Buzz
From time to time, relocating to a new house or reorganizing your current living space leaves you with a bookcase that no longer suits the updated environment. What should you do with it now?
If it’s a high-quality piece, you might consider storing it for future use, selling it, or donating it. However, if it’s an inexpensive item from Ikea or Walmart, purchased for its simplicity, and you have a young child, repurposing it into a sensory activity station could be a fantastic idea.
Megan Duesterhaus, a writer at The Homes I Have Made, provides a step-by-step guide on how to achieve this transformation.
Duesterhaus went above and beyond for this project. She received the bookcase from Wayfair as part of a promotional campaign and decided to craft an outdoor sandbox. She used vibrant spray paint, reinforced the structure with plywood backing (to handle the weight of the sand), and added a plywood lid (to protect it from the elements). For those ready to take on this project, she provides detailed instructions to guide you through every step.
If you’re looking to repurpose your shelf without purchasing extra materials or dedicating an entire weekend, here’s a simpler alternative:
1. Place the bookcase horizontally on the floor in a suitable area (such as a playroom, dining room, finished basement, or any space where your toddler plays under supervision).
2. Fill it with sensory items you already own. Consider using shredded paper, packing peanuts, bubble wrap, or plastic lids from baby food pouches. You can place these materials in one or two compartments and add “tools” like plastic kitchen utensils—spoons, ladles, and tongs—in the remaining sections.
(I imagine my son would have also tossed in a few plastic dinosaurs or action figures to leap and dive into the materials, turning them into a backdrop for his imaginative play rather than the main focus—which is equally fantastic.)
3. Allow them to sit and explore. That’s all there is to it! You’ve crafted a sensory bin, but on a grander, more impressive level.
