I don't know if you're with me, but the cold weather is really throwing me for a loop. I guess maybe that's because it's A's first winter being truly mobile (she turns 2 next month). Anyways, I've been brainstorming indoor activities to keep her busy and me sane for those days when it's too cold to hit the playground. Then I got to thinking that the same concept might be helpful for the older, school aged set and i should post a few here. FYI, these are also great for sprucing up play dates!Make some goop, an oozier version of playdough, that helps develop fine motor and sensory skills as well as providing a chance to explore with cause and effect. Find a good recipe here.
Create a sensory box. The easiest way to do this is to fill a plastic tub with enough dried beans to cover the bottom of your container (dried pasta or rice works well too). Then throw in some scoops, small nesting bowls or measuring cups. An experience like this provides an opportunity to explore, experiment, observe and manipulate. These are skills we want our budding scientists and mathematicians developing now.
Send em on a scavenger hunt! Here are a few ideas, but really the possibilities are endless here. Challenge them to find something in the house that starts with every letter in the alphabet. Go on a /ch/ hunt- I spy some chocolate and some chicken in the kitchen.
What are your go to ideas when you can't drag yourself outside? Please share!
4 comments:
These are great ideas! I like the sensory box with my 4 yo but all my 2 yo wants to do is throw the rice all over the kitchen. Ah, well.
A fun one at our house is to lay out a bunch of long strips of paper (like from a roll) and make a giant area of paper. Then I strip the girls naked and they can paint with anything they want all over a huge piece of paper! It's so fun. Messy, but fun. The first time I let them do it they kept looking at me like I was crazy, clearly I don't let them get messy enough!
You could try laying down a blanket underneath the rice bin and encourage her to keep it on that? We'll have to try the naked painting here, although A has already picked up my aversion to all things messy :)
Ooh, all good ideas! I can't wait to try the scavenger hunt. Thank you, thank you for the tips!
i looove your blog, seriously...i'm addicted. i know where i'll be looking when i'm scratching my head for a different activity. i love the goop and scavenger hunt game...can't wait to try them...
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