Crisp, blustery days . . . once again, persistent Minnesota winter is edging in. What can families do to keep busy without resorting to a desperate search for the remote? Here are some fun, in-home activities for you and your children.
Exercise your creativity
Making a scrapbook or collage is not just for adults! Many kids will enjoy cutting out pictures-especially of themselves!-and choosing colors, designs, and stickers for each page. It’s a fun activity to do with your child, and it’s a great way to keep a visual “journal” for her to look at as she grows up. Creating a collage for your child’s bedroom is another fun activity with which you can help your child. Cut out pictures from magazines or compile photos and paste them onto a poster board. Decorate the board with markers, paints, or glitter. It’s a fun way for children to personalize their own space.
Junior dectective
Design a scavenger hunt for your child. Hide written clues through-out your home, each one leading to the next. Have the clues lead up to a prize, or have each clue be a quick activity that your child must do to find the next one. You can also turn studying into fun by making the clues questions that he or she must answer to find the next one. Be creative!
Quality time in the kitchen
Many kids enjoy helping their parents in the kitchen-which also means getting to sample the creations! This is a good way for your kids to learn cooking basics and more about the foods they eat. Healthy cooking for children is important so that they learn good eating habits.
These are so easy to make:
– Muffins from prepackaged mixes: Just add water and bake!
– Cut out cookie shapes from premade cookie dough and decorate.
– Fruit salad parfait: Cut up fruit like bananas, strawberries, and apples. Mix together and spoon into a tall glass. Place a dollop of your favorite yogurt on top, then add another layer of fruit and then yogurt until you reach the top of the glass. Enjoy!
Formula Ooze
Perhaps you remember Dr. Seuss’ Bartholomew and the Oobleck. It’s a story about a king who ordered his royal magicians to create something new to fall from the sky. They created “Oobleck,” a greenish ooze that covered the kingdom. Oobleck can be easily made in your own home and is fun for kids to play with. Don’t get this on your furniture though!
Combine
– 8 drops green food coloring
– 2 cups water
– 2 boxes corn starch
– 1-1/4 cup water
Add food coloring to 2 cups water and pour into a large bowl. Add corn starch and another 1-1/4 cup water, and swirl and tip to level the contents.
