I think you would all agree that one of the hardest things as a momma is trying to come up with fun things to keep our littles entertained. After you've colored a bazillion pictures, played multiple games of Candy Land, and have made every imaginable creature out of pipe cleaners, you still hear the words...
"I'm Bored"
Really? Cause I'm ready for a nap!
So today I thought I would share with you a few "tricks" to keep up your sleeve for the next time you and the kiddos need something to do {these are not only great for mommas, but also for Dads, babysitters, grandparents and daycare providers too}.
The first thing is something I came up with when Carter was about 2 1/2 and now even at 5 years old he still LOVES doing it. I call it a "Scavenger Walk." It looks something like this...
What you do is copy and paste images that you might see while going on a walk in your neighborhood. I just searched Google images, pasted them onto a blank Word document and printed it out. Take along a clipboard {if you have one} and a pencil and have your child draw an "X" over every image that they find. It takes a little prep work beforehand, so I usually make up a few different ones, print out a couple copies of each one and stash them in a folder. Depending on the age of your child you can make them as easy or difficult as you want, but it really teaches them to be observant of their surroundings. I haven't done this yet, but I was even thinking you could make one up with different sounds to listen for -- birds chirping, crickets {doing whatever crickets do}, car horns honking, the ice cream man, ect.
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| Found a snail! |
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| Hmmm...what's next? |
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| Having fun! |
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| Look at all the stuff I found! |
Super simple, yet so much fun!
Ok, the next two things are GREAT for when you are stuck inside on a rainy day. Again, I think I introduced these when Booger Bear was around 2 1/2 or 3, but he still finds them fun now. The first is the smooshy goodness of homemade Flubber!
What you will need:
Mixture 1:
3/4 cup warm water
1 cup Elmers Glue
Food coloring
Mixture 2:
2 tsp. Borax
1/2 cup warm water
Here's how to make it:
Stir mixture 1 together in a bowl, mixture 2 in another bowl. Make sure both are mixed well. Pour mixture 1 into mixture 2. No need to stir, just reach in and knead it for a minute or two then pull it out of the bowl and play! Store in a plastic bag or container when done.
I would give Carter a plastic knife, set him at the table and he'd play while I made dinner in peace. It also makes a fun "farting" noise which boys find absolutely hilarious.
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| That's a boy for ya! |
Next is something both fun and tasty...Edible Playdoh! If you Google this you'll find a few different recipes, but here is the one I made...
What you will need:
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup honey {spray your measuring cup with cooking spray first, it'll help the honey slide out easier}
4-6 oz. cornmeal
Here's how to make it:
Combine together the peanut butter and honey. Add the cornmeal until it reaches the desired consistency. Store in a plastic bag or container when done.
You can use all sorts of edible treats to decorate with -- flaked coconut for hair, m&m's, chocolate chips, pretzel sticks, ect.
Some other fun things we've enjoyed doing are:
Painting little wooden bird houses
Found these at JoAnns for only $1!
Blueberry picking at a local farm
Then making yummy muffins with said blueberries
Story time at Barnes & Noble
Check your local store for days and times
Making homemade smiley face pizzas
Also, during summer some local theaters play kids movies on certain days of the week and admission is only $1! Regal Cinemas and Brenden Theaters are the participating theaters in my area, but you can check those theaters to see if it is available where you live too.
Now it's YOUR turn! What activities do you and your kids enjoy doing?
Linking up here
xoxo,
Lacee
