy that came in it. Sometimes trying to come up with a toddler activity is as simple as looking in your cupboards and recycling bin.

Probably like most moms of toddlers, I have a small stash of toilet paper/ paper towel rolls, empty canisters, egg cartons, and whatever else that I might think could be a quick distraction activity when I need it.

Here are a couple examples:

• Pushing pom-poms through a container. He likes putting them in and can get a few out, but it is the fun of trying. He shakes and looks at it and tries to figure out how to get the rest of them out before starting all over again putting them back in. I have started asking him to put specific colors in, but he doesn't quite get that yet since everything seems to be blue to him. However, eventually that will click for him and will make this game a second life.

I used a small milk container and empty spice container to create this easy game.

• Black beans of fun. We have done this a few times and have tried a few different things. This weekend was pure fun and excitement. He tossed and sprinkled and had a blast feeling and listening to the different sounds the beans made in the baking pan and empty oatmeal canister. My husband thought I was nuts for this one, but since the beans are larger than something like rice, it was the easiest clean up and he had a blast. The last time I brought out the beans, I gave him different spoons/ladles to play with. This activity is a quick game however. Left for too long and the mess does get a little too uncontrollable, but for a quick mood pick-me-up, this is great. 

Using black beans, made this mess super easy to clean up. 

What are some of your favorite trash games to play with your toddler?