DIY Treasure Chest for Toddlers

DIY Treasure Chest for Toddlers



 

Today is Day #2 for “A Very Toddler Summer” series with Toddler Approved! We decided to create our own DIY Treasure Chest for Toddlers using a baby wipes container and baby food lids to kick off our first activity. And I just happened to have some gold spray paint leftover from our Solomon’s Temple blocks to make our makeshift “treasure chest” and gold coins a little more authentic-looking.

 

This Toddler Treasure hunt was a huge hit with Little Sister (16 months)…especially since this was the first time she got to play with sand! She loved it! Not only is it a great sensory activity for toddlers, it also helps with fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. This glass baby food lids work especially well for toddlers as they are just large enough that they do not pose a choking hazard (unlike other store-bought gold coins).

 

Here’s what you’ll need:  A baby wipes container, lids from glass baby food containers, gold spray paint, a large plastic container, and sand!

 

IMG_9386

 

WARNING:  If your child still puts items in his/her mouth, DO NOT apply spray paint to the baby food lids. Instead, just leave them as they are. We are in an in-between phase of this (Little Sister is getting better but still does occasionally), so I just watched her like a hawk while we were playing.

 

IMG_9369

 

After I had everything else we needed, I happened to run by Dollar General to pick up a few things and found these gems (no pun intended). :)  I was especially excited about these because I wanted some type of jewels but couldn’t think of anything large/safe enough. And the boys can also use them in the pool when we are finished — BONUS!

 

IMG_9377

First of all, I spray-painted the baby wipes container and the front and back of the baby food jar lids.

 

 

IMG_9374

Then we put some sand in a plastic container and started hiding our “treasure”. I did end up having to use scissors to make the hole in the baby wipes container slightly larger so all the pieces could fit in.

 

 

IMG_9395

Little Sister was very excited to find her treasure and put it in the treasure box!

IMG_9390

 

 

IMG_9406

But then she discovered she was even more excited about playing in the sand. :)

IMG_9402

 

 

IMG_9430

I think she got a little sand in her mouth. Oops.

 

IMG_9420

Guess who else thought the treasure chest sensory tub was pretty fun? These guys.

 

 

IMG_9370

 

Don’t forget to follow both Toddler Approved and I Can Teach My Child on Facebook and on Instagram. Kristina is @kristinatoddlerapproved and I am @jenaeteach.

 

And be sure to check out all of our toddler activities here:

very toddler summer-1

 

 

Looking for more ways to repurpose baby wipes containers? Check out Feed the Alphabet Monster activity that is perfect for preschoolers!

Feed the Alphabet Monster

4 Comments

  1. Oh my goodness! This is brilliant! My almost 3 year old is really into treasure chests right now, thanks to Jake and the Neverland pirates :). I can’t wait to try this with him. He’s going to love it. Thanks for the idea!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *