At our house, all the egg cartons are saved to be reused because my family owns a ranch and we have a supply of farm fresh eggs. We sent the cartons back empty and get them returned full! Today I have a few fun ideas for you to make use of empty egg cartons. Make a pledge to keep those cartons out of the trash and put them to a new use!
1. Learning Games
The key to learning games is they must be on level and well understood. A learning game is not to teach, it is to practice things already taught. If you child loses interest, you probably chose something too difficult! These are great for car or airplane trips also! Keep little hands and little minds busy.
This is Rett yesterday and where this idea came from. I needed something to keep him busy while the other children finished their snacks. For toddlers like Rett make sure you are either using things they can eat or things they won't eat. I know he won't touch these candy kisses but if he did eat them, it wouldn't hurt him. It was fun to hear his 'one, two, three, two, two, two' as he put the kisses in the carton.
Math Games
2-3
Have your child practice putting one object in each compartment. You could use Easter eggs, beans, cereal. This is to teach one to one correspondence. Count up to 12 as you place the items in for counting practice.
4-6
Label the insides of the carton with numbers and have you child place that many of an object in each compartment. Your child is working on number identification, counting and small motor skills. Have them use tweezers or chop sticks to make it more fun.
6 and up
Write math problems inside the egg carton for the kids to solve. You can write the answers on the bottom. Have them place the amount of object that is the solution. Great way to practice multiplication tables.
Another idea is to write the numbers 1 through 12 and place two beans into the carton. Close the carton and shake. Use the two numbers the beans land on and add, subtract or multiply them together. You can also work on which one is more or less? Which one is odd or even?
Colors and Sorting
Collect food or items in different colors. Using markers, dot each compartment a different color. Have your child sort the items by colors into the compartments.
Have your child sort coins.
Arts and Crafts
Use your carton for holding paints. Children can mix colors in empty compartments.
Also great for holding beads to lace (small motor skills), change for a pretend grocery store or jewelery for dress up.
Some great egg carton crafts to be made here.
One person even made a little lamp using several cartons and christmas lights. I can see a little girl or teen really loving this in her room.
Around the House
Use an egg carton to sort nuts and bolts in the garage. Great for holding all those pieces when you buy a new piece of furniture.
Use egg cartons to freeze ice cubes for using in your cooler instead of buying ice.
Start vegetable and flower seeds in the cartons indoors for spring time.
Bake a batch of mini cupcakes, decorate your carton and give a dozen in a cute container!
Do you have any other ideas or stories about reusing egg cartons?
3 comments:
Hee,hee...look at the date of your post....
Lots of good ideas here, I may try a few of these with my son :)
TFS!
uh I know this silly blogger! I was trying to schedule this to post next Tuesday but it messed up so I posted today instead :)
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