Skip to content
Shop by categoryBy ageGiftsBirthdaysChristmasNurseryKids' bedroomPlayroom staplesOutdoor & risky playTravel & on the goParty gamesDealsFree & DIYBrowse everythingPlan & learnAsk the helperSituation plansThe caseSchool devicesFamily media planScreen-free techAboutShops directoryHow we vetAboutContact

Home › Browse › The phone basket

Free / DIY · Ages All ages

The phone basket

A basket by the door where adult phones go at dinner and during play.

Why it works

Parent phone use interrupts parent–child interaction (McDaniel & Radesky, 2018). The rule works best when adults go first.

How to do it

Put it near the charger. Kids love enforcing it on adults.

Good for

Pairs well with

PlanToys 50 Unit Blocks

Built to lastAges 2–8 yrs
$89.99 on plantoys.com, checked Oct 20, 2026

Proper unit blocks, the kind every good preschool classroom has, made from reclaimed rubberwood. PlanToys says they use formaldehyde-free glue and water-based dyes.

Honest drawback: Fifty blocks is a starter set. Classrooms use hundreds.

Lovevery Wooden Block Set

Built to lastAges 1–6 yrs
See current price on the maker's site

Seventy pieces with 20+ activities designed by a team of child development experts. Toddlers get easy wins, and it grows into real engineering with ramps, arches and pegs.

Honest drawback: Premium price for blocks, so you're paying for the design and the activity guide.