My 14 month old sorta discovered this activity for herself and I really liked it.
What you'll need:
-1 box (the box with instant oatmeal packets is what we used but any food box will work)
-oatmeal packets (or other individually wrapped product)
How it Works:
Give your child the packets and the box and let her have fun! At first your child may just explore the packets (or cereal bars or whatever item you are using) and the box separately which is also good. The fine motor skill really comes into play though if you can get your child to play putting the packets into the box and taking the packets out, which is the stage my daughter is naturally at right now. If however your child isn't there yet, you can try putting a packet into the box and shaking it to try to get her interested. If your child just isn't feeling it, that's ok too. Maybe in a couple of weeks you can try again.
This activity can also double as a meal time distraction. My daughter always needs something in her hands to explore, so getting her to sit down for a meal is tough, but activities like this are sometimes all it takes to get her to eat.
Ways to make it grow with your toddler:
If your toddler grows bored of the box, try cutting slots in the box for your child to attempt to fit the packets through. You can also find different shaped objects and make a shape sorter using the box. Some rectangle cereal bars and round Pom poms, and a skinnier rectangle for some sort of packet. Then simply cut out the slots for each shape and let your older toddler fit the shapes appropriately.
