I think we can all be guilty of some online shopping! I am one of the worst, but I hate how much packaging you get with each delivery. Reams of paper stuffing, boxes that are five times the size they need. So I decided to make some activities out of them to keep us occupied when we are at home!
depending on your child you can involve them in the making as well, Moose mainly helped with the colouring in and drawing as he isn't great with scissors and I don't think hot glue guns are appropriate for five-year-olds! I loved being able to turn our rubbish into fun toys.
Pinball Machine
What you need:
Large(ish) cardboard box
Toilet roll tubes
Some tape
Glue gun
Scissors
Pipe cleaners (optional)
Coloured pens (optional)
2 Ping pong balls (or similar, we used mini footballs)
How to make it:
Start by sealing your box shut, and cutting your toilet roll tubes into three. The chain of toilet roll tubes along the bottom could be a single bit of cardboard, a tray or a box to catch the balls in. If you're using toilet roll tubes for that bit, keep some whole.
I started by adding a channel at the top to roll the ball down, it is a piece of cardboard, with 2 sides and some hot glue. You don't need this, but I wanted a longer box. Then I got all my whole toilet roll tubes, taped them together and hot glued them onto the bottom of the box -this is where the balls land. I then added two lid sections off a spare cardboard box as bumpers at the side to stop the balls from falling off.
Next, I got the hot glue gun out and glued on the chopped-up toilet roll tubes, some I bent into different shapes to make the balls go different ways. Check when you stick them on that the ball fits between them all and won't get stuck. Every time I stuck a couple on I put a ball down it to check it worked. Some twisted pipe cleaners add fun bumps and colour.
Then we got the pens out and added different arrows. You could add prizes onto the landing area, or some points you can score. Wedge your box on an angle on a step or on another box. Then hand the balls over and let the little ones play. Moose loved releasing them at the top and watching them bounce their way down to the bottom.
Target Practice
What you need:
A long piece of packing paper
Pens
Beanbags
How to make it:
A really simple one - stretch the paper out in the garden, draw targets of different sizes - and throw bean bags! We had points in our targets and counted them up every couple of throws.
To try and help us add some rules and boundaries, we drew a line to stay behind when we were ready to throw. To help with that we drew around Moose's feet. Then it was clear where to stand and aim our beanbags.
Colour Sorter
What you need:
A cardboard box
Spare cardboard
Scissors (Craft Knife)
Coloured pens
Coloured beads
How you make it:
I started by spray glueing a piece of white paper onto the box to make the colours bolder, you don't have to do that. Then I drew round a cup and made 5 holes in the top.
On the inside between each hole, I hot glued a bit of cardboard to divide the sections (see picture below) so that Moose can see the results of his colour sorting.
Then, close the box again, and draw coloured rings around each hole - I added some little arrows too. Then your little one can start sorting the beads into the correct holes. This one became Moose's favourite I think and as it wasn't too big so we kept it longer. He sometimes sits at the table and sorts all the beads, excited to open the box and see how did.
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