Archive for September, 2008
Upset the Fruit Basket
This is a fun family activity that can also be done with any group. To play the game, each person has to be labeled as a fruit: apple, orange, banana, etc. You should have more than one person for each fruit. One person is “it” standing in the middle of everyone else who is sitting around the room. The “it” person shouts out one or two fruits. The people who are these fruits must get up and switch seats. The “it” person tries to steal someone else’s seat. Whoever is left standing is now it. The “it” person, at any time, may call “upset the fruit basket.” Everyone has to leave their seat and find a new seat. Again, whoever is left standing is “it.”
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Ducky Ducky
Growing up, my family has always had “family night” once a week. During this time we would always play games. One of these was called “Ducky Ducky.”
You need a blind fold and a pillow. Everyone sits around the room, and the person who is “it” is blindfolded and holding the pillow. “It” person goes around the room to find a lap to sit on using the pillow to feel. “It” person sets the pillow on a lap, and says “Ducky Ducky.” The person being sat on tries to disguise their voice and responds “Quack, Quack.” If the “it” person guesses who it is, the person being sat on is now it. If the guess was incorrect, the “it” person continues until he guess correctly. We had lots of laughs with this one!
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Bowling
I have lots of gas station refill cups that were given to me, and my son loves to play with them. This morning, we invented a toddler game version of bowling. We stacked the cups on top of each other in a pyramid shape, then took his big bouncy ball and rolled it into them. He had fun both rolling and throwing the ball, as well as just knocking the cups down himself.
Bowling
Playing in the Park
For a while, I wasn’t doing much outside with my son, and then I realized the warm weather was almost gone, so I started taking a daily trip to the park with my son. After a few days, he came to expect it and want to be outside more often. Since he is too young to be on the equipment himself, and I don’t have the energy to spend the entire time climbing on it with him, we bring a bucket and shovel. After we play on the swings and slides, I let him have his bucket and shovel and he spends half the time digging in the woodchips.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Edible Play Dough
My son absolutely loves to play in and eat dirt, rocks, sticks, and anything else he can pick up off the ground. Another way to let your child get that gooey feeling on their hands, and not worry about whether or not they eat it, is edible play dough. A very basic recipe that is easy and uses items you probably have on hand is for an oatmeal dough.
OATMEAL DOUGH
Ingredients:
1 part flour
2 parts oatmeal
1 part water
Directions: Mix ingredients together and form into shapes. Note: The items made from this play dough recipe can be painted when they are dry.
For more fun recipes, visit http://www.childfun.com and search the site for edible play dough.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Music Time
My sister and her husband both have music degrees, and her children love to make their own music. She just turns on a CD and gives her kids some instruments like drums or morraccas. If you don’t have any instruments, take a bowl and give your child a spoon. Or for easy shakers, take a yogurt cup with a lid, or other small container with a lid and put rice, beans, or some other small shakable objects inside. Turn on some music and have a blast!
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Child’s Play
Scientific researchers and child specialists have found that children need time for creative play. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on the latest toy with all the lights and sounds either. Children need to be able to use their imaginations. Sometimes the best thing in the world could be a cardboard box. I have found that leaving a drawer and a cupboard available in the kitchen with items such as plastic lids and pans, my son has a hayday.
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