Baby Play: Cereal Boxes and Straws

After each of my baby storytimes, I include a Discovery Time free-play session that encourages parents to talk to one another and to interact with their children. I include a variety of fine motor, gross motor, and sensory activities that appeal to 0-2-year-olds.

A simple fine motor activity, cereal boxes and straws, is always a success. Babies build their finger muscles while placing smoothie straws in pre-cut holes in cereal boxes. This is especially great because it can be easily replicated at home and appeals to a wide range of ages.

How to Make Cereal Boxes and Straws

Materials: Empty Cereal Boxes, Smoothie Straws, Pencil or other poking tool, Packing Tape

Steps:

• Collect empty cereal boxes.
• Tape all sides of the box to make the seams sturdier.
• Punch holes in the front of the box using a pencil or similar tool.
• Test a straw to make sure your holes are large enough for a straw to fit but not so large that it flops over and falls into the box.
• Optional: Make a pattern with your straw holes, such as a letter of the alphabet.

Cost: $0-10

Time to Make: < 10 minutes

Pro-Tip: If you are going to use this activity a lot, consider purchasing reusable straws that can be washed. Smoothie straws can be washed, but tend to get bitten, and the teeth marks show.

Conversation Starters

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Start conversations as babies play with this tool by asking questions like:

• How many straws fit in the box?
• Can you take a straw out of the box?
• Can you make a straw fit in the box?
• What color is the straw?
• How does the straw feel?
• What happens if you hit the box with the straw?

Stretch Vocabulary

When talking with little ones, use big words and small words. The more new words a child hears, the larger their vocabulary will be when they start to learn to read.

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Consider using some of the following vocabulary words when using this activity: