Searching for some indoor fun

Summer seems to have invaded Oklahoma early this year and with a newborn, I have been on the search for some fun activities for Ian to do indoors at home. I just don't have the time, or energy, to get out and do something, or to spend long periods of time outdoors (despite Ian's desperate pleas for "ball ball").  So, with that in mind I turned to the ever wonderful Pinterest and this is what I came up with. Sensory bins.

I had never really heard of sensory bins - maybe because I was homeschooled - but came across the idea on this fun blog for toddlers. I thought I'd give it a try and see how Ian liked it. I started with her idea of an ocean aquarium. Everything I used either came from Wal-Mart (plastic bin, blue rocks, plants, and coral), or I had at the house (turtle, whale, sea shells, and boat).

At first he wasn't too impressed, other than the fact that it had a sea turtle in it. But then, I added this..

Don't shovels just make everything better?

He liked it so much once I added the shovel that we had a hard time getting him to leave it alone to come eat dinner (and it was one of his favorite meals!). He ran right to it after dinner, too, and played with for another 30 minutes. Success.

And I haven't even added water to it yet...but, we'll save that for another day.

Next I think we'll try a construction themed bin...