Look and Find Fun

Before we even get going, I want to let you know that this project was not my idea. I saw it somewhere in the blog world recently and now I can't find it again! So if you happen to know who made this or where it was featured, please let me know so I can give them credit! I've also seen a similar activity in a bag, but I didn't see that one online.

Now, onto the fun! This is a toy you can easily make yourself at home. It seems like it would be a good activity for a car or plane ride, when kids have to be sitting still for extended periods of time. I think I'll be stashing this away for when Gavin and I hop on a plane at the end of the month.

I like the idea of making picture cards to go along with the bottle so kids know what they are looking for. To make the cards, you just need to take a photo of the things you are putting in and then print them on white card stock. Laminating, then punching a hole to put them on a ring is the way I went.

What you need:

a clear plastic bottle and its cap (I used a voss one)
white rice
miscellaneous small things (I used what I could find or make at home, you could also find stuff at the dollar store or somewhere like that)

[optional supplies: funnel, glue]

How to make it:

Open up your bottle and fill it about 1/4 full with rice.

Add "stuff" 

[things I used: beads, buttons, a chopped off crayon, macaroni, 

tiny shells, black beans, craft foam cut into shapes, a zipper tab, a sticker]

Add more rice. Leave 1-2 inches of space so the contents can easily be shaken up.

Now put the lid on. I like the idea of gluing the lid on to avoid huge messes!