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Directions
Crawl under or over a row of chairs.
Crawl under a string stretched between two chair legs.
Jump into and out of a Hula-Hoop five times.
Walk on a balance board.
Throw a beanbag into a laundry basket.
Run while balancing a beanbag on your head.
Do a ring toss.
Play one hole of Newspaper Golf.
Ride a tricycle along a predetermined route.
Somersault from one point to another.
Do a handstand.
Skip in place while reciting a jump rope rhyme.
Do ten jumping jacks.
Type of activity: Reading and writing, arts and crafts
Celebrate the coming of spring by telling a story about the season!
Materials needed:
· White paper (several sheets)
· Two sheets of construction paper
· Scissors
· Hole punch
· Ribbon or yarn
· Glue
· Markers, crayons, paint, glitter, or other decorative materials
· Flower petals, leaves, pieces of grass, or other spring mementos.
What to do:
Step One: Take a walk outside and help your child to notice of all the changes that are happening with the coming of spring. Point out the flowers budding, the trees growing leaves, and so on. Ask her to point out more signs of spring.
As you walk, collect the materials that you'll use for your picture. Flat objects (like leaves, flowers, or feathers) will work best.
Step Two: Gather several sheets of white paper for the inside of your book and two sheets of construction paper for the front and back covers.
Step Three: Line up all the pages along the left edge, and hold them together with a paper clip.
Step Four: Using a hole punch, starting about a half-inch away from the top of the paper, make holes about 1.5 to 2 inches apart going down the left side. Make your last hole about a half-inch above the bottom of the paper.
Step Five: Now it's time to consider the layout for your book. Tell your child that you are going to write a story about spring. She can tell her story using pictures -- by drawing trees and flowers growing on each page. She can also dictate the story while help with the writing. Then, she can color pictures or glue the spring mementos to each page for illustrations.
Step Six: Decorate the pages with and additional drawings, paint, or other materials. Let any glue or paint dry.
Step Seven: Decorate the cover of the book using more mementos or your own artwork.
Step Eight: Put all the pages of the book together and line up the holes you punched on the left-hand side.
Step Nine: Cut one piece of ribbon or yarn about six inches long for each hole you punched.
Step Ten: Thread the yarn through one hole and tie in a bow. Repeat this for each hole in the book.
Materials:Index cards, markers, large piece construction paper, erasers.
On the back of 3x5 index cards, write various activities for people to do: Organize the actions by categories, such as Animals ("Make a cow sound"); Physical Things ("Jump up and down on one foot three times"); Silly Songs ("Make up a dinosaur version of Old McDonald"); or Tongue Twisters ("Say 'she sells sea shells by the sea shore' five times").
When you're done writing instructions, have your kids decorate the backs of the cards, keeping the categories consistent -- yellow for Animals, red for Physical Things, and so on.
Now, you're ready for action. On a large piece of paper, use crayons to draw a "target" -- draw nested squares or concentric circles, including all of the colors of your cards. Each player then tosses a bean bag onto the target. Note: you can also use erasers or other soft throwing objects. Players pick a card from the color category matching the target where their bean bag landed; then follow the instructions.
Good luck with your toss: You might even find it liberating to impersonate an iguana, strut like a stegosaurus, or eat like an emu!
Pour half a cup of dry navy beans into a sandwich bag, squeeze out most of the air, then tie off the bag with a twistem. Place the bag in an old sock, then tie the sock shut or close it with a twistem.
Backyard Magic
Ages: 5 to 9
Indoor activity
Materials: pillow case, fabric, or skirt; bulldog clip or clothespin; colored paper/paperboard, fabric paints, glue, crayons or markers, cotton, foil, felt, ribbons, streamers
Your kids can have an enchanting time with some homemade magic get-up!
A pillowcase, a large piece of fabric, a scarf, or an adult-sized skirt make an excellent child's cape. Use a bulldog clip or clothespin to hold the front of the cape together.
Crowns are easy to make out of colored paper. Cut the paper into a length to fit a child's head, with several points on the top. Supply your child with plenty of crayons, markers, cotton balls, glitter, glue, used aluminum foil, felt, ribbons, and anything else that can transform a ring of paper into head gear fit for royalty.
Finally, make a wand. Cut a ten-inch square of colorful wrapping paper. Then, along one edge, cut every quarter inch or so. Tightly roll the uncut edge of the paper, and insert the rolled paper into a cardboard tube from a dry-cleaner hanger.
Encourage your child to dream up wild magic acts, complete with incantations, like turning a brick into a prince or princess, or a tree into a dinosaur. Perhaps even make the sky rain cookies. Now then, wouldn't the world be a better place if we each took a moment to believe in magic?
Beanbag
Directions
Place a beanbag on your child's back while she's in a crawling position.
Have her crawl around the room until the beanbag falls off.
Two toddlers will enjoy playing this game, with one crawling and the other picking up the beanbag when it falls.
Older children can play with a friend or sibling, seeing who can keep the beanbag on her back the longest.
Marbles
Directions
This game requires two players. The first player shoots a marble any distance.
This marble becomes the target marble.
The second player stands over the target marble. Holding a marble at eye level, he tries to drop his marble onto the target marble.
If he hits it, he wins the target marble.
If he misses it, the first player wins the second player's marble.
Have the players take turns shooting the target marble and trying to hit it.
Collection of bottles and lids of varying sizes
Directions
Save small plastic bottles with screw-type lids.
Your toddler will have lots of fun matching lids to bottles, putting the lids on, taking the lids off, and starting all over again.
A bottle collection is also great fun for the bath, or for water play outdoors.
Chalk
Marbles
Directions
This game requires two or more players.
Draw a circle about one foot in diameter.
Have each player scatter an equal number of marbles inside the circle.
The first player stands outside the circle.
Holding a marble with an outstretched arm at eye level, he drops it into the circle.
If his marble knocks any marbles out of the circle, his marble plus the marbles he knocked out belong to him.
If he fails to knock any marbles out of the circle, his marble stays with the other marbles inside the circle.
Players take turns trying to knock marbles out of the circle until there are no marbles left in the circle.
At that point, the player with the most marbles is the winner.
Books or scraps of wood
Matchbox cars or other toys with wheels
Directions
Make a raceway or train track on a carpet by laying down books of equal thickness side by side to make a smooth lane, or use pieces of plywood or two-by-fours. (Your raceway can be any length and can be straight or have turns.)
This will transform the carpet into a smooth surface for racing toys with wheels.
Glass or bowl of water
Towel, old sheet, or plastic tablecloth (optional)
Ten corks
Directions
Place a glass or bowl full of water on the floor. If you like, place a towel, old sheet, or plastic tablecloth under it to catch splashes.
Have the players take turns. Standing over the bowl or glass with his arm extended at shoulder level, each player drops the corks one at a time into the water.
Award points for successful drops. The player with the most points after each player has dropped ten corks is the winner.
A child playing alone can see how many corks he drops successfully in a designated time.
Materials
Cork
9-inch by 13-inch baking pans
Straw
Directions
Fill each baking pan with water and place the pans on a table or on the floor.
Give each player a cork and a straw.
The winner is the first one to blow her cork from one side of the pan to the other.
Raw egg (and a few extra)
Packing materials
String or tape
Directions
The object of this activity is to wrap up an egg so that it won't break when dropped from a height. The recommended height is 12-15 feet. Design a container which will protect the egg from breaking. It should be lightweight and sturdy. Most of all, it should withstand sudden impact with the ground.
Note: The Egg Drop is one of the events in the Science Olympics in which many schools participate. This could be your entry.
Materials:
Colored eggshells
Construction paper
Crayon, pen, or marker
Glue
Directions:
On a piece of construction paper, have your child draw a simple design.
Fill it in with glue and add the bits of colored eggshell.
If you don't have colored eggshells available, dye your eggshells just as you would dye hard-boiled eggs.
Colorful pieces of felt or flannel fabric
Shoe box lid or piece of strong cardboard
Glue
Sandpaper
Photographs or magazine cutouts
Directions
Cut the piece of felt or flannel large enough to cover the inside of the box lid or over the piece of cardboard. Glue the fabric to the cardboard. Cut out pieces of felt in the shape of people, animals, trees, cars, spaceships, or whatever you want to tell a story about. Objects made of pieces of felt will naturally stick to the background fabric. If you want to use pictures from magazines or photographs, cut out the picture, then glue it to a piece of cardboard of the same shape. Glue sandpaper to the back so it will stick to the felt board. Tell a story. As each character is mentioned, attach it to the felt board. Or put a few shapes up on the board and ask your child to make up a story.
Cookie Sheet
Flour
Directions
Lightly sprinkle the surface of a cookie sheet with flour.
Show your child how to draw in it with his finger.
Or draw a letter, number, or shape in the flour with your finger and have him draw the same next to yours.
Empty egg carton
Pen or marker
Small food items (raisins, cereal, chocolate chips, candies)
Directions
Write the numbers 1 to 12 on the individual sections of an egg carton.
Have your child count out each number using small food items.
Then have her fill the numbered section with the correct number of items.
Once the sections are filled, work in reverse, having your child identify each number, count the pieces, then eat them!
Froot Loops cereal
Food processor or rolling pin
Construction paper
Glue stick
Directions
Make Froot Loop Sand by crushing Froot Loops cereal in a food processor or with a rolling pin.
Rub the glue stick onto a piece of construction paper, then sprinkle the Froot Loop sand onto it.
If your child dumps the sand onto the picture all at once, that's okay; just tip the picture onto another piece of paper and the excess will slide off.
For variety, try using a clean, empty spice container to shake the Froot Loop sand onto the glue.
Materials
Pieces of tape
Directions
Give your young child one or two pieces of tape to play with.
She may try sticking them together, to herself, to you, or to other objects around the house.
Be sure to watch her if you're worried about the tape sticking to precious books or papers that may be in her path.
Materials
Thin cardboard or brown construction paper
Pen or marker
Scissors
Glue
Lace, ribbon, fabric scraps
Pieces of cereal, small candy, or licorice
Directions
Draw the outline of a gingerbread girl or boy on thin cardboard or brown construction paper.
Your child can cut it out and dress it by gluing bits of lace and ribbon or scraps of fabric onto the figure.
Make a face out of cereal or candy.
This game works well with mixed age groups.
Materials
Clock or timer that ticks loudly
Directions
Have all the kids leave the room while you hide the clock or timer.
At your signal, the kids return and search for the clock.
The winner is the first player to find the clock.
Materials
Potato
Directions
Have the players sit cross-legged in a circle.
One player sits in the middle of the circle; this player is the leprechaun.
The leprechaun starts the game by throwing a potato to one of the players in the circle.
The leprechaun then closes her eyes and keeps them closed while the potato is passed among the players in the circle.
After the potato has been passed for a while, the leprechaun shouts, "Shamrock!" and opens her eyes.
The player holding the potato at that moment leaves the circle and is out of the game.
Play continues until only one player is left in the circle.
That player is the winner and gets to be the leprechaun for the next game.
Keep playing until each player has had a turn as the leprechaun.
Cardboard
Ornamental Frosting
Jelly beans
Directions
Help your child draw a picture with Ornamental Frosting on a piece of cardboard-this frosting works like glue and tastes great!
Have her place jelly beans on the frosting.
You can give this project a seasonal theme by using pastel jelly beans on a rabbit picture for Easter, or green jelly beans on a Christmas tree and beans of other colors for lights and decorations.
Avoid using glue for this project, because your child is sure to eat the jelly beans.
Indoor Sandbox
You can make an indoor sandbox by filling up a cardboard box or plastic baby bathtub with puffed wheat or rice cereal or uncooked rice. Here are also some alternatives that may be purchased fairly inexpensively in bulk. They provide an interesting sensory experience for toddlers.
Materials
water softener
salt
shredded paper
birdseed
cedar shavings
dried beans
deer corn
oatmeal
foam packing peanuts
cornmeal
potting soil (if you're brave!)
Directions
Children enjoy playing in the sandbox with cups, spoons, bowls, buckets, scoops, shovels, cars, and other toys and containers.
A funnel and scoop that can be used to fill an empty plastic soda bottle with sandbox material will also be a hit.
An old sheet, shower curtain, or plastic tablecloth placed under the sandbox makes cleanup a little easier.
Indoor Tent
Materials
Sheet or blanket
Empty table
Directions
Place a sheet or blanket over a table to make an indoor tent.
Put a special snack inside and give your child a flashlight.
If you like, furnish the tent with pillows and a blanket, and let your child camp out all morning.
Indoor Treasure Hunt Game
Materials
Small toys or snacks
Treasure map (optional)
Directions
This is a great way to liven up a rainy day.
Have an indoor treasure hunt by hiding several small toys, books, or special snacks around the house.
Give your child clues or draw a map that leads to the treasure.
Laughing Hands
Directions
This activity involves two people.
One person stands or sits directly in front of the other with hands behind the back. It is important that this person's arms do not show.
The front person provides the voices and facial expressions for the scene.
The person in back extends his or her arms around the front person and is the hands.
Pick scenes to act out that would involve hand movements such as putting something together, eating at a restaurant, brushing teeth, and washing your face.
This is fun to do in front of an audience, so get family members or neighbors to watch.
Let each person have a chance to be the "hands."
Learning About the Mailbox
Materials
Shoebox with lid
Scissors
Unopened junk mail
Directions
Cut a large slit in the lid of a shoebox.
If you like, cover the box and lid (separately) with colored paper, or decorate with paints, markers, and stickers.
Place the lid on the box and show your toddler how to "mail" letters.
If you don't mind her doing so, she may enjoy ripping open the letters as much as mailing them.
Store the mail inside the box when play is over.
Magic Potion
Time
10 to 15 minutes
Materials
Coffee mug
Water
Baking soda
Vinegar
Cup
Saucer
Directions
In this simple activity you can stir up the brew that will mystify your child. Put the mug on the saucer in case it bubbles over, and fill it halfway with water.
Dissolve 3 tablespoons of baking soda in it.
Pour 3 tablespoons of vinegar into a separate cup and add all at once. Bubbles of carbon dioxide are created when the acid in the vinegar reacts with the base in the soda, just as they do in cakes and quick breads, making them rise.
Extensions
Make a recipe that calls for baking soda, dividing it into 2 bowls and adding baking soda to only one of them. Cook and compare what the results look like.
Do a taste test and see if there are differences.
Make a Sentence
Required:
Index cards or paper, writing/drawing supplies
How good are you and your kids at creating stories on the fly? Find out with this activity.
First, get five sets of blank index cards, with ten cards in each set. (You can also make your own from thin cardboard or paper.) Write numbers on one set of cards, one per card. On another set, draw various shapes. On another, put colors (again, one per card). And on yet another, write the name of animals. You can put the names of anything else you like on the remaining set.
Each participant in the activity takes one card from each set. They must then create a sentence using all of the elements on the cards. You can increase the challenge by adding more card sets with more difficult items to incorporate in a coherent sentence. Or you can have other players draw cards that will be incorporated into more sentences to create an amazing tale.
All right! So five red monkeys ate 50 pounds of pizza last week. After that, they were green!
Marshmallow Magic
Time
15 to 20 minutes
Materials
Dark paper
White glue
Saucer
Miniature marshmallows
Directions
The stark contrast of black and white makes the use of space all the more obvious to the developing artist. Pour a small amount of glue into a saucer and show your child how to dip a marshmallow in and stick it in patterns to the dark paper. Young children are apt to put them all in one spot, and that is fine.
Extensions
Make little snowmen by gluing the marshmallows 3 high.
Take turns gluing marshmallows in a long line.
Go just around the edges of the paper with marshmallows.
Newspaper Golf
Make golf clubs out of newspaper and tape, and your preschooler can play golf indoors.
Materials
Newspaper
Tape
Golf or tennis balls
Masking tape or paper
Directions
Make golf clubs for each player by rolling up several sheets of newspaper and taping them securely.
Lay down a sheet of paper or use masking tape to mark several "holes" on the floor or carpet.
Use your golf club to try to hit (roll) the ball to the hole.
Reward the winner (the first to hit the ball to the hole) with a raisin, chocolate chip, or other small treat.
Picture a Story
Materials
Paper
Crayons or markers
Directions
Have your child draw a series of four or five pictures.
Have her then dictate a story to go with each picture.
You can write the story on the bottom of the picture as it is told.
Ping-Pong Pinball
Indoor Obstacle Course
As you design your obstacle course, keep in mind the ages, abilities, and number of children involved as well as the space you have. Make the course simple at first and change the stations as they're mastered. If you like, time the kids to see who can complete the course fastest. Below are a few ideas to get you started. Ten stations is a good number for most kids.Directions
Crawl under or over a row of chairs.
Crawl under a string stretched between two chair legs.
Jump into and out of a Hula-Hoop five times.
Walk on a balance board.
Throw a beanbag into a laundry basket.
Run while balancing a beanbag on your head.
Do a ring toss.
Play one hole of Newspaper Golf.
Ride a tricycle along a predetermined route.
Somersault from one point to another.
Do a handstand.
Skip in place while reciting a jump rope rhyme.
Do ten jumping jacks.
A Spring Storybook
Time: An hour or moreType of activity: Reading and writing, arts and crafts
Celebrate the coming of spring by telling a story about the season!
Materials needed:
· White paper (several sheets)
· Two sheets of construction paper
· Scissors
· Hole punch
· Ribbon or yarn
· Glue
· Markers, crayons, paint, glitter, or other decorative materials
· Flower petals, leaves, pieces of grass, or other spring mementos.
What to do:
Step One: Take a walk outside and help your child to notice of all the changes that are happening with the coming of spring. Point out the flowers budding, the trees growing leaves, and so on. Ask her to point out more signs of spring.
As you walk, collect the materials that you'll use for your picture. Flat objects (like leaves, flowers, or feathers) will work best.
Step Two: Gather several sheets of white paper for the inside of your book and two sheets of construction paper for the front and back covers.
Step Three: Line up all the pages along the left edge, and hold them together with a paper clip.
Step Four: Using a hole punch, starting about a half-inch away from the top of the paper, make holes about 1.5 to 2 inches apart going down the left side. Make your last hole about a half-inch above the bottom of the paper.
Step Five: Now it's time to consider the layout for your book. Tell your child that you are going to write a story about spring. She can tell her story using pictures -- by drawing trees and flowers growing on each page. She can also dictate the story while help with the writing. Then, she can color pictures or glue the spring mementos to each page for illustrations.
Step Six: Decorate the pages with and additional drawings, paint, or other materials. Let any glue or paint dry.
Step Seven: Decorate the cover of the book using more mementos or your own artwork.
Step Eight: Put all the pages of the book together and line up the holes you punched on the left-hand side.
Step Nine: Cut one piece of ribbon or yarn about six inches long for each hole you punched.
Step Ten: Thread the yarn through one hole and tie in a bow. Repeat this for each hole in the book.
Act It Out Game
Ages:4 to 10Materials:Index cards, markers, large piece construction paper, erasers.
On the back of 3x5 index cards, write various activities for people to do: Organize the actions by categories, such as Animals ("Make a cow sound"); Physical Things ("Jump up and down on one foot three times"); Silly Songs ("Make up a dinosaur version of Old McDonald"); or Tongue Twisters ("Say 'she sells sea shells by the sea shore' five times").
When you're done writing instructions, have your kids decorate the backs of the cards, keeping the categories consistent -- yellow for Animals, red for Physical Things, and so on.
Now, you're ready for action. On a large piece of paper, use crayons to draw a "target" -- draw nested squares or concentric circles, including all of the colors of your cards. Each player then tosses a bean bag onto the target. Note: you can also use erasers or other soft throwing objects. Players pick a card from the color category matching the target where their bean bag landed; then follow the instructions.
Good luck with your toss: You might even find it liberating to impersonate an iguana, strut like a stegosaurus, or eat like an emu!
Make your own bean bag
Materials: navy beans, plastic sandwich bags, socks, twistems.Pour half a cup of dry navy beans into a sandwich bag, squeeze out most of the air, then tie off the bag with a twistem. Place the bag in an old sock, then tie the sock shut or close it with a twistem.
Backyard Magic
Ages: 5 to 9
Indoor activity
Materials: pillow case, fabric, or skirt; bulldog clip or clothespin; colored paper/paperboard, fabric paints, glue, crayons or markers, cotton, foil, felt, ribbons, streamers
Your kids can have an enchanting time with some homemade magic get-up!
A pillowcase, a large piece of fabric, a scarf, or an adult-sized skirt make an excellent child's cape. Use a bulldog clip or clothespin to hold the front of the cape together.
Crowns are easy to make out of colored paper. Cut the paper into a length to fit a child's head, with several points on the top. Supply your child with plenty of crayons, markers, cotton balls, glitter, glue, used aluminum foil, felt, ribbons, and anything else that can transform a ring of paper into head gear fit for royalty.
Finally, make a wand. Cut a ten-inch square of colorful wrapping paper. Then, along one edge, cut every quarter inch or so. Tightly roll the uncut edge of the paper, and insert the rolled paper into a cardboard tube from a dry-cleaner hanger.
Encourage your child to dream up wild magic acts, complete with incantations, like turning a brick into a prince or princess, or a tree into a dinosaur. Perhaps even make the sky rain cookies. Now then, wouldn't the world be a better place if we each took a moment to believe in magic?
Beanbag Races
MaterialsBeanbag
Directions
Place a beanbag on your child's back while she's in a crawling position.
Have her crawl around the room until the beanbag falls off.
Two toddlers will enjoy playing this game, with one crawling and the other picking up the beanbag when it falls.
Older children can play with a friend or sibling, seeing who can keep the beanbag on her back the longest.
Bombers
MaterialsMarbles
Directions
This game requires two players. The first player shoots a marble any distance.
This marble becomes the target marble.
The second player stands over the target marble. Holding a marble at eye level, he tries to drop his marble onto the target marble.
If he hits it, he wins the target marble.
If he misses it, the first player wins the second player's marble.
Have the players take turns shooting the target marble and trying to hit it.
Bottles and Lids
MaterialsCollection of bottles and lids of varying sizes
Directions
Save small plastic bottles with screw-type lids.
Your toddler will have lots of fun matching lids to bottles, putting the lids on, taking the lids off, and starting all over again.
A bottle collection is also great fun for the bath, or for water play outdoors.
Bounce Eye
MaterialsChalk
Marbles
Directions
This game requires two or more players.
Draw a circle about one foot in diameter.
Have each player scatter an equal number of marbles inside the circle.
The first player stands outside the circle.
Holding a marble with an outstretched arm at eye level, he drops it into the circle.
If his marble knocks any marbles out of the circle, his marble plus the marbles he knocked out belong to him.
If he fails to knock any marbles out of the circle, his marble stays with the other marbles inside the circle.
Players take turns trying to knock marbles out of the circle until there are no marbles left in the circle.
At that point, the player with the most marbles is the winner.
Carpet Raceway Activity
MaterialsBooks or scraps of wood
Matchbox cars or other toys with wheels
Directions
Make a raceway or train track on a carpet by laying down books of equal thickness side by side to make a smooth lane, or use pieces of plywood or two-by-fours. (Your raceway can be any length and can be straight or have turns.)
This will transform the carpet into a smooth surface for racing toys with wheels.
Cork Drop
MaterialsGlass or bowl of water
Towel, old sheet, or plastic tablecloth (optional)
Ten corks
Directions
Place a glass or bowl full of water on the floor. If you like, place a towel, old sheet, or plastic tablecloth under it to catch splashes.
Have the players take turns. Standing over the bowl or glass with his arm extended at shoulder level, each player drops the corks one at a time into the water.
Award points for successful drops. The player with the most points after each player has dropped ten corks is the winner.
A child playing alone can see how many corks he drops successfully in a designated time.
Cork Race
You will need one of each of the following items for each player. Many toddlers haven't yet mastered the skill of blowing through a straw, so you may want to save this idea for when your child is a little older.Materials
Cork
9-inch by 13-inch baking pans
Straw
Directions
Fill each baking pan with water and place the pans on a table or on the floor.
Give each player a cork and a straw.
The winner is the first one to blow her cork from one side of the pan to the other.
Egg Drop
MaterialsRaw egg (and a few extra)
Packing materials
String or tape
Directions
The object of this activity is to wrap up an egg so that it won't break when dropped from a height. The recommended height is 12-15 feet. Design a container which will protect the egg from breaking. It should be lightweight and sturdy. Most of all, it should withstand sudden impact with the ground.
Note: The Egg Drop is one of the events in the Science Olympics in which many schools participate. This could be your entry.
Eggshell Mosaic
This is a great way to use up the remains of the Easter eggs. Your child will have a lot of fun breaking up the eggshells, and the pretty colors make a great mosaic.
Materials:
Colored eggshells
Construction paper
Crayon, pen, or marker
Glue
Directions:
On a piece of construction paper, have your child draw a simple design.
Fill it in with glue and add the bits of colored eggshell.
If you don't have colored eggshells available, dye your eggshells just as you would dye hard-boiled eggs.
Felt Storyboards
MaterialsColorful pieces of felt or flannel fabric
Shoe box lid or piece of strong cardboard
Glue
Sandpaper
Photographs or magazine cutouts
Directions
Cut the piece of felt or flannel large enough to cover the inside of the box lid or over the piece of cardboard. Glue the fabric to the cardboard. Cut out pieces of felt in the shape of people, animals, trees, cars, spaceships, or whatever you want to tell a story about. Objects made of pieces of felt will naturally stick to the background fabric. If you want to use pictures from magazines or photographs, cut out the picture, then glue it to a piece of cardboard of the same shape. Glue sandpaper to the back so it will stick to the felt board. Tell a story. As each character is mentioned, attach it to the felt board. Or put a few shapes up on the board and ask your child to make up a story.
Flour Drawing
MaterialsCookie Sheet
Flour
Directions
Lightly sprinkle the surface of a cookie sheet with flour.
Show your child how to draw in it with his finger.
Or draw a letter, number, or shape in the flour with your finger and have him draw the same next to yours.
Food Count
MaterialsEmpty egg carton
Pen or marker
Small food items (raisins, cereal, chocolate chips, candies)
Directions
Write the numbers 1 to 12 on the individual sections of an egg carton.
Have your child count out each number using small food items.
Then have her fill the numbered section with the correct number of items.
Once the sections are filled, work in reverse, having your child identify each number, count the pieces, then eat them!
Froot Loop Sand
MaterialsFroot Loops cereal
Food processor or rolling pin
Construction paper
Glue stick
Directions
Make Froot Loop Sand by crushing Froot Loops cereal in a food processor or with a rolling pin.
Rub the glue stick onto a piece of construction paper, then sprinkle the Froot Loop sand onto it.
If your child dumps the sand onto the picture all at once, that's okay; just tip the picture onto another piece of paper and the excess will slide off.
For variety, try using a clean, empty spice container to shake the Froot Loop sand onto the glue.
Fun with Tape
Simple as it may seem, a small piece of tape can provide young children with a lot of enjoyment. Collect a few different kinds of colorful plastic tape, masking tape, double-sided tape, and so on. Your toddler will sometimes enjoy using tape in place of glue when making a collage.Materials
Pieces of tape
Directions
Give your young child one or two pieces of tape to play with.
She may try sticking them together, to herself, to you, or to other objects around the house.
Be sure to watch her if you're worried about the tape sticking to precious books or papers that may be in her path.
Gingerbread People
Materials
Thin cardboard or brown construction paper
Pen or marker
Scissors
Glue
Lace, ribbon, fabric scraps
Pieces of cereal, small candy, or licorice
Directions
Draw the outline of a gingerbread girl or boy on thin cardboard or brown construction paper.
Your child can cut it out and dress it by gluing bits of lace and ribbon or scraps of fabric onto the figure.
Make a face out of cereal or candy.
Hide the Clock
This game works well with mixed age groups.
Materials
Clock or timer that ticks loudly
Directions
Have all the kids leave the room while you hide the clock or timer.
At your signal, the kids return and search for the clock.
The winner is the first player to find the clock.
Hot Potato
This game is best played with five or more players.Materials
Potato
Directions
Have the players sit cross-legged in a circle.
One player sits in the middle of the circle; this player is the leprechaun.
The leprechaun starts the game by throwing a potato to one of the players in the circle.
The leprechaun then closes her eyes and keeps them closed while the potato is passed among the players in the circle.
After the potato has been passed for a while, the leprechaun shouts, "Shamrock!" and opens her eyes.
The player holding the potato at that moment leaves the circle and is out of the game.
Play continues until only one player is left in the circle.
That player is the winner and gets to be the leprechaun for the next game.
Keep playing until each player has had a turn as the leprechaun.
Jelly Bean Picture
MaterialsCardboard
Ornamental Frosting
Jelly beans
Directions
Help your child draw a picture with Ornamental Frosting on a piece of cardboard-this frosting works like glue and tastes great!
Have her place jelly beans on the frosting.
You can give this project a seasonal theme by using pastel jelly beans on a rabbit picture for Easter, or green jelly beans on a Christmas tree and beans of other colors for lights and decorations.
Avoid using glue for this project, because your child is sure to eat the jelly beans.
Indoor Sandbox
You can make an indoor sandbox by filling up a cardboard box or plastic baby bathtub with puffed wheat or rice cereal or uncooked rice. Here are also some alternatives that may be purchased fairly inexpensively in bulk. They provide an interesting sensory experience for toddlers.
Materials
water softener
salt
shredded paper
birdseed
cedar shavings
dried beans
deer corn
oatmeal
foam packing peanuts
cornmeal
potting soil (if you're brave!)
Directions
Children enjoy playing in the sandbox with cups, spoons, bowls, buckets, scoops, shovels, cars, and other toys and containers.
A funnel and scoop that can be used to fill an empty plastic soda bottle with sandbox material will also be a hit.
An old sheet, shower curtain, or plastic tablecloth placed under the sandbox makes cleanup a little easier.
Indoor Tent
Materials
Sheet or blanket
Empty table
Directions
Place a sheet or blanket over a table to make an indoor tent.
Put a special snack inside and give your child a flashlight.
If you like, furnish the tent with pillows and a blanket, and let your child camp out all morning.
Indoor Treasure Hunt Game
Materials
Small toys or snacks
Treasure map (optional)
Directions
This is a great way to liven up a rainy day.
Have an indoor treasure hunt by hiding several small toys, books, or special snacks around the house.
Give your child clues or draw a map that leads to the treasure.
Laughing Hands
Directions
This activity involves two people.
One person stands or sits directly in front of the other with hands behind the back. It is important that this person's arms do not show.
The front person provides the voices and facial expressions for the scene.
The person in back extends his or her arms around the front person and is the hands.
Pick scenes to act out that would involve hand movements such as putting something together, eating at a restaurant, brushing teeth, and washing your face.
This is fun to do in front of an audience, so get family members or neighbors to watch.
Let each person have a chance to be the "hands."
Learning About the Mailbox
Materials
Shoebox with lid
Scissors
Unopened junk mail
Directions
Cut a large slit in the lid of a shoebox.
If you like, cover the box and lid (separately) with colored paper, or decorate with paints, markers, and stickers.
Place the lid on the box and show your toddler how to "mail" letters.
If you don't mind her doing so, she may enjoy ripping open the letters as much as mailing them.
Store the mail inside the box when play is over.
Magic Potion
Time
10 to 15 minutes
Materials
Coffee mug
Water
Baking soda
Vinegar
Cup
Saucer
Directions
In this simple activity you can stir up the brew that will mystify your child. Put the mug on the saucer in case it bubbles over, and fill it halfway with water.
Dissolve 3 tablespoons of baking soda in it.
Pour 3 tablespoons of vinegar into a separate cup and add all at once. Bubbles of carbon dioxide are created when the acid in the vinegar reacts with the base in the soda, just as they do in cakes and quick breads, making them rise.
Extensions
Make a recipe that calls for baking soda, dividing it into 2 bowls and adding baking soda to only one of them. Cook and compare what the results look like.
Do a taste test and see if there are differences.
Make a Sentence
Required:
Index cards or paper, writing/drawing supplies
How good are you and your kids at creating stories on the fly? Find out with this activity.
First, get five sets of blank index cards, with ten cards in each set. (You can also make your own from thin cardboard or paper.) Write numbers on one set of cards, one per card. On another set, draw various shapes. On another, put colors (again, one per card). And on yet another, write the name of animals. You can put the names of anything else you like on the remaining set.
Each participant in the activity takes one card from each set. They must then create a sentence using all of the elements on the cards. You can increase the challenge by adding more card sets with more difficult items to incorporate in a coherent sentence. Or you can have other players draw cards that will be incorporated into more sentences to create an amazing tale.
All right! So five red monkeys ate 50 pounds of pizza last week. After that, they were green!
Marshmallow Magic
Time
15 to 20 minutes
Materials
Dark paper
White glue
Saucer
Miniature marshmallows
Directions
The stark contrast of black and white makes the use of space all the more obvious to the developing artist. Pour a small amount of glue into a saucer and show your child how to dip a marshmallow in and stick it in patterns to the dark paper. Young children are apt to put them all in one spot, and that is fine.
Extensions
Make little snowmen by gluing the marshmallows 3 high.
Take turns gluing marshmallows in a long line.
Go just around the edges of the paper with marshmallows.
Newspaper Golf
Make golf clubs out of newspaper and tape, and your preschooler can play golf indoors.
Materials
Newspaper
Tape
Golf or tennis balls
Masking tape or paper
Directions
Make golf clubs for each player by rolling up several sheets of newspaper and taping them securely.
Lay down a sheet of paper or use masking tape to mark several "holes" on the floor or carpet.
Use your golf club to try to hit (roll) the ball to the hole.
Reward the winner (the first to hit the ball to the hole) with a raisin, chocolate chip, or other small treat.
Picture a Story
Materials
Paper
Crayons or markers
Directions
Have your child draw a series of four or five pictures.
Have her then dictate a story to go with each picture.
You can write the story on the bottom of the picture as it is told.
Ping-Pong Pinball
Materials
Utility knife
Shallow box (from a 24-pack of soda)
Ping-Pong ball
Directions
Use a utility knife to cut three or four holes slightly larger than a Ping-Pong ball in a random pattern across the bottom of a shallow box.
Have your child place a Ping-Pong ball at one end of the box, then hold the box and maneuver it so the ball reaches the other end without falling through a hole.
For more challenge, cut more holes in the box or play with more than one ball at a time.
Plastic Spoon People
Foster your child's creativity with this arts and crafts activity.
Materials
Plastic spoons
Cotton balls
Pipe cleaners
Felt pens
Construction and tissue paper
Scissors and glue
Directions
To make little people or puppets out of the plastic spoons, first glue on the cotton balls for hair and/or a beard. Twist pipe cleaners around neck of spoon to form arms. Use felt pens to draw on facial features. Finally, create clothing from the paper, attaching with yarn or string. Collaborate with your child to produce a story or play with the spoon people as characters.
Play with Boxes
Materials
Cardboard boxes in various sizes
Directions
Your child can put supermarket boxes of all sizes to good use.
She can make a train or a fort for herself or her animals, build a dollhouse, or create a car. You can be sure she will think of something new every time she plays with these boxes.
Popcorn Picture
Materials
Popped popcorn
Glue stick or white glue
Construction paper
Brown paper bag (optional)
Tempera paint powder (optional)
Directions
Rub the glue stick on a piece of construction paper or spread white glue with a brush.
Stick popped popcorn onto the construction paper to make a collage.
For a winter scene, use plain white popcorn.
For spring blossoms, shake the popcorn in a brown paper bag with powdered tempera paint, then glue the popcorn onto a flower shape cut from construction paper.
For variety, try using Cheerios or puffed rice cereal instead.
Preschooler Activity: Pretend Fishing
Materials
Stick for fishing pole
String
Magnet
Scissors
Construction paper
Glue or tape
Metal paper clips
Directions
Cut fish shapes out of construction paper.
Glue or tape metal paper clips to the back of each fish.
Make a fishing pole out of a long stick and a length of string.
Tie a magnet on the end of the string.
Go fishing.
This works well if you place the "fish" on the floor and let your child dangle her line over the back of the couch. You can also use this game to help your child learn her basic skills: Draw a shape or write a letter or number on the back of each fish, and have her identify it when caught.
Raisin Play
Materials
Toothpicks
Raisins
Paper
Pen, crayon, or marker
Directions
Put a raisin at the tip of each toothpick; the raisins will connect the toothpicks and keep them from being easily jostled apart.
On a piece of paper, draw letters and shapes that correspond in size to the toothpicks.
Have your child connect the toothpicks to create each letter or shape.
You may not need to draw the letters or shapes for older children.
Keep in mind that your child will eat some of the raisins (which makes the activity more fun), so keep plenty on hand.
Room Within a Room
Directions
In a child's mind, even the smallest nook or cranny can become a hideaway, a fortress, or a teahouse. Create your child's own pint-sized private world, ripe for imagination and exploration or even just an afternoon snooze. Use a corner of her room to erect a small fabric teepee (canvas over PVC pipe, wooden dowels, or even bamboo sticks from a garden shop work great) or a circus tent made out of a big, colorful sheet or parachute.
A playhouse can be fashioned from a giant appliance carton. Wallpaper or contact paper around the outside not only reinforces the cardboard structure (for hours of door and window-opening play) but also allows you to personalize it to your child's interests. Add carpet remnants to the floor, toss in fluffy pillows, make windows for peeking in and out, and Velcro a play phone onto the inside wall. You'll lose your child for hours!
Salt Pictures
Materials
Salt
Dry tempera paints in powder form
Drawing paper
Glue
Baby food jars
Directions
Mix the salt with the paint powder in a baby food jar, a separate jar for each color. Have your child either brush or dribble the glue to make patterns on the drawing paper. She may wish to spread the glue around more with her fingers. Now sprinkle the salt mixture over the paper using one or more colors. Wait until the glue dries and then tip off the excess colored salt. Make several pictures and hang the collection in the hallway.
Soap Crayons
These are fun to write with in the tub or to use when washing little hands.
Materials
1 1/2 cup pure soap powder (Ivory Snow)
Food coloring
1/2 cup water
Small containers or ice cube tray
Directions
Mix water and soap powder together.
Add enough food coloring to get the color you want.
If you'd like more than one color, divide the mixure into two or three small containers before adding food coloring.
Pour the colored soap into a small container (empty plastic film canisters work well) or an ice cube tray, or mold it into crayon shapes and let harden before using.
Spaghetti Dance
Directions
Lie down on the floor with your child very stiff and straight. Imagine you are uncooked spaghetti and roll over and over. Now imagine you are being put into hot water to cook. Feel your bodies getting softer and softer. When the water boils, make your bodies swirl and twist just as spaghetti would. Finally, imagine you have been drained and tossed with butter or sauce. What movements would result? This is a fun dance to do on a night you're cooking spaghetti so your child can see how the spaghetti starts out, and how it does dance and swirl in the water.
Utility knife
Shallow box (from a 24-pack of soda)
Ping-Pong ball
Directions
Use a utility knife to cut three or four holes slightly larger than a Ping-Pong ball in a random pattern across the bottom of a shallow box.
Have your child place a Ping-Pong ball at one end of the box, then hold the box and maneuver it so the ball reaches the other end without falling through a hole.
For more challenge, cut more holes in the box or play with more than one ball at a time.
Plastic Spoon People
Foster your child's creativity with this arts and crafts activity.
Materials
Plastic spoons
Cotton balls
Pipe cleaners
Felt pens
Construction and tissue paper
Scissors and glue
Directions
To make little people or puppets out of the plastic spoons, first glue on the cotton balls for hair and/or a beard. Twist pipe cleaners around neck of spoon to form arms. Use felt pens to draw on facial features. Finally, create clothing from the paper, attaching with yarn or string. Collaborate with your child to produce a story or play with the spoon people as characters.
Play with Boxes
Materials
Cardboard boxes in various sizes
Directions
Your child can put supermarket boxes of all sizes to good use.
She can make a train or a fort for herself or her animals, build a dollhouse, or create a car. You can be sure she will think of something new every time she plays with these boxes.
Popcorn Picture
Materials
Popped popcorn
Glue stick or white glue
Construction paper
Brown paper bag (optional)
Tempera paint powder (optional)
Directions
Rub the glue stick on a piece of construction paper or spread white glue with a brush.
Stick popped popcorn onto the construction paper to make a collage.
For a winter scene, use plain white popcorn.
For spring blossoms, shake the popcorn in a brown paper bag with powdered tempera paint, then glue the popcorn onto a flower shape cut from construction paper.
For variety, try using Cheerios or puffed rice cereal instead.
Preschooler Activity: Pretend Fishing
Materials
Stick for fishing pole
String
Magnet
Scissors
Construction paper
Glue or tape
Metal paper clips
Directions
Cut fish shapes out of construction paper.
Glue or tape metal paper clips to the back of each fish.
Make a fishing pole out of a long stick and a length of string.
Tie a magnet on the end of the string.
Go fishing.
This works well if you place the "fish" on the floor and let your child dangle her line over the back of the couch. You can also use this game to help your child learn her basic skills: Draw a shape or write a letter or number on the back of each fish, and have her identify it when caught.
Raisin Play
Materials
Toothpicks
Raisins
Paper
Pen, crayon, or marker
Directions
Put a raisin at the tip of each toothpick; the raisins will connect the toothpicks and keep them from being easily jostled apart.
On a piece of paper, draw letters and shapes that correspond in size to the toothpicks.
Have your child connect the toothpicks to create each letter or shape.
You may not need to draw the letters or shapes for older children.
Keep in mind that your child will eat some of the raisins (which makes the activity more fun), so keep plenty on hand.
Room Within a Room
Directions
In a child's mind, even the smallest nook or cranny can become a hideaway, a fortress, or a teahouse. Create your child's own pint-sized private world, ripe for imagination and exploration or even just an afternoon snooze. Use a corner of her room to erect a small fabric teepee (canvas over PVC pipe, wooden dowels, or even bamboo sticks from a garden shop work great) or a circus tent made out of a big, colorful sheet or parachute.
A playhouse can be fashioned from a giant appliance carton. Wallpaper or contact paper around the outside not only reinforces the cardboard structure (for hours of door and window-opening play) but also allows you to personalize it to your child's interests. Add carpet remnants to the floor, toss in fluffy pillows, make windows for peeking in and out, and Velcro a play phone onto the inside wall. You'll lose your child for hours!
Salt Pictures
Materials
Salt
Dry tempera paints in powder form
Drawing paper
Glue
Baby food jars
Directions
Mix the salt with the paint powder in a baby food jar, a separate jar for each color. Have your child either brush or dribble the glue to make patterns on the drawing paper. She may wish to spread the glue around more with her fingers. Now sprinkle the salt mixture over the paper using one or more colors. Wait until the glue dries and then tip off the excess colored salt. Make several pictures and hang the collection in the hallway.
Soap Crayons
These are fun to write with in the tub or to use when washing little hands.
Materials
1 1/2 cup pure soap powder (Ivory Snow)
Food coloring
1/2 cup water
Small containers or ice cube tray
Directions
Mix water and soap powder together.
Add enough food coloring to get the color you want.
If you'd like more than one color, divide the mixure into two or three small containers before adding food coloring.
Pour the colored soap into a small container (empty plastic film canisters work well) or an ice cube tray, or mold it into crayon shapes and let harden before using.
Spaghetti Dance
Directions
Lie down on the floor with your child very stiff and straight. Imagine you are uncooked spaghetti and roll over and over. Now imagine you are being put into hot water to cook. Feel your bodies getting softer and softer. When the water boils, make your bodies swirl and twist just as spaghetti would. Finally, imagine you have been drained and tossed with butter or sauce. What movements would result? This is a fun dance to do on a night you're cooking spaghetti so your child can see how the spaghetti starts out, and how it does dance and swirl in the water.
Starch Painting
Materials
Bowl
Liquid starch
Liquid detergent
Paper or plastic cloth
Powdered tempera paint
Directions
Mix a small amount of detergent with liquid starch in a bowl and pour the mixture onto a painting surface, such as a tabletop, paper, or plastic cloth.
Sprinkle powdered tempera paint over the starch, and let your child experiment with mixing colors.
Taste Testing
Materials
Blindfold
Various food items
Directions
Blindfold your child and have him identify by taste and smell some of his favorite foods (ice cream, pickles, yogurt, cereal, cookies, and so on).
Have him describe the different tastes and textures and ask him to group them as sweet, salty, bitter, sour, spicy, or tangy.
Tell Me a Story
Materials
Various household objects
Pillowcase or brown paper bag
Directions
Put five or six various household objects into a brown paper bag or pillowcase: keys, purse, stuffed animal, book, and so on.
Remove each item from the bag one at a time, and create a story by adding one sentence for each item as it is removed: "Once upon a time there was a little white kitten named Angel. Angel just loved to read books, especially books about cookies."
Threading Spools
Materials
Shoelace or thin plastic tubing
Items for threading: empty thread spools, large beads, hair curlers, tubular pasta, paper towel tubes cut into 1-inch rings
Directions
Collect a variety of round objects such as empty spools, large beads, plastic hair curlers, large tubular pasta, or paper towel tubes cut into 1-inch rings.
Show your child how to thread these items onto a shoelace or length of thin plastic tubing.
Tie one of the objects being threaded to the end of the lace or tubing to prevent the rest from slipping off.
Three, Two, One...
Required:
Your time only
Does your child have a favorite number? Now's the time to turn that number into a story.
Ask your child to create a tale about a number. The story can be serious or silly, possible or improbable. It should feature the number in each sentence. Challenge your child to keep the story going as long as possible.
Materials
Bowl
Liquid starch
Liquid detergent
Paper or plastic cloth
Powdered tempera paint
Directions
Mix a small amount of detergent with liquid starch in a bowl and pour the mixture onto a painting surface, such as a tabletop, paper, or plastic cloth.
Sprinkle powdered tempera paint over the starch, and let your child experiment with mixing colors.
Taste Testing
Materials
Blindfold
Various food items
Directions
Blindfold your child and have him identify by taste and smell some of his favorite foods (ice cream, pickles, yogurt, cereal, cookies, and so on).
Have him describe the different tastes and textures and ask him to group them as sweet, salty, bitter, sour, spicy, or tangy.
Tell Me a Story
Materials
Various household objects
Pillowcase or brown paper bag
Directions
Put five or six various household objects into a brown paper bag or pillowcase: keys, purse, stuffed animal, book, and so on.
Remove each item from the bag one at a time, and create a story by adding one sentence for each item as it is removed: "Once upon a time there was a little white kitten named Angel. Angel just loved to read books, especially books about cookies."
Threading Spools
Materials
Shoelace or thin plastic tubing
Items for threading: empty thread spools, large beads, hair curlers, tubular pasta, paper towel tubes cut into 1-inch rings
Directions
Collect a variety of round objects such as empty spools, large beads, plastic hair curlers, large tubular pasta, or paper towel tubes cut into 1-inch rings.
Show your child how to thread these items onto a shoelace or length of thin plastic tubing.
Tie one of the objects being threaded to the end of the lace or tubing to prevent the rest from slipping off.
Three, Two, One...
Required:
Your time only
Does your child have a favorite number? Now's the time to turn that number into a story.
Ask your child to create a tale about a number. The story can be serious or silly, possible or improbable. It should feature the number in each sentence. Challenge your child to keep the story going as long as possible.
Alternatively, your child can start with one number and, with each sentence, increase the value by one. For example, your child might say, "Once upon a time there were three little pigs. Then four nasty wolves came to visit. This happened for five days in a row. Finally, on the sixth day…"
Or your child can begin the story with a larger number and decrease the value until the story ends. If your child decides to make Goldilocks visit the home of a hundred bears, the story might take quite a while to unfold.
Two Truths and a Fib
Or your child can begin the story with a larger number and decrease the value until the story ends. If your child decides to make Goldilocks visit the home of a hundred bears, the story might take quite a while to unfold.
Two Truths and a Fib
Required:
Your time only
Two rights might not make a wrong, but two truths and a fib can make for a lot of fun!
With this group activity, each player takes turns offering up descriptions of two events that actually happened (like, "I went to school on Thursday and had a science test," and "We had nine homework questions in history"). They also have to create one, shall we say, less-than-accurate statement ("During recess my right shoelace came undone.") It's up to the other players to separate the facts from fiction and identify the "untruth" by asking good sleuthing questions. When everyone has had a turn and the fibs are uncovered, change the challenge to find the truth from two or more fibs.
If players are stumped during the questioning process, the inventor of the truth/fib set can give subtle body language hints, such has raising one eyebrow or twiddling thumbs during questions relating to a fib.
Aha, so your left ear twitches whenever you make your statements. What does that mean?
Volcano Experiment
Materials
Dirt or wet sand
Small shovel or spoon
Two teaspoons baking soda
White vinegar
Directions
Build a mound of dirt ten inches high.
Dig a deep hole in the middle of the mound with a small shovel.
Put two teaspoons of baking soda in the hole.
Then slowly pour in vinegar and watch your volcano erupt!
Waterfall Game
Materials
Pennies
Bowl, cup, or other container
Water
Directions
Fill a container almost to the top with water.
Give each player a supply of pennies.
Take turns dropping a penny into the container.
The game ends when one player drops in the penny that makes the water overflow.
Whale in the Bath
Time
15 to 20 minutes
Your time only
Two rights might not make a wrong, but two truths and a fib can make for a lot of fun!
With this group activity, each player takes turns offering up descriptions of two events that actually happened (like, "I went to school on Thursday and had a science test," and "We had nine homework questions in history"). They also have to create one, shall we say, less-than-accurate statement ("During recess my right shoelace came undone.") It's up to the other players to separate the facts from fiction and identify the "untruth" by asking good sleuthing questions. When everyone has had a turn and the fibs are uncovered, change the challenge to find the truth from two or more fibs.
If players are stumped during the questioning process, the inventor of the truth/fib set can give subtle body language hints, such has raising one eyebrow or twiddling thumbs during questions relating to a fib.
Aha, so your left ear twitches whenever you make your statements. What does that mean?
Volcano Experiment
Materials
Dirt or wet sand
Small shovel or spoon
Two teaspoons baking soda
White vinegar
Directions
Build a mound of dirt ten inches high.
Dig a deep hole in the middle of the mound with a small shovel.
Put two teaspoons of baking soda in the hole.
Then slowly pour in vinegar and watch your volcano erupt!
Waterfall Game
Materials
Pennies
Bowl, cup, or other container
Water
Directions
Fill a container almost to the top with water.
Give each player a supply of pennies.
Take turns dropping a penny into the container.
The game ends when one player drops in the penny that makes the water overflow.
Whale in the Bath
Time
15 to 20 minutes
Materials
Empty plastic milk-gallon carton or juice jug
Scissors
Permanent marker
Directions
This creature of the deep can make bath time more appealing and fun. Turn the jug on its side so that the handle is on top and draw a mouth shape on the base of the jug, extending partway up the sides.
Cut along the line. Using the marker, outline the edge of the mouth and add eyes and a blowhole. The whale scoop is ready for swimming, scooping and sinking into the deepest parts of the bathtub.
Extensions
Add some small plastic fish for the whale to gobble up.
Let the whale clean up the bath toys when it is time to get out.
Whipped Snow
Materials
2 cups warm water
1 cup pure laundry soap or soap flakes
Large bowl
Electric mixer
Food coloring (optional)
Directions
Put water and soap in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until very fluffy.
Add color if desired.
If you like, separate the mixture into a number of bowls, and tint each a different color.
Have your child mold the fluff into shapes and allow the shapes to dry.
Empty plastic milk-gallon carton or juice jug
Scissors
Permanent marker
Directions
This creature of the deep can make bath time more appealing and fun. Turn the jug on its side so that the handle is on top and draw a mouth shape on the base of the jug, extending partway up the sides.
Cut along the line. Using the marker, outline the edge of the mouth and add eyes and a blowhole. The whale scoop is ready for swimming, scooping and sinking into the deepest parts of the bathtub.
Extensions
Add some small plastic fish for the whale to gobble up.
Let the whale clean up the bath toys when it is time to get out.
Whipped Snow
Materials
2 cups warm water
1 cup pure laundry soap or soap flakes
Large bowl
Electric mixer
Food coloring (optional)
Directions
Put water and soap in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until very fluffy.
Add color if desired.
If you like, separate the mixture into a number of bowls, and tint each a different color.
Have your child mold the fluff into shapes and allow the shapes to dry.