Creating Quiet Times Bins
1 – Purchase 5 plastic bins for each child – 1 for each day of the week (in my case I had 5 for my
4-year old and 5 for my 2-year old). You can also use shoe boxes that you have around the
house.
2 – Label bins with child’s name and a day of the week (I printed out labels and then attached
them on the inside of the bin using packing tape).
3 – Fill each bin with items age-appropriate for your child. My goal for each day was to include
at least one book (board books for my 2-year old), one item to promote problems solving or
creative play, and one manipulative items to foster fine motor skills.
4 – On the appropriate day I give my child that day’s bin to use during her resting time. When
rest time is over the bin is put away. Having a different box each day prevents boredom with the
toys inside.
Great Quiet Times Bin Content Ideas

Geo-Boards

Magnetic Dolls or Activities (Mudpuppy Robots or Melissa & Doug Dolls are great
choices)

Lace-n-Trace cards

Small plush animals (Aurora Pets or Barnyard Animals are fun for little ones)

Lincoln Logs

Tinkertoys

cars (Matchbox cars or even these clever emergency or construction vehicles)

toys that teach skills (this Tie-Up Shoe is an example)

AquaDoodle {travel size}

Water Wow! books

wooden building blocks (make sure they are eco-friendly – safe paint, safe wood –
Sprig, CITIBLOCS, and Tegu all make great blocks)

Play Doh (Use your judgement on this. Some children can’t be trusted along with
PlayDoh – I would know because I used to eat it as a kid)

calculator (my kids love pressing the buttons or even pretending it’s a cell phone)

Stacking pegs (Lauri makes some great ones – we have the Tall Stacker Pegs & Pegboard
Set. Lauri’s Smart Shapes Stacking Pegs is great one for toddlers.)

yogurt cup with clothespins (you would be amazed at what kids think to do with this)

Tangrams (Tanoges Jr is fabulous! The magnetic board is too large for the bin so you can
either toss the shapes and pages in the bin to use as-is, or on give your child the magnetic
board on the day he/she would get the Tangoes in their bin.)

books (board books for the very young or for children who tend to chew on things) – here
are some of my top picks for children’s books

mini Etch-A-Sketch

crayons & coloring book (if your child is trustworthy enough to color unattended)

small puzzles (Infantino has a great line of puzzles for young children. We have several
of their puzzles and they have all been huge hits with our kids.)

small stuffed animals

small photo album with photos of family members (my 2-year old LOVES this)

counting items (bears, cubes, etc)

Bendaroos