Monday, January 2, 2012

100 (Attempted) Ways to Entertain a Young Toddler, Day 61: Pipe Cleaner Colander

Thanks to a friend who recently got me hooked to Pinterest, I found a fellow mommy's blog site called "Toddler Boredom Busters." She comes up with all sorts of interesting crafts, projects, and snacks for her little ones. Many of the projects seem too advanced for my two year old, but I bookmarked (or "pinned") a few to try out with Oliver.

Today's activity is so easy, it's genius. "Pipe Cleaner Colander" requires just two things: a packet of pipe cleaners and a colander. The photos on her site basically tell you all you need to know. Give the pipe cleaners to your toddler, and let him or her poke them into the holes. Your toddler can bend them and make loops or, as Oliver preferred, just leave them sticking out every which-way.

Oliver enjoyed this activity. I timed him, and it kept him entertained for 13 minutes. That's not bad for a two year old! He wanted me to sit with him ("Mom, sit"), and he congratulated himself every time he poked a pipe cleaner into one of the holes ("Good job, Oliver"). Once he decided he was done, though, he left the activity alone for the remainder of the morning. I finally decided to clean it up so it wouldn't lose it's novelty. I'll bring them out next week sometime for him to play again.

Here are some snapshots of the activity:

The simplicity really makes this activity a good one. I don't know if it's worth running out to your local craft store to buy a packet of pipe cleaners just for this. However, if you have some on hand from other projects, this is a great way to keep your toddler entertained for a short while. I give this activity a B+.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Audiobooks! We have 5 kids, and their ipods are always loaded with stories... just in case. There are lots of great sites, but we use this one a lot because all the stories are original and free. Here's the link if anyone is interested. http://www.twirlygirlshop.com/moral-stories-for-kids