We've heard it again and again- kids don't need all the bells and whistles of fancy toys- they have great imaginations and when given the right tools- can amuse themselves for hours. Simple Mom created a fun list of items that will do just that.
There's no plastic, and a lot of recycling going on here too- even better.
Below are her first six suggestions. Visit her site for the complete list. And add your own ideas below!
1. Egg cartons. They make great caterpillars, they’re good storage containers for little treasures found on walks, and they can even become airline seats for little animal toys.
2. Chalk. On sidewalks, on chalkboards… endless fun, and it hoses right off.
3. Water and cups. Our 3-year-old loves to “wash” dishes. Just give her a step stool in front of the sink and a few dishes - she’s lost in her own world.
4. Paper and safety scissors. Old newspapers, expired coupons, scrap paper… give some to your kiddo with a pair of safety scissors, and he’ll be engrossed forever.
5. Dried beans or rice. It’s fun to pour into bowls and cups of different sizes, and it’s a good sensory exercise. Sand works well, too.
6. Toilet paper or paper towel tubes. They’re great telescopes for your budding pirate, you can cover the ends and pour some dried beans inside for a musical shaker, or you can sit them upright as bowling pins.
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Comments (5)
Bubbles. Dish soap, water, and anything that makes a loop. Two straws with a long piece of string strung through them will give you giant bubbles if you hold by the straws and let the bubbles form in the loop as you move away.
Squirt shaving cream on poster board and let them go. It provides sensory stimulation. Plus, its fun.
A new paint brush with a bucket of water and instructions to "paint" the house, car, trike, etc. Hours of fun.
shaving cream right on the table. squirt a little tempera paint in if you'd like. kids can experiment with mixing colors, practice tracing letters/numbers, doodle...whatever they want. kids love it! i have noticed that the cheaper brands are "foamier", but some can be heavily fragranced, so look for fragrance free to avoid allergic reactions...
as a total fluke i once bought a few packs of those "building" popsicle sticks (the ones with little notches in them) and my older day care kids LOVED them (6-10 years old in this case). they were so creative!
finally, my day care kids also love building towers with tooth picks and marshmallows. they have to really work as a team to strategize and come up with a tall, sturdy tower. i don't even remember what made us try this the first time, but they sure love it!
okay, i guess my ideas strayed form the idea of FREE activities, but they are all relatively inexpensive...