DIY Play Washing Machine | Pretend Play for Toddlers

My son loves to help me with a few of my daily chores. I love that about him and encourage him every chance I get. Some of his favourite chores include loading clothes into the washing machine, unloading the washed clothes and passing them over one by one to me to hang out to dry. He loves these chores so much that, once or twice when I decided to wash while he naps, he woke up to find it ready to dry and got upset that he wasn't called for the washing routine! :D

So, when I had an extra cardboard box after having made the play cook-top, I knew just what I wanted to make for him... a play Washing Machine! :) I had seen a few ideas on Pinterest and combined some of my own ideas and came up with this little machine for my little guy. I wanted it to look as real and similar to as our front load machine. He enjoys opening the detergent tray to help me pour in the detergent and also turns the knob under supervision... so I had to include all these little details in his play machine!! I loved how this turned out and happier to see my little boy enjoy his time 'washing' his clothes :)

Things Needed:

Cardboard Box
Wrapping Paper

Transparent Plastic Sheet

A Small Cardboard Box (for the detergent tray)
Bottle Caps

Play Nuts and Bolts
Markers
Scissors

Hobby Knife
Glue

• Wrap a cardboard box with wrapping paper. I used a laminated paper so that it lasts longer.
• Draw two concentric circles for the front load doors and using a hobby knife, cut out the inner circle completely. For the outer circle, leave a tiny bit attached for the hinges part and cut out the rest.
• For the see through door, cut a round out a laminated sheet, slightly bigger in size than the inner circle and glue it onto the door from inside.

• For the detergent tray, cut out a measured rectangle on the top left corner to fit a small cardboard box that can be inserted in and pulled out.
• For knobs, use play nuts and bolts. Cut out small holes to fit the bolts and then screw them tight from inside the box such that the nut can be twisted onto them like knobs from the outside.

• On top, stick a coordinated colour paper to make it look pretty, I stuck red paper to match the knobs :)
• Finally, using the marker,  draw panels and borders. And its ready!!

My mini LOVED it! He could spend a long time loading in his tiny clothes and unloading them the next minute! :D 

I gave him a tiny bucket to mimic the actual laundry bucket that I use to do our laundry.

The little knobs were put to good use by the little hands. 

Love the concentration! :)

Check out my post of the play cook-top here.