Activity alternatives
Encourage play and learning activities
Children enjoy "hanging out," even when you’re busy. Look for opportunities for them to watch while you work and explain what you’re doing; to help in some way; or to keep you company.
Fun things to do:
- Games
- Toys
- Music
- Story-telling and acting out stories
- Books and magazines
- Hobbies and crafts (as simple as old magazines and scrap paper for cut-and-paste)
- Shoe boxes and scrap materials to build with
- Old clothes for make-believe
- Conversation with friends
- Library or museum outings
- Sports
- Walks
- Household chores
- Crafts
Sit down with your kids and talk about the things they like to do, from the big to the small. Make a list and post it on your refrigerator so it can keep you motivated. For example:
Max and Adam’s Favorite-Things-To-Do List, from LimiTV:
(these boys are 4 and 2 years-of-age)
- Play outside
- Homemade playdough (click here for recipe)
- Dance wildly
- Glue anything to paper (pasta, glitter, scraps, leaves)
- String and unstring beads (click here for project info)
- Make believe with household objects (straws, crackers, clean plastic bottles from the recycling bin, curlers)