How To Build Quiet Boxes For The Working Homeschool Mom
Have you ever found yourself in a predicament where you’re working from home, desperately seeking a solution to keep your kids happily engaged while you tackle your workload? If so, let me introduce you to the marvelous concept of quiet boxes! Are you wondering how to build quiet boxes?
As your little ones grow and outgrow their napping phase, finding a way to strike a balance between work and their need for attention can be quite a challenge. That’s precisely when quiet boxes or quiet time boxes come to the rescue!
Quiet boxes are like little treasure troves of entertainment, carefully curated with a variety of toys, crafts, and activities to captivate your child’s attention and foster independent play. They provide a designated space and time for your child to explore, create, and have fun while you focus on your work with peace of mind.
In this blog post, I’m here to guide you through the wonderful world of quiet boxes – what they are, how to build them, essential tips for creating the best quiet boxes for kids, and much more.
But before we dive in, don’t forget to grab your free download of the quiet boxes for kids checklist.
Whether you’re new to the concept or looking to level up your quiet box game, I’ve got you covered. Together, we’ll explore the ins and outs of quiet boxes, unlocking the secrets to keeping your little ones happily engaged while you tackle your work.
Let’s create a harmonious work environment while ensuring your child has a blast!
What Is A Quiet Box?
A quiet box is a box or bag full of special toys, crafts, and activities for children to play with when you need them to be quiet.
These are perfect if you work at home with young children or really any age, who are going to be making phone calls, recording videos or podcasts, telecommunications, teaching online, or working on other tasks that require your undivided attention.
If you’ve ever asked:
- How to work at home with kids?
- How can I find a few minutes to practice self-care?
- How can I keep my kids busy on a road trip?
- How can I keep my kids quiet while waiting in line, at a restaurant, or at a doctor’s appointment?
- How can I get my kids to learn while I work at the office?
- How can I teach one child with littles around?
- How can I get one child to stay busy while I teach another?
Just to name a few.
The answer? Quiet boxes!!
Seriously, these things have saved my life.
Whatever the reason, quiet time boxes are a great way to keep your kids occupied and entertained while you’re busy with work-related tasks.
How To Build Your Quiet Box
Building your quiet box is pretty easy and actually quite fun!
If you’re looking to build your own quiet time boxes for your kids, there are a few key elements that are essential to include. You’ll want to start by finding a box or bag that’s big enough to fit all of the items you plan on putting inside.
Then, start filling it with quiet activities for kids! These might include things like:
- Quiet toys and activities, such as puzzles, books, or craft supplies
- A timer or some other way to let your child know when their quiet time is over
- A special snack or drink, if you’d like
- A cozy blanket or pillow for them to use while they’re enjoying their quiet time
As you can see, they are super helpful to have on hand. How should we make them?
3 Steps To Build Your Quiet Boxes
Follow these steps to make your own quiet time boxes! It’s fun and simple, so I know you can put this together in no time, while your kids enjoy it for a long time!
Step 1: Pick Your Quiet Box
First, you will need to choose your container or box to hold the quiet time items.
A small box can be used for years and then for storage when the children have outgrown them.
This one is the size I prefer, a little bigger at 15.25 x 14 x 6.25 inches.
My daughter’s favorite is shown below with items in it. We picked ours up a few years ago.
17 Liters Plastic Storage Box Snap-Down Buckles Lid And Built-In Handles
Really Useful Box Plastic Storage Box, 4 Liters, 14 5/8Really Useful Storage Box 0.55 Litre Clear (Pack of 10)
Pro Tip: Moms love the Really Useful Box Brand, you can find it on Amazon. They come in all sizes and shapes and last a long time!
One thing you want to consider is the size of the items you will be using (ie, large puzzles or small beads) along with storage size. Adjust the size of the container according to the size of the items.
Bags such as backpacks are great for on-the-go learning. Backpacks are one of our all-time homeschool supply lists.
Hint: Use two containers, that way you will always have a place to store the items and you can easily swap them out to keep kids from getting bored.
After choosing your box, you will add special toys, crafting materials and activities.
Step 2: Pick Your Items Carefully
Second of all, take the time to consider exactly what type of items do you want in the quiet box.
If you work at home and will be on call, I recommend keeping anything out of the box that is loud. Many lists I have found around the web included metal buckets with hammers, balloons to pop, and other loud items.
Seriously as a working homeschool mom-NO! Just, no.
I have no plan to have to talk over these while trying to nail down specific details of a project.
I like to use a list of items for quiet boxes for kids that are good for younger kids and a list for older children. Yes, that is right, I use Quiet Boxes for my teens.
Step 3: Start Collecting Your Items
Now that you know what type of quiet box you want and what you want or don’t want to include, it is time to start collecting your quiet time box items.
Remember, your box doesn’t need to be full of brand-new items. You can include many items you already own, such as legos, puzzles, art supplies, and games!
You can even build themed boxes if you prefer that match the season, holidays, or a topic your kids are interested in or learning in school.
The goal is to provide your child with fun, engaging activities that allow them to get creative.
If you have toddlers, try this list of the best quiet toys for toddlers for ideas on how to keep them engaged so you can work or homeschool.
5 Tips For Building The Best Quiet Box
Here are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to building your quiet box:
- To keep the child from being bored, be sure to swap out the items from time to time.
- Keep all of these items only in the box/bag, and do not let them play with them when you don’t need them to be quiet.
- If you have smaller children, please use discretion when deciding what to put in the quiet time box. If your child is young and puts items in their mouth, then do NOT give your child something with small objects.
- Keep your child in mind and build accordingly. For example, don’t give a child who hates audiobooks and bunch of audiobooks just because they are on the list.
- Keep in mind your location. Kinetic sand is great until you are in a moving car. 😉
Building a quiet box for your kids is a fantastic way to keep them engaged and entertained while you focus on your tasks.
To ensure a successful and enjoyable experience, I’ve compiled a list of more helpful tips for creating the perfect quiet box tailored to your child’s needs and interests inside our free printable quiet boxes for kids checklist. From managing boredom to considering safety and location, these tips will guide you in assembling a quiet box that guarantees peaceful playtime and fosters independent exploration.
You Can Build Quiet Boxes For The Working Homeschool Mom
As you can see, building a quiet box for your child is fun and easy!
Quiet boxes are a great way to keep your child learning, busy, and quiet when you need them to be, such as waiting in an office, during a long car drive or when you need to focus on your work.
Do you use quiet boxes in your home?
If you are looking for other ways to keep the boredom at bay be sure to read 9 Summer Solutions to “Mom, I’m bored!”
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Hi, I’m Jen. I help working moms juggle their career and homeschool their kids by providing support, systems and tools. You are warmly invited to Join the Online Community Here!
