The Box of Possibilities

Posted by: admin
March 28th, 2011

I keep three boxes called the Boxes of Possibilities.  You can keep almost anything in it for creative minds. Here is a list of a few things I keep in one for the older kids.

  1. Crayons
  2. Art paper
  3. Glue and safe scissors
  4. Glitter
  5. Pine cones
  6. Small rocks
  7. String
  8. Markers
  9. Fabric
  10. Old pieces of jewelry
  11. Old Christmas cards
  12. Bubbles
  13. Cotton balls
  14. A deck of cards

Work on the kitchen table or put an old oiled cloth on the floor.  This has to be fun so make sure you are comfortable with the location in case of spills.  Blowing bubbles is always enjoyable but you don’t want them landing on your good furniture.  The finished project should not take longer than 30 minutes with younger children because their attention span is too short to look for perfection.  It may not look pretty to us but our grandchildren are proud of their artwork.  Sometimes the clean up in the sink is the most fun.  Children love running water and soap as long as it isn’t for washing their hair or taking a shower.  Pick a “display” spot for your grandchildren’s creations and let them know that their things will be on display for one week so all of your friends can see their work.  That way they will not be disappointed when they don’t see that purple alligator picture there on their next visit. Although I never kept my own children’s drawings, I confess that I keep a plastic box in the basement with all of my grandchildren’s special things.  If we have been to a play or the museum, I will mark the tickets with the date and who went with me.  I figure some day they will all have a good laugh or fond memories going through the box and remembering the things we did together.

In another for the younger children, I keep small musical instruments, (i.e. triangles,  harmonicas, spoons), measuring cups and balls.  We turn on a CD and march around the house making music.

The third box has “big kids” things.  Nails, a hammer, old screws, pieces of wood, empty coffee cans, clay, a tape measure and other odds and ends for building things.  Last summer they made a rocket ship in the back yard from Styrofoam packaging and old cardboard.  They painted it and used tin cans for headlights and red reflectors for tail- lights.  The younger children made “tickets” for travel and everyone took pretend rides in the rocket ship.

IMAGINATION!  How many times have we thought that the box something came in was more fun than the toy.