Beat toddler boredom with a bean bin! Or, in our case, overuse of the iPad. Our son has been particularly obsessed with electronics lately, and with a brand new baby in the house the iPad has been an easy go-to. That’s when, I decided to come up with some smart distractions, Bean Bin For Toddlers was the answer.
I know the iPad has its place and there are some great educational programs, in fact, a few of these programs even grace our electronics. With that being said, I’d still rather the iPad not become the main source of entertainment in my son’s daily life. Especially since he’s still so young.
About six months ago, I came across a couple variation of these bean bins on Pinterest and wondered how effective they’d be for our family. So, I went ahead and made our own to test it out. It was a huge success.
I bought a shallow container, filled it with three bags of pinto beans and then loaded it with kitchen gadgets. Our utensils include measuring cups, an ice cream scoop, spoons, tongs and a small muffin tin. You can also incorporate a small sheet pan to use as a catchall for the runaway beans. This saves me tons of time in clean up.
Occasionally, you could change up the utensils for a fresh version to keep your little one interested, just swap out the old gadgets for a few new ones. Maybe try adding a small bowl, an egg carton, a funnel, empty toilet paper or paper towel rolls, or even beach toys. The possibilities are endless.
Watching how my son has progressed with this toy has been a wonderful lesson in simplicity. He’s gone from giant scoops of beans everywhere to surprisingly precise grabs with a pair of tongs. Pretty impressive learning with just a bucket of beans and some leftover kitchen utensils.
Anyway, I got off track. I packed this gem of a toy away, for reasons that still escape me, but never the less, it has been hiding in the closet for a couple months now.
This morning, when my son asked for the iPad, I panicked. I took a deep breathe and told him “Nope, no electronics today” and then, watched as tears started to well up in his eyes. I was not ready to deal with the two year old tantrum. How can a toddler produce tears at such a rapid speed?
Before I had to deal with an epic iPad battle, I grabbed the Bean Bin from the top shelf of the closet and set him up at the kitchen table. He loved it, played for a solid hour and then off and on throughout the afternoon. Surprisingly, not only did he love it, he forgot about the iPad for the rest of the day!
Supplies
- shallow container with lid
- Pinto beans
- muffin tin
- small sheet pan
- measuring cups
- tongs
- scoops
- spoons
Instructions
- Pour beans into container.
- Add kitchens utensils.
- Play for hours.
Please supervise your child with this toy.
Love Bean Bin for Toddlers? Check out these other DIY projects and crafts, I’m sure you’ll enjoy:
- Make Your Own Balloon Dart Art Painting
- Make Your Own Sunset Ombre Vase
- Pizza Painted Planter for Basil
If you get a chance to make this or any other craft on the blog and want to share. Please feel free to tag @candyjarchronicles or use #candyjarchronicles on Instagram, so I can see your photo. I’d love to see what you’re crafting in your home!
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