Muffin tin as sorting toy
Inspired by a past hack suggesting poker chips as toys, Jamie ups the fun quotient with a muffin tin:
I've discovered that if I throw a metal muffin pan in with the poker chips that both my 4-year-old and 19-month-old will sit and play contentedly and use the muffin pan as a sorter. They will sort the poker chips into the muffin tin by color or just have fun filling the compartments. My 4-year-old has also made PlayDoh "muffins" and placed them in paper muffin liners in the tin. The tin is also handy for sorting those ABC magnets that are usually up on the fridge. So if my girls are a bit bored I pull out the muffin pan. It works every time.
Tags: Parenting, Preschooler, Toddler, Toys
This is a great add on to the poker chips. My nephew (year and a half) was over the other day and I remembered this tip and got out my poker chips and except for when he gave them to my 6 month old (who drolled all over them) he had a great time stacking and sorting and playing with them. Excellent!!!!
Posted by: Chris | Jan 23, 2007 9:55:12 AM
Great idea, I wouldn't have thought of a cake tin, nut its perfect with the several compartments.
Posted by: Erica | Jan 23, 2007 9:56:58 AM
My mom swears that sorting and counting with muffin tins is what made me the "mathematical genius" that I am. :)
We will see if it works on me son , too.
Posted by: Jodi | Jan 23, 2007 11:37:22 AM
Two 6-hole muffins tins can also be placed end to end and used for Mancala
http://boardgames.about.com/cs/mancala/ht/play_mancala.htm
Posted by: Adrienne | Jan 24, 2007 7:48:19 AM