Never throw it away: bubble wrap

Polly reminds us about kids' never-ending fascination with bubble wrap:

Keep kids busy and occupied with bubble wrap. Most kids can’t resist popping all those bubbles. It’s great to bring with you when traveling in the car or sitting in the doctor’s office and easy to carry in your purse or diaper bag. Don’t let them know you have it and wait to pull it out when they are getting restless. Just be sure they are old enough to know not to put it in their mouths. My kids love it.

For us, rubber bands are a constant source of inspiration. What household items do you consider worthy of the "never throw away" title?

Comments

[Eric]

Oh, please, no. Bubble wrap is terribly annoying, especially in public. A big pet peeve is people who assume wherever they are is their living room at home. Might as well bust out the nail clippers and have at those claws then. Its no different in my book.

[Jen W.]

Post-it Notes. In a pinch, they can be really entertaining and a fairly cheap investment for entertaining little ones.

[Fiona]

Are you kidding me? If someone gave their child bubble wrap to play with in a public place, I'd smack them upside the head. Come on!

[Beth]

I'd rather have quiet pops and giggles than crying and yelling. Go for it!

[twitter.com/mattb5]

My mom brought a whole roll of it over on the Fourth of July for the kids to have "safe fireworks." I thought that was pretty ingenious. When we were waiting out in the driveway for the local fireworks display to start they could make some pops of their own.

[MK]

agree, no bubble wrap at the doctors office.It's fine in your car

[Asha Dornfest]

Fair enough. Bubble wrap in public places may not fly so well. But I also acknowledge that desperate times sometimes call for desperate measures.

[Catherine]

I think it's all about context. A playground is a public place, and I'd imagine that bubble wrap would be just fine there. An art museum is also a public place, and bubble wrap probably wouldn't be a good idea there (unless it's a kids' museum, in which case all bets are off). Our pediatricians' office waiting room has rocking horses, games, puzzles, and other toys, and can be a rollicking place; I doubt that bubble wrap would be an annoyance there. But other offices have different atmospheres.

Back on topic, I try to remember never to throw out the tube from a roll of paper towels, because you never know when you might need to mount an expedition in search of whales. (Yes, we do use paper towels. You may all commence to flagellate me now.)

[kelly]

I can't throw away the baby food jars but I now have a cabinet full of them with nothing to do with them. I search for crafty things online but I don't like any of them.

[tina]

bubble wrap <3

[Asha Dornfest]

Snow globes!

http://www.parenthacks.com/2006/01/make_your_own_s.html

[Asha Dornfest]

If you expect flagellation for paper towel use, I had better prepare for a beating myself.

[Louise Baker]

Is it just me, or does it seem like anyone who finds bubblewrap THAT irritating should probably steer well away from toddlers in general...

PS: The snow globe instructions are gone from ReadyMade, and now you've really sparked my interest! Any chance you might have it stashed away on a server or backup???

[Rita]

There are instructions for making your own snowglobes on eHow.com

[Robyn]

I thought this was a great hack but not one I would use. I just picked up a flat disc for my car wheel and it was bubble wrapped. It has kept my 2 yr old entertained all day. The flat disc inside allows him to push the bubble warp against it and pop them. Not one peep about getting back into the car or the 45 min car ride to aunties house. I think I might have to buy some. :o)

[jezuz christz]

wat a failure

[jezuz christz]

i banged u hard hack works on girls and men