Repurposed Play: 6 Activities with Sheet Pans
Brittany McKnight, OT
Most people think that babies and children need all of the high-tech toys that will teach them numbers, colors, shapes, songs, and also address the basic developmental skills. In all honesty, your kids can (and often prefer) to use basic household items to explore and use as toys. Pediatric occupational therapists are experts in functional and developmental play that can turn the mundane into exciting, and we want to share some of our creative knowledge on how to repurpose your typical, low-tech household items into toys and games that will check all the boxes!
Today's repurposed object is... a sheet pan!
Not just for one pan meals and cookies anymore, there are many uses for a sheet pan as a developmental toy for your little ones.
6 Repurposed Play Activities
- Sensory play during tummy time. You could use any variety of toys on a sheet pan during tummy time, and little ones would love the noise the toys would make against the pan. Like in the picture below, you could add a thin layer of water and let baby explore. As always, babies should be supervised by an adult during tummy time.
2. Magnetic toy or suction cup toy tray. Be sure to double check if your sheet pan is magnetic. If so, get some large magents, like the letter magnets below, or some suction cup toys and let your little one stick them to the sheet pan.
3. Letter drawing in salt, sand, or shaving cream. This idea may be more on the messy side, but it's a great way to help your child explore different textures. Practice drawing letters, shapes, or whatever else comes to mind with your child.
4. Play-Doh tray. A sheet pan is a great surface for building with Play-Doh and keeping the mess more contained.
5. Musical instrument. Kitchen items are timeless musical instruments for all ages. Get some sheet pans, pots, and spoons and let your kiddo's musical genius run wild.
6. Travel toy in the car. If you have a magnetic sheet pan, it's perfect for coloring and worksheets on the go. Grab a magnetic clip and attach a coloring sheet to keep your little one occupied during a car ride. This activity is more suited for kiddos who can use crayons with less supervision.
What ways have you creatively repurposed a sheet pan? Leave your ideas in the comments below!
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