Rice box

And just what, you may ask, is a rice box? It is an idea I got from my mom, from when she worked at a preschool during her unmarried college years. Basically, it is an indoor sandbox. Perfect for winter time or rainy days (or in Florida's case, those sweltering summer days where you can't do anything but swim outside). Also good for people without yards, and mommies who don't appreciate dirt or sand on their children every day. It is simple, yet ingenious. You wouldn't believe how many hours the past few months my kids have played in this. I made ours from a huge rubbermaid container. Put about 10-15 pounds of rice in it, and wha-lah!! You can use all kinds of "toys" in it--funnells, spoons, lids, toy cars, whatever!! They can dig for buried treasure, make roads and hills, etc. The nice thing is that clean-up is a snap. I let them play in the kitchen, and when they're done, you wipe the counter and sweep the floor. Easy. At the preschool where my mom worked, they actually used one of those tables you fill up with sand. Vaccuumes up easy too.