Upcycled Canister Ball Drop
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Do you have a baby learning object permanence? Is he noticing that things you hide are still there? If so, you might be having a harder time tricking him, and this activity will be great for you! Just cut a hole in a container (like this upcycled bread crumb cylinder or a formula can) the size of a ball, pretty much any ball. I used a set of ball pit balls, they are from Target and are 2.5 inches, which have been a great size for baby to hold and for using in a lot of ways. Get similar balls from Amazon below. To cut the hole it is best that you start a little smaller than the ball and gradually cut out more until the hole is just barely the size of the ball, so there is some resistance when pushing the ball in. This way, it take a little coordination to push the ball in, rather than just drop it through.
Now let baby push balls in and figure out where they went. Try showing baby how to push a ball in and wondering aloud where the ball went. Engaging in activities with your baby will help lengthen his attention span! The more you narrate what you do and what baby is doing, the better language skills baby will develop as well.
For an older baby you can make several of these containers and mark each with a colored sharpie, like green, blue, and yellow, and then ask your little to sort the balls by color! You could even make a game out of it by placing the containers in different areas of the house and having your toddler pick up a ball and run to each container, making it an active play idea!
This task is great for learning coordination, and for developing baby’s brain. You can also leave this “toy” out and let baby come back to it again and again!
