I am looking for tiny trinkets and miniature toys to put into "Eye Spy" bottles I am making for my elderly parents.

Dad resides in a nursing home and is w/c and bed bound. He cannot read for long and does not watch TV. His mind is sharp. Mom has age related dementia, a 30 second memory and misses Dad terribly even though I take her to see him every other day.

I will be using clear 1 liter bottles filled with bird seed or dry rice with the lids firmly glued in place. Inside the bottles I will put small, tiny items for them to search for while turning the bottles. A typed, laminated list of items will be attached to each bottle.

So far I have mini bowling pins, colorful erasers, colored dice, plastic bugs, little green aliens, bright buttons and paper clips.

Any other suggestions?

I would really like to find items that used to come in a Cracker Jack box and a couple pair of Barbie doll shoes.

Any other suggestions, sources, resources or even if you are willing to get rid of some items would be most appreciated.

Thank you,
MKO6219
newport6219@hotmail.com

How about using assorted shapes of metallic confetti? My DD's preschool just used some in a sandbox for the kids to find. I can send you some if you think something like that would work for your project. I know I have colorful fall leaves, Christmas and Halloween shapes, etc.

You could use:

beads
marbles
coins
monopoly game pieces...ex - shoe, dog, hat, etc.

If I think of anything else, I will post.

Carrie

Seashells.

I was thinking PollyPocket items. My daughter LOVES PollyPocket and I'm always finding little pieces of it everywhere.

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That's just like Find It, isn't it? I used to own a toy store, and it was one of my best sellers, especially at Christmas time. I used to like playing with it too - there's something mesmerizing about playing with it. Here's a link; Find it Games - Find It is not just a game, It's a contained adventure! Click on the game tops on the top of the page, and you'll see more detail of each game.

Included were;

a shiny penny (That was the hardest to find. I used to give kids a $5 gift card if they found the penny. Only one girl ever did - she was so excited!)
a rubber band
a marble
a pom pom
a small, shiny white plastic snowflake
a tiny top hat
a tiny candy cane
an eraser (I think it was shaped like a beach ball, but I can't remember)
a tiny die - you know, like dice
a mini plastic train
a deflated (obviously) small balloon
a tiny top
a safety pin
a paper clip
a mini jingle bell
a child-sized ring (like what you would wear on your finger)
a shell
a wee magnifying glass
several beads of different shapes (star, heart, etc.)
a marble

That's all I can remember. Here's another photo for you; Find It Games; Original Version- Green ends | TOYSCAMP.COM

You could also have a push pin, nuts/bolts/nails/screws, a dried bean (kidney, pinto, etc.) a nut like a pistachio, a tiny dog bone, a colorful pebble, a golf tee, a small Lego toy, and so on. Find something flat and small and solid, like a third of a popsicle stick, and write 'I love you Dad' on it on both sides for him to find. Or have a different message on each side - he has to do a lot of shaking to read both sides!
A macaroni noodle - you could add food coloring to make it stand out. Any unusual shape of pasta that you have on hand would work well, also. A few drops of food coloring on it - there you go! The pull tab from a pop can. A thimble. An inexpensive charm from a charm bracelet. A small decorative pin...

I really need to get a life. Hope that helps!

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