I recently had a conversation with a friend about her daughter’s favorite toy.
She said that her little girl’s current favorite was a steamer basket (you know that funny metal object used to steam vegetables that that has hinged flaps that look like flower pedals?).
My friend shared was often frustrated because she would go to use her steamer basket and couldn’t find it.
Inevitably it would be in her daughter’s play area, being used as a spaceship or a bed for a doll or the corral for some horses.
I love that this little girl found joy and creativity from something as simple as a steamer basket.
And without even knowing it she was engaged in critical thinking, problem solving, and motor coordination.
Some of the best toys for your child are, surprisingly, found in your kitchen.
Let’s open the cabinets and take a look!
Open Ended Play
Using materials found in kitchen cabinets as toys is one form of open-ended play.
Open-ended play helps children learn.
Because young children learn through exploration and open-ended toys and materials encourage exploration, open-ended materials are the best way to support learning.
If we try to prescribe how children are going to learn with specific dedicated materials, they are less likely to explore sufficiently to engage in learning.
One study found that preschoolers who were given open-ended materials as play objects were better able to think creatively (Oncu, 2015). In another study, researchers found that toddlers engaged in free play had better interactions with parents, better play, and more language use (Kwon et al., 2013).
There are many additional benefits of open-ended play. Open-ended play:
- encourages imagination and critical thinking.
- develops motor skills and coordination.
- supports sensory exploration, especially when different textures and sounds are used.
- promotes independent problem solving and creativity.
What’s in Your Kitchen?
Let’s peek into your kitchen cupboards and discover some great toys for your child.
Plastic containers and lids
These are great for stacking, sorting, and pretending to cook.
Wooden spoons and spatulas
These can be instruments for drumming or used for stirring in pretend play. Wooden spoons are also great for infants who are mouthing and teething. Another friend of mine recently told me that her baby’s favorite toy was a wooden spoon.
Whisks and strainers
While these items can be great in water play and bathtime play, they are also great in pretend play situations as well.
Muffin tins and ice cube trays
There is something about the small compartments of muffin tins and ice cube trays that are particularly intriguing to young children. They also can be used for counting and sorting, or for sensory activities.
Pots and pans
When paired with a wooden spoon, this is the classic set up of playing with items in the kitchen. If you’re not wanting to deal with the noise, pots and pans can also be used in pretend cooking or could be used to hold smaller toys for filling up and dumping out, the favorite activity of toddlers.
Cereal boxes and cartons
These can be used as building blocks for forts, tunnels or pretend stores. To keep things tidy, wait until these items are empty of food and cleaned up to be used as toys.
Getting Started with “The Trio”
If you are just starting out in exploring the idea of using found materials as toys, use “The Trio.”
THE TRIO: Pick three unrelated items from your kitchen, set them on a blanket or towel, and observe how your child plays with them.
The blanket or towel serves to designate that this spot is a place space within your kitchen area.
You might find it helpful to add some common open-ended toys like a simple block set to the trio.
The goal here is not to direct your child’s play but to observe how she plays with and engages with the materials that are set out.
One of the great things about using kitchen items as toys is that they can be swapped out each day.
Just wash the items that have been used as toys, put them away, and set out a new trio tomorrow.
A Few More Ideas
If you’re ready to add to this play exploration, here are some other creative play ideas using kitchen items.
Sound and music play: Create rhythm and sound using pots spins and rice in containers.
Sensory exploration: Fill bowls with dried beans, pasta, or rice for scooping, pouring, and sorting. NOTE: If your child is still in a mouthing phase, either save this idea for later or be 100% hands on while your child is exploring.
Pretend play: Set up a mini kitchen or restaurant using the utensils and empty food containers from your kitchen.
Building and engineering: Use cans, cartoons, and boxes to create towers, tunnels, forts, and obstacle courses.
Sorting and counting: Use muffin tins or ice cube trays to sort small objects by shape or color. NOTE: If your child is still in a mouthing phase, either save this idea for later or be 100% hands on while your child is exploring.
Your New Best Friend: The Thrift Shop
You may find that your child gravitates to a particular item from your kitchen, like my friend’s daughter loving the steamer basket.
This is a great observation!
Instead of feeling frustrated every time you go to use that item for its actual intended purpose, find a similar item at your local thrift shop to use as the designated “toy” for your child.
Then you have a fully functioning kitchen, and your child has a wonderful, interesting, low-cost open-ended toy.
Safety Considerations
Before giving your child any objects from your kitchen as toys, think through all the safety implications.
Avoid sharp objects or things made from breakable materials. Stick to items that are made from wood, silicone, plastic, fabric, and metal.
Closely supervise any play when using small items or food-based play.
A good quick rule of thumb is that if an object can fit inside of an empty toilet paper roll, it is too small to give to a child under the age of three.
Once you are clear that the situation is safe, encourage your child’s free exploration!
Embrace Found Object Play
Aside from the learning benefits for your child, encouraging found object play has other value for you, too!
Using found objects helps set the value of simplicity in your home. Having fewer things has many emotional, psychological, and financial benefits for your whole family. Keeping fewer toys means less to clean, less to repair, less to keep track of, and less to store.
You will also light up when you see your child joyfully creating and innovating with minimal resources. Nothing is better!
Additionally, by using found objects as toys, you can set up small areas as play corners or play spots in any room you are in. No need for a designated playroom!
Let’s Go!
Fun, educational, and engaging toys don’t have to come from a store. They are already in your kitchen.
So, head into your kitchen and open your cabinets.
Welcome to your child’s new toy store!
References
Kwon, K-A., Bingham, G., Lewsader, J., Jeon, H-J., & Elicker, J. (2013). Structured task versus free play: The influence of social context on parenting quality, toddlers’ engagement with parents and play behaviors, and parent–toddler language use. Child Youth Care Forum, 42, 207–224. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-013-9198-x
Oncu, E.C. (2015). Preschoolers’ usage of unstructured materials as play materials divergently. Education Journal 4(1), 9-14. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.20150401.13
