Play Cupboard Essentials

I am often asked about the resources I keep and how I store them for the activities I do with my toddler. So here it is folks, I've finally sat down to write a list of the items I feel are essential for setting up play activities. 

I am hoping when you read this you will be pleasantly surprised at how many of the items you already have and that the rest could probably be located in a local pound shop, charity shop or a second hand site like Gumtree.

As I always say, you do not need a house full of expensive toys to keep a young child entertained!!

Essentials:

- muffin trays, egg boxes, boxes

- small plastic bowls and metal bowls

- spoons (small, large, plastic and wooden)

- tablecloths, drapes, bedsheets

- pasta, rice, cereal

- plastic tea set

- large tuff tray or shallow plastic box

- old towels

- placemats, chopping boards, trays

- natural resources; sticks, pebbles, shells, pine cones, bark

- plastic cars, trucks, diggers

- small world people, trees and animals

- gadgets; till, phone, calculator

- notebooks; writing pads, diaries, calendars

- bottles; pump, squirty and spray

- plastic straws, pom poms and sequins

- pens, pencils, paints

- rolls of paper or old wallpaper

- brushes; toothbrush, scrubbing brush, hairbrush, dustpan and brush

- mirror

-scoops, old cutlery, tools, tongs etc

These are the essential items I store in my 'cupboard of doom'. You may notice that a lot of these items are probably things you have around the house already. I am a big believer in reusing items, finding a new purpose for them and digging out any items from the recycling box. There's no harm in buying new items for your young child, just take a good look at it before you buy and see if you can think of lots of ways it can be used. I also choose to buy some toys in plastic rather than wood. I know wooden toys can look really lovely, but plastic toys provide the versatility for using them in water trays and messy play activities, so this is something always worth considering!

So, go have a look in your cupboard of doom and see if there's anything you could add to enhance your child's play!

Happy Playing! Claire x

I also have a playHOORAY! store front set up with lots of items I use at home with Mason, heres my affiliate link to the play cupboard essentials.