Ten reasons why I LOVE bean boxes

First of all what, exactly, is a bean box anyway? Well, simply put, it's a box full of beans! :) And it just happens to be one of my children's favorite activities. I only pull them out once a week and sometimes less often than that. As with any toy or activity, the novelty can wear off after frequent use. :) Here are ten reasons why I (and they) love them so much...

1. It's affordable. All you need is a container at least the size of a shoe box, a bag full of beans (any assortment), and small, random, colorful items that you find around the house.

2. It encourages independent play. Can I get an AMEN?!? :) While this activity does require a little supervision, there is no real instruction involved, and most children are quite content to just dig their fingers in and play independently. Note: Due to the obvious choking hazard, this is best when the child is past the oral phase of development and there is not a risk of them putting them in their mouths.

3. It's a great sensory activity. We're always trying to stimulate our children's senses, and this is a fun way to stimulate their sense of touch. Just for fun, you can substitute coffee beans to this activity, adding a fun component of smell to it! :)

4. Encourages and teaches sorting skills. "Can you find all of the yellow objects?" or "Can you sort all of the different shapes?"

5. Can encourage counting activities. "How many buttons can you find in your box? Can you count them?"

6. Work on identifying similarities and differences. Most of the beans look nearly identical. However, there are a handful that are just...different. Maybe they are misshaped or discolored, but either way, both of my children have enjoyed "finding the different ones" and separating them from the rest.

7. Encourages fine motor skills. As they work on picking up single beans and transferring them somewhere else, they get good practice using their pincher grip. You can add some plastic child-friendly tweezers to add to this skill development.

8. Provides opportunities to talk about the concepts of empty and full. "That container is empty, can you fill it up?" or "That one is full...how can we make it empty?"

9. Fun with sound. Add a plastic Easter egg or two and let the child feel them with beans to make little instruments. This is one of my kiddos FAVORITES. :)

10. Pretend play. It's amazing what kids will come up with. They can make cakes, pies, soups, etc. as they practice stirring, pouring, and serving their delicious treats! :)