There's already lots of ideas from pps so I won't list everything DS has in his but, and I mean this in the kindest way, I want to mention the safety aspect of ribbons and wool. Anything long enough to go around LOs neck is probably too long to play with safely. I am sure your LO is well supervised but we all need to go to the toilet or make a cuppa...and it is in those times that awful accidents can happen.
Lecture over xx
I started S out with a few different busy boxes in different rooms to keep him occupied when I needed ot take him into another room with me, living room (main play area), kitchen, bathroom. So for example one kept in the kitchen with a range of safe kitchen items
wooden lemon juicer
balloon whisk
wooden spoon
plastic cup
plastic cookie cutters in a few different shapes/colours (we have about 3 big bag sets of these because people kept buying them as a little gift but honestly they are still used fully now at almost 2.5yrs, learning shapes, colours, counting, matching, sorting, pattern making...)
a colander
a set of measuring spoons and cups
a couple of egg cups
basically I just looked through my drawers and cupboards for things that would be safe and introduced something new or swapped the stuff around when he appeared a little bored. The box built up gradually piece by piece rather than all in one go. And eventually became his own kitchen and kitchen set, toy fruit etc.
I keep shoe boxes and other smaller boxes if they are made nicely and we decorate them with pics cut from kids mags and stickers.
