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.
Using muffin tins as sorting trays can be adapted for a variety of ages. The youngest children just like placing ball pit balls (or other items) in the tin’s perfectly shaped cups. Toddlers start to recognize colors and will match balls to colors in the tin’s cups. Preschoolers quickly turn muffin tin play into a pretend play activity, imagining the balls are cupcakes, muffins, or other treats.
Setting Up Muffin Tin Play
Materials: Muffin Tins, Ball Pit Balls, Construction Paper (optional)
Steps:
- Give child ball pit balls and muffin tins
- Optional: Cut colored circles and tape or hot glue into the cups of a muffin tin. Make sure these match the colors of the ball pit balls you have.
Cost: $38 (cost depends on audience size)
- 100 Ball Pit Balls
- 5 Muffin Tins (sometimes found at Dollar Tree)
Time to Make: 20 minutes (if adding colored circles)
Pro-Tip: If you plan to use these regularly, laminate and hot glue the circles you place in the muffin tins for durability.
Conversation Starters
Start conversations as babies play with this tool by asking questions like:
- Can you put a ball in each empty space?
- Can you match the colors in the muffin tin?
- Where is a yellow ball?
- What color is this?
- How many balls fit in the tin?
- Can you fit two balls in one spot?
- Can you pretend the balls are food?
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.
Consider using some of the following vocabulary words when using this activity:
Arrange
Bounce
Categorize
Colors
Cupcakes
Dump
Empty
Fill
Fit
Grab
Grasp
Match
Organize
Pattern
Roll
Shiny
Smooth
Sort
Sometimes, little ones make their own play:
