Parent hack: toys in the car

I discovered this trick later in life but it’s too good not to share!

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I got this toy years ago so Quinn can practice her fine motor skills. It has a magnetic pen and if you wave it over the holes, the steel ball will come up. It’s used to practice writing your letters. To reset the board, just push the balls down. It’s fun!!

When my husband saw it, he immediately said “They’re going to lose the pen”.

“No…” I disagreed. “It’s just for Quinn and she can only use it under supervision.”

Well, I was sorely mistakened. The pen was always getting lost. So the kids didn’t play with it much. I couldn’t figure out a way to attach the pen to the board either. I knew it was a good toy, though, because when the kids would find the pen, it would keep them each busy for 20+ minutes (3 x 20 minutes = 1 hour of free time)!! But when the pen would inevitably get lost, the toy would sit unplayed for another couple months until we find the pen again. But when we found the pen again, I would forget where I put the board.

2 years later, after I reunited the pen with the board, I decided to put the toy in the car, simply because I was looking for toys for the car. With Quinn’s tantrums, sometimes I keep small toys in the car so I can motivate her to get in her seat without force. Well then I discovered how brilliant this was!

• It is a LOT easier to find the pen in a space the size of a car!
• The pen usually doesn’t fall too far from kid’s seat.
• All three of my kids love to play with it (ages 9-3).
• When they’re bored, they can easily reach over and grab it.
• They are voluntarily practicing OT skills while I am driving. God, I love MULTITASKING!

So the lesson here is if you have a simple toy that requires an integral piece (such as a pen) in order to function, try keeping it in the car! If that piece were to get lost, it’s a lot easier to find it in the car than in a whole house.

Do you have a favorite toy that works well in the car? Or maybe you have a favorite way of organizing toys in the car. If so, please share!!

Happy Friday!