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One of my favorite toys to have on hand for my kids is paper cups. Here are some of the creative ways my kids have used this versatile open-ended toy!
Build a tower
We’ve built all sorts of towers: small towers, large towers that use as many cups as possible, several small towers, low towers, even a pyramid. It’s so interesting to try to build different kinds of towers and see what will work and what won't. Lots of great practice solving problems!
Bowling
After we had set up so many towers, they really wanted to start knocking them down. We use small balls like bowling balls and took turns knocking them down.
“Crazy game”
My son made this one up. We set up the cups in a single layer on the floor, then he goes through kind of like godzilla and tries to knock every single one over with his feet. It gets a little crazy (hence the name) but it makes him giggle and gets a little extra energy out. A few cups will get smushed, but you can pop them out pretty quickly.
Containers for small toys
Sometimes my kids would set up a cookie factory or a cookie store with connectagons, and the cups would serve as the containers the customers could pick up. Too cute!
Parts of art projects
My kids sometimes like to cut up cups and use them in their various art projects. They’ve made little maracas with beads inside or just some interesting creations. Two recent creations include a hair dryer and part of a house for shopkins.
Sorting fun
One set of cups we played with had several different animals on them. The kids spent time sorting them out by animal and setting up a cup zoo. There was another recent batch that had a few different patterns in green and in blue. They also sorted those ones out by color and pattern.
The Social Connection
Kids can flex their creativity and use their imagination by making up their own games, and playing in different ways. There are studies that showing the fewer toys a kid has, the longer they play, and the more innovative they become with their play. See what they come up with when you offer paper cups for playing.
