| "Rainy" Day Ideas |
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| Ever hear "I'm bored!"? Here are some fun crafts & activities to do at home. |
| Squirt Painting Fill squirt bottles(available at most discount, dollar, and craft stores) with liquid tempra paint and 1 tsp of liquid detergent. Provide sheets of butcher paper, newsprint paper, or cut up some brown paper bags. Then see what they can create Straw Towers provide each pair of children with straws, tape, and scissors. See which team can build the highest tower using only the materials provided Sculptures Go around the house and gather a variety of items: toilet paper rolls, empty boxes(frome cereal, cookies,crackers, etc.) tissue paper, pipe cleaners, paint, glue, construction paper, old magazines. Let each child make a sculpture and give it a name. Then use your art and make an art gallery at home on a table. Have a Treasure Hunt Set up the treasure hunt. hide prizes of favors and let children solve riddles to find them. Here are some examples: It's under a place where you sit(chair) It's in a cold place (fridge or freezer) It's under a place where you wipe your feet. (door or bath mat) Scoop N' Toss Collect two (or more) gallon plastic milk jugs and a foam ball. Cut the jugs to form a scoop. Go outside and have fun playing toss. Make the activity more challenging by moving further apart. Have fun! Have a Teddy Bear Picnic Use construction paper and make a flags. Have a "teddy bear parade" and display your flags while marching and carrying bears. Have a teddy bear relay. Each child brings their bear(have extras on hand). Put all bears in a pile. Divide kids into two teams. Place one laundry basket approximately 25 feet in front of each team. Have children run on from each line at a time to teddy pile to find their bear and place it in basket. The first team to fill up their basket wins. Treat everyone to some Gummi Bears! Make some Paper Dolls Visit www.makingfriends.com and print off some paperdolls and clothes. You can color the clothes or print out the colored option. Cut out the pieces, cover them with clear contact paper to make them last longer. Add velcro to the dolls and clothes and get ready for hours of play time. Another idea is to purchase a square of felt, and a plastic shoe box to store your paper dolls in, that way you have a great quiet time toy for trips. Junk Painting Gather up a variety of things Potatoe mashers, pot scrubbies, yarn, sponges, forks, cookie cutters, etc. and let your children use these everyday things to paint and make prints with. Tempra paints work best and a brown grocery sack cut open works great in a pinch for paper! |
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| Garbage Can Relay One plastic garbage pail with holes poked in it for each team pails, cups, or buckets one for each team large source of water(play pool) When the judge says "GO" relay members race to water source with their buckets. Returning to pour water into garbage pail. Remaining members work as a team to "plug" holes to the best of their ability. First team to fill the garbage can wins. Great way to work on cooperation skills. Roots and Shoots 1 clean empty glass jar paper towel food coloring(optional) bean seeds(lima, pinto, green) Rinse out jar but don't dry. Fold paper towel curl it in a circle and slip inside jar (cut if necessary to fit) Color paper towel with a few drops of food coloring if desired. Add beans around the jar (against glass )peel back paper towel if necessary. wet the paper towel with water. Put jar in a bright warm place. Add water often. Watch as the roots and shoots begin to grow! Alarm Clock Toss Get two service counter bells (available at office supply stores) Draw clock faces on two 6" paper plates. Punch a whole in the center of each plate and place plates over the knobs on the bells. Have the children stand 4-6" from the bell and toss a beanbag to ring the bell. The children who are sucdessful then try to hit the bell from a greater distance. July 4th "Fireworks" Take white paper and place it on the ground or tape it to a fence. The drop some "Koosh" balls into some paint. Have the kids drop or gently throw the balls on the paper. While the paint is still wet sprinkle on some glitter. If you'd like add the following poem to your "fireworks" "I spy with my little eye These bright colored fireworks On the Fourth of July" Straw Relays Gather up some straws, and cut out small paper/foam shapes(you can buy them at a craft store) Have the children practice picking up the shapes using the straws and suction. Once everyone has practiced. You can race: who gets the most of one color/shape fastest time ect. get creative. Remember everyones a winner! Playhouse Visit your local grocery or applaince store and ask for a large box, the biggest you can get home. Mom or Dad can use a utility knife and cut doors and windows. Let the kids paint, color with markers, decorate with stickers, ect. Makes a great playhouse! |
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