After an evening out at a kids’ music concert, Travis began the next day making believe he was a drummer in the band – at 6.30 in the morning. Needless to say, this didn’t go over well with a sleeping daddy… and likely the neighbors as well!
The solution? Throw together an instrument for your child that is (slightly) quiet! I was lucky enough to have an empty salt shaker on hand, and some dried rice as well. If you don’t have dried rice, dried beans or even unpopped popcorn kernels would work well.
Travis enjoyed the challenge of fitting the rice into the salt shaker, little by little. Once we decided it made just the right shake-a-shake-a-shake-a sound, I taped down the spout of the container to prevent spillage.
Travis gave it a few shakes without waiting for any decoration at all!
For a simple decoration, cover with colored construction paper and then adorn with markers or glitter paint.
For something a little more elegant, we tried one covered in scrapbook paper and ribbon.
This is a great instrument for all – fun for the kids, and sanity-saving for the adults!
I should have titled this post “Easiest.Breakfast Ever.” Because that’s exactly what it is! Ready, back-to-school parents everywhere?
joyful parenting 