| With the holidays quickly approaching,
| |
| | 6. Outside Drawing: Give the kids a
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| it's likely that you'll have some
| |
| | bucket of sidewalk chalk, turn them loose
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| unscheduled 'down-time' with your child
| |
| | outside, and they'll play for hours
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| where you don't have anything actually
| |
| | drawing on the sidewalks, driveway, and
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| planned. Just because you don't have any
| |
| | just about anything else.
|
| planned activities with your child
| |
| | 7. Make Contraptions: Older children
|
| doesn't mean that they have to languish
| |
| | will really love the idea of making
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| on the couch in boredom. Take a look at
| |
| | inventions out of recyclable materials.
|
| these quick and easy anytime activities.
| |
| | You'll need recycled toilet paper tubes,
|
| 1. Make Paper Stuff: It doesn't take a
| |
| | paper towel tubes, wrapping paper tubes,
|
| lot of work or planning for children to
| |
| | plastic bottles, and other appropriate
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| create great paper crafts. You can
| |
| | recyclables along with some tape,
|
| simply make a lot of paper supplies
| |
| | scissors, and marbles. Tape the tubes
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| available and let them go to town.
| |
| | together to make a long runway that
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| Provide paper plates, construction paper,
| |
| | starts at some high point (like a chair)
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| scissors, markers, crayons, glue, stamps,
| |
| | and eventually ends at the floor. When
|
| or stickers and let them make their own
| |
| | complete, roll the marbles through the
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| creations.
| |
| | tubes to test your contraption. You
|
| 2. Paint Something: Kids generally love
| |
| | child may even think of other types of
|
| anything that has to do with painting.
| |
| | contraptions based on this idea.
|
| You could give them some finger paints
| |
| | 8. Nature Walks: This may seem silly,
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| and paper, provide water colors, or even
| |
| | but your kids will love spending time
|
| let them paint up some scraps of wood or
| |
| | with you doing this... all you have to do
|
| rocks. When given a choice between
| |
| | is take your child for a stroll in your
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| painting or carving their pumpkins each
| |
| | neighborhood or at a park. Spend time
|
| year, my kids always choose painting...
| |
| | talking about things you observe as you
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| kids LOVE to paint!
| |
| | walk and take your time. When you're
|
| 3. Pound Some Clay: There's just
| |
| | done you could write about what you saw,
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| something about manipulating modeling
| |
| | draw pictures, collect found objects and
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| clay that kids find appealing (grownups
| |
| | make an art piece. Don't forget to
|
| too!). Give you child a couple of cans
| |
| | bundle up in inclement weather.
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| of playdough or make up a batch of salt
| |
| | 9. Paper Airplanes: Gather up a pile of
|
| dough and they'll have a ball. Here's an
| |
| | paper and make paper airplanes with your
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| idea... make some salt dough, create the
| |
| | child. Take turns flying them and test
|
| figures, dry them out in the oven, and
| |
| | out which techniques work the best. You
|
| then paint them to combine painting and
| |
| | could even take turns flying them off a
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| modeling!
| |
| | balcony or deck to really add to the
|
| 4. Have A Puppet Show: You can make
| |
| | experience. Better yet, pre-purchase a
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| puppets out of just about anything you
| |
| | book of directions for making paper
|
| have lying around the house... recycled
| |
| | airplanes and work your way through the
|
| bottles, wooden or plastic spoons, paper
| |
| | book together.
|
| bags, craft sticks, etc. all work as a
| |
| | 10. Create An Obstacle Course: This
|
| good base, then add paper, felt, yarn,
| |
| | idea may be a little messy, but your kids
|
| wiggle eyes, or other objects to make the
| |
| | will love it. Create an obstacle course,
|
| puppet. Once the puppets are done, the
| |
| | inside or outside, using objects around
|
| back of the couch, a table, or even an
| |
| | the house, then take turns navigating the
|
| old box provides a great puppet theater.
| |
| | course for time. You could crawl under
|
| 5. Play Dress-Up: Children love nothing
| |
| | tables, over chairs, around objects, etc.
|
| better than dressing up and pretending to
| |
| | all the way to the finishing line.
|
| be someone else. We keep all our old
| |
| | There are probably a lot of other great
|
| Halloween costumes in our dress-up box,
| |
| | ideas that aren't listed here, but this
|
| but you could also let the kids dress up
| |
| | should get you thinking. The REAL idea
|
| in old clothes that you're going to throw
| |
| | here is to spend some time with your
|
| out anyway. An impromptu game of
| |
| | child and let them be creative while
|
| dress-up is always a fun activity.
| |
| | you're doing it.
|
