Here’s a fun and extremely easy (and cheap) idea for any kid that spends a lot of time in a car or waiting. Can you guess what the magnet board actually is…
surprise – its a baking sheet from the dollar store!
I must say, I did get this idea from the internet, I’m sorry, I don’t remember where from because it has been a few years. But, I will say it has been a bit of a life saver. I actually keep this is my car along with the Kids Busy Binder. The nice thing about this is that we had pretty much everything for it already. There was very little I actually had to do and buy. Sorry about some of the pictures, it definitely shows that it has been used. Counting right now we are going on 6 years, I figure not a bad return on investment for being a dollar store baking sheet. Really the only thing I have had to buy is new wipe off markers when they get used up.
One side has the ABC’s on it…
While the other side is left blank for drawing…
The ABC’s were done with a black permanent marker. And, even after repeated washings they are still on there pretty well. Both side are showing just a bit of wear, not bad considering how much it has been used within the last 6 years. You can also use this as a lap table when eating, the little side is great for keeping things from flying onto the floor. It’s also nice that when it gets yucky, as a parent – you know what I’m talking about, the nasty, sticky thing that’s stuck to it and you don’t know what it is – pop it in the dishwasher!
Some other things that go with it are popsicle sticks and assorted chipboard shapes that I had laying around. (I had my daughter paint them, let them dry, then added magnets to the back). Also pompoms and buttons with magnets added to the back. you may need to use a bit of hot glue. I used tacky glue and they have held up pretty well, I think I have only had to readhere magnets to the back of a couple items.
We also had some easy puzzles from the dollar store that I put magnets on the back of each piece. They worked ok, but my daughter got a bit frustrated because they didn’t like to stay together while she was working them. I assume that was because they were cheapie puzzles from the dollar store, and not a little better made puzzles.
Have a good day!
