cute preschooler toy from recycled muffin tin

i'm going to try this for my daughter's third birthday, which is still many months away.

i have an old, rusty, 6-cup muffin tin. i plan on removing the rust with a wire brush, priming it and painting it bright colors. on the bottom of each cup will be painted a number, 1-6, in a contrasting color of paint. in each muffin cup will be placed a number of wooden balls, or similar, according to the number on the cup, and painted to match.

i've noticed that my daughter loves sorting things out into little containers or cups. i think this toy will be a great way to teach pre-math skills, through play. the one concern other parents may have is if their child still puts things in his or her mouth. shakti really doesn't do this anymore, but for other children this toy could present a choking hazard if used without supervision. also, the toxicity of the paint and primer may also be a concern; make sure you use products that are safe.

 

Very cute idea!!!!

 

groovy hope it works out!

 

that's an awesome idea

i saw this game called mancala...your idea reminds me of that

 

Another idea for old muffin tins...take all those broken crayon pieces and melt them down and let them cool in the tins. It makes big, chunky colorful crayons. Easy for small kiddos to grasp

 

i actually use ice cube trays or jello-jiggler molds, or some of the smaller sand molds to make recycled crayons. the ice-cube crayons are a good size & shape to fit in a toddler's hands. i also use sand molds to for recycled soap, especially since they are often designs like fish or an octopus.

 

i STILL like sorting things into piles or small containers according to color or size or whatever (beads are awesome when doing this)..haha...i'm such a kid!