A few weeks ago, I made a tragic mistake. I opened the lid of the trash can in our kitchen and dropped something in, only to hear an audible gasp from my son across the room. I had done the unthinkable: mindlessly thrown away a perfectly good paper towel roll! Beginning when my kids were big enough to rummage, stack, play, and create I have kept a plastic bin in the garage full of what would've been trash, you know, B.C. ("Before Children") I always put oatmeal containers, egg cartons, cardboard rolls from paper towels and toilet paper, the last remnant of aluminum foil that's not enough to cover anything, margarine tubs, small boxes, bits of bubble wrap, Kool-Aid containers, etc. Toss in a couple of rolls of duct or masking tape, and it is always a box of instant fun!
They have created robots, cities, creatures, vehicles, and a myriad of other creations over the years... all from what would've been trash! My daughter (now a teenager) doesn't make creations out of trash anymore, but the contents of the box still come in handy for school projects. My son is about to be 11, and he still goes out to the garage to rummage through the "art box" and think of fun projects. I'm not sure when he'll outgrow it, but as long as it keeps his imagination going and is cheap fun... it works for me!
For more tips, visit Rocks In My Dryer. Have a wonderful Wednesday!
5 comments:
I am just laughing thinking of all the gasps I hear if someone discovers an item it the trash I thought I discreetly threw away! What a great idea to save all those things for immaginative projects!
Ahhh, Yes paper towel rolls, toilet paper tubes, boxes....You name it my kids save it!
Linda
I once heard something like that referred to as a 'serendipity box.' You know, finding pleasure from unexpected sources? Who knows how many rocket ships, swords, or pieces of dollhouse furniture have been discarded because they happened to look like paper towel tubes and egg shell cartons, LOL?
What a great idea! My kids are still at the age where a container like that would be a ton of fun!
we use to have a box similar to that when my oldest son was younger we called it the Barney Box :)
Jen at http://jenz.wordpress.com/
Post a Comment