Muffin Tin Drop
One hole, one object. Toddler concentration in its purest form.
- Ages
- 12 mo–3 yrs
- Play
- 10–25 min
- Prep
- 2 min
- Mess
- barely any
- Energy
- calm
- Where
- at the table
You’ll need
Things you probably have at home.
- a muffin tin or ice trayGet it on Amazon
- large objects to drop in
Optional
- tongs or a spoonGet it on Amazon
- a bowl to hold the objectsGet it on Amazon
How to play
Before you start: Put the tin in front of them with a bowl of objects beside it.
Drop one object into one hole and say 'one'.
Hand them the bowl and let them fill every hole.
Tip it out and start again — the tipping out is as good as the filling.
Once they have it, offer tongs instead of fingers.
Count the full holes together at the end.
What it helps with
Keep it safe
- Every object must be too big to swallow. Nothing smaller than a golf ball for under-3s.
- Stay within arm's reach throughout.
Make it different next time
- Sort by color: one color per row.
- Hide an object under an upturned cup in one hole and play find-it.
Cleanup: Everything lives in the bowl. Tin back in the cabinet.
Three more like this
Learn something
Kitchen Pouring Station
15–30 min 18 mo–4 yrs Some mess- cups and a measuring cup with a spout
- a tray with a rim
- water or dry rice
Learn something
Pom-Pom Scoop
10–25 min 18 mo–4 yrs Some mess- large pom-pomsto buy
- water
- a tub or big bowl
- a strainer, cups or a slotted spoon