Pom-Pom Sorter

Some things in life sound a lot easier than they actually are. And keeping an extremely curious toddler entertained in a small apartment is definitely one of them. One of the best solutions this summer has been just going outside and walking around. And if we happen upon the local groundhog or some crazy squirrel pulling a large stick around the parking lot (true story), all the better! Free entertainment, amiright? But with fall fast approaching, winter is never far behind. And that means one thing: cold. Yuck. 

So with a cold front headed our way and the small one growing increasingly bored with his toys, I decided it was definitely time for a new toy. Behold, one of the easiest/cheapest DIYs ever: the pom-pom sorter! 

You'll only need a few materials to make your own, and the odds are good that you'll already have most of them lying around. You'll need a plastic container with a lid (an empty sour cream, yogurt, or margarine container works great), some pom-poms (in assorted sizes), and scissors.

Cut holes in the lid of your container. I had three different sizes of pom-poms, so I cut three different sized holes in mine. I just eyeballed it and made each hole a tiny bit smaller than the corresponding pom-pom (since pom-poms are squishy), but you can always measure if you want to be precise. I found that the easiest way to cut the hole was to carefully poke an initial slit in the lid with a steak knife and then use scissors to the cut the shape out. 

Then just add some pom-poms and voilá: you've made the coolest new toy around. Little ones can have fun pushing the pom-poms through the holes over and over again and bigger kids can actually consciously sort the pom-poms by size. Or, if you want to help your kiddo practice colors, you could outline the holes in the lid with different colored sharpies and have them match colored pom-poms to the same colored hole. And this toy is also great for quiet play, so it's perfect to pack into a Church bag or for traveling.  Tons of possibilities, all from one super simple toy. 

Have you ever made a pom-pom sorter? What other simple toys have you used to entertain your toddler? I'd love to hear from you, so please share in the comment section below or you can find me on social media. (But really, please share. I need ideas, people!)

***Paranoid parent disclaimer: you may want to avoid using the smallest pom-pom sizes if your kid isn't ready for those. My son immediately put the tiny pom-poms into his mouth when I gave them to him, so he doesn't get to play with those any more. So just beware of potential choking hazards and use your best judgement.***