Quiet boxes. Shoe boxes full of little toys (they can be cheap ones, old ones that are recycled, or really just anything that fits into the box). The idea is to keep a few items inside the box and have a few boxes to rotate in and out so the toddler is always intrigued with the contents.
I made 5 boxes (for rotation). Most of the items were from either our house or from the Target dollar bin. Each box contains 1-2 board books (from home, I have a huge stock to rotate from), 1 game or toy, 1 set of flashcards, 1 small puzzle, 1 Groovebook (mini photo album).
We tested out the first box today, which consisted of these items:
It was a huge hit! AJ loved the felt money set (which comes with a little felt wallet) from the Target dollar bin. He went straight into sorting the money and then stuffing all his cash into his backpack to prepare for a shopping trip. He ended up paying 100 bucks for a bagel, a few plastic fruits, and a cookie. He only paid up though, when I politely informed him that if he didn't give me some money, that constitutes stealing, and I'd have to have him arrested. He asked if the police were coming, then quickly handed me the $100 bill. Smart kid.
He also took his time with the alphabet puzzle and the board book before bopping along to his next activity (mama, can I play outside in the water?). Whatevs the kit bought me half an hour of quiet time :)
Total cost of 5 filled quiet boxes (including a 5-pack of the shoe box tupperwares): 28 bucks. It can definitely be made for less if you're recycling more toys at home, or if you're wanting to find cheapo versions for parts of it (shoe boxes can be actual cardboard shoe boxes, for example).
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