Location: indoor or outdoor

Materials: two bins (one filled with toys, one empty), and a bucket or basket with a handle

Are your toddlers constantly dumping toys out? This is a typical behavior for young children, and nearly impossible to prevent. Harness that energy into a play invitation that encourages (contained) dumping.

Place a container full of small toys on one side of the room and an empty container on the other (these could be baskets or tupperware containers). Provide a bucket or basket with a handle. Model filling the bucket, carrying it across the room, and dumping it in the other container.

Possible Extensions:

• You can also do this outdoors with toys, balls, sticks, leaves, or rocks
• Set this up with water on a warm day
• Challenge children to only pull out items of a certain color, shape, or texture