Beans and rice are great ingredients for a frugal meal. However, this post isn’t about frugal cooking it’s about frugal fun.
Beans and rice can be used for some hands-on fun for your child(ren). Here is what I did to make this activity work for my children.
I took some assorted beans and rice and poured them into a shallow tote box. I used a larger size to accommodate a group, but this could easily be used as an individual activity using a shoebox sized tote box.
Then I tossed in some toilet paper tubes, some detergent bottle lids, and some empty thread cones. You could also use anything from spoons to measuring cups to funnels. Use what you already have in your home. That is the essence of frugal fun.
I placed the tote box and all of the items on top of a shower curtain to catch any spills because with children you know everything won’t stay in the box. Then I let my four children have at it and much fun ensued. They were entertained for a long time. I love how such simple items can spark children’s imaginations.
Once they were finished I shook the beans and rice that had fallen onto the shower curtain back into the box and popped on the lid. Easy clean-up!
My toddler had to be closely supervised to ensure that he didn’t try to put any of the beans or rice in his mouth or even up his nose or in his ear. Thankfully, he didn’t try any of those things, but you never know.
I let my preschoolers play with the beans and rice yesterday and they all had a fun time.
So, the next time you need your child(ren) to have some quiet frugal fun head to your kitchen for some beans and rice.
