In my house there is a closet. In this closet there are treasures many. Games, paints, books on every subject, puzzles, markers, and the list goes on. . . . This closet is locked. I experimented with keeping it open for a few weeks. This loosening of the rules meant that everyday I was faced with games, paints, books on every subject, puzzles, and markers scattered all over the entire floor. I appreciate the impulse to allow children free access to these sorts of things, but I just can't do it. I don't like throwing to be the main use of these items. I want my kids to sit and do puzzles, play games, color, and paint. I want them to read books and sit quietly all day long, but it isn't going to happen. So the closet stays locked.
The other day I noticed the closet hadn't been opened in a long time. The art on the walls was months old and the only books we had read were the ones we had checked out from the library. Puzzles sat unappreciated. I decided I had to be more active in giving the kids an opportunity to use all these things in a controlled way. Enter the Do Box. (Lots of giggles on that one. Good thing I didn't call it the doodoo box.)
Every evening before I go to bed (or in the morning while the kids eat breakfast) I sneak into the closet and put things in our Do Box. Today we had finger paints, a geometry game, a book about the planets, a puzzle of our solar system, some writing activities, and a matching card game. The kids look in the Do Box and pick out which activities they want to do. Brilliant! I have been doing it for a week now and my kids are way more engaged with each other and with me. It is a load of fun!
So the closet will stay locked for now, but I'll take the time to get things out of it.
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