How to Entertain your Preschooler: Bean Bucket!!!

This is my first activity post in my "How to Entertain your Preschooler" series.

A few weeks ago I was really in need of something I could easily throw together to entertain Landon. I needed it to be portable so I could bring it out when I needed Landon to be occupied for a few minutes (or, you know, an hour or two), easy to clean up so I didn't defeat the purpose of the activity in the first place, and something that actually challenged him intellectually (read: NOT the television).

Because of the WIC program (I am not ashamed to admit that we receive WIC: it is an incredible program and I am grateful for all that it provides!) we have a surplus of dried beans in the house. I grabbed a large tupperware container with a secure lid, and dumped three 1 pound bags into the bucket: one bag of lentils, one bag of red beans, and one bag of black eyed peas.

Then I assembled three small Dixie cups (for sorting), a coffee scoop I never use since I grind all of my coffee fresh in my  Magic Bullet  right before I brew my coffee, and a small measuring cup.

Then I placed the new activity in front of my ecstatic preschooler and he was completely content for the next THREE hours!!!

Here he was playing with the coffee scoop and various "go-gos" he decided to add to the bean bucket.

The best part is, clean up is an absolute breeze! Just swipe any of the spilled beans off the table or counter back into the tub, and vacuum any fallen beans from the floor or carpet. Snap the lid back on and store in a cabinet or shelf until your child is ready to play again!

Since beans are super cheap (or free), it doesn't matter if you have to vacuum a bunch of them up. A one pound bag of beans is under $1 at most grocery stores!

When I first presented the bucket to Landon, I challenged him to sort each kind of bean into a separate Dixie cup. When he had sorted several in to each cup, we dumped them out and counted how many he had collected of each kind.

We also talked about color, relationship of size, and texture.

Several times a week he asks to play with the beans and I am guaranteed at least an hour with a completely entertained and occupied 3 year old. And he even loves to help clean up with the vacuum hose!

**Obviously this activity is NOT suitable for children who still swallow small objects or put objects in their mouth without super close supervision. For younger children, do NOT leave them alone with this activity. My 3 year old is out of the "mouth exploration" stage so he does fine by himself with this activity. Make sure you explain to your child beforehand that these beans are NOT for eating and are just for playing! And, because I don't want to be responsible for any trips to the ER, please make sure and tell your child that we do not put beans up our noses!!!! Thank you! Enjoy!

How to Entertain Your Preschooler

Having a new baby in the house is amazing. Watching her grow and change and become interested in the world around her is incredible. I have to admit though, I had forgotten how extremely exhausting it is to be a 24/7 milk factory/bottle/pacifier, not to mention changing diapers every couple of hours while also keeping up on house work, creating delicious meals, and doing load after load of laundry.

And did I mention we cloth diaper? Yeah. We do. And I LOVE it... But the extra loads of laundry...

Well let's just come out with it:

I am EXHAUSTED!

Oh and did I mention that I have a 3 year old? A wonderful, curious, active, intelligent 3 year old who is constantly in need of things himself.

One of the most difficult things about adjusting to having a new baby is making sure not to lose sight of the other child(ren) in the house. Especially at this age. He is becoming more and more independent, which is awesome, but it can also be trouble. Because the independent 3 year old actually creates more work for mommy if not properly guided... IE: an independent 3 year old left to his own devices may pull every single snack item out of the cabinet and proceed to sit down and work his way through every cracker and fruit snack in the bunch. Or help himself to some juice, which he proceeds to pour in his own cup... and on the counter, floor, sink, etc..

Yes 3 is an incredible age, if you are prepared for it!

So I am going to start a small series of posts with tips on how I entertain my precocious 3 year old in a way that still promotes fun, learning, and a few minutes of peace (read: nursing, changing diapers, doing laundry, sneaking cookies in the utility room... whatever you may need a few extra minutes to do) for mommy.

If you have any particularly useful activities that you utilize in your home, please share them here and I will be sure to try them out and include them in the future.

1. Bean Bucket