Inventive Games Challenge

Laura - posted on 06/04/2009

Quoting Char:

my favorites on a rainy day: indoor treasure hunt - I set up "treasure" (gold chocolate coins, small toys, rings, necklaces, etc), have my girls dress as pirates (in my case they are princess pirates) and give them the treasure map. This can keep them busy for hours.

Large chalkboard - I had a large piece of plywood which I painted with inexpensive chalkboard paint. I pull it out on rainy days or whenever they can't be outside along with sidewalk chalk and they have a blast. I also let them paint with water on it to wash it off. My chalkboard is 3.5 feet by 5 feet - my 3 girls can fit at it at once, but it is definately feasible to make 3 smaller ones.

spaghetti art: boil spaghetti or other pasta (white is preferable), let the kids make pictures on paper with it then squish it with a plate or other heavy object. Let it dry and then let them paint it with tempera paint. always a hit...

painting canvases: Often I pull out 2-3 colors of paint, squirt some on a small canvas (usually 8x10 or 6x8 which are inexpensive from Wal mart) and let the kids go at it. After the canvases have dried I have them pick a picture of themselves, which I print, glue to the finished canvas and allow them to decorate with stickers for their room or our dining room/art studio.

A simple collage is wonderful and easy - no glue needed. Just gather art supplies, scrap paper tissue, small beads, feahters, glitter (if you are brave) odds and ends and clear or white contact paper. Lay the conact paper out in desired length and tape down the corners. Let the kids have fun creating designs. If you used white contact paper, lay the glass from a $1 store frame down on the top, press gently to adhere the sheet to it and place in frame; let the child hang it up. If you use clear take another piece of clear contact paper and lay over it. Using colored duct tape or masking tape (duct tape works best) seal the edges and hang in a window for a stained glass effect.

Make a flock of birds for your cieling by taking paper plates folding them in half with a piece of yellow construction paper cut into a beak shape and glue shut. Allow the kids to decorate with paper, feathers etc, staple ribbons inside back edge for the tail, punch hole through the middle top, run fishing line through and hang from the ceiling with thumbtacks.

outside activities: have a mini olympics - set up relay races, bike riding obstacles, etc
-scavenger hunt in your backyard, have them find things like worms, grasshoppers, sticks, leaves, etc.
- if you have a sandbox periodically bury "treasure" in the sand for the random find.
- do a treasure hunt outside (see above under rainy day)
- go hiking around your neighborhood as if you were explorers in a new world. Take journals and make maps. Photograph everything at odd angles, take them home and create a travel log with them all.
- have a mid day camp out - complete with smores
- make a fairy garden
- make mud pies, bricks, etc to build with -create mud cities
- have a water fight with buckets and cups - simply place the buckets at opposite ends of the yard, fill with water hand kids cups, explain they can't pick up the buckets and let them go at it - more fun than water guns and harder to avoid getting wet.

Char - posted on 06/03/2009

my favorites on a rainy day: indoor treasure hunt - I set up "treasure" (gold chocolate coins, small toys, rings, necklaces, etc), have my girls dress as pirates (in my case they are princess pirates) and give them the treasure map. This can keep them busy for hours.



Large chalkboard - I had a large piece of plywood which I painted with inexpensive chalkboard paint. I pull it out on rainy days or whenever they can't be outside along with sidewalk chalk and they have a blast. I also let them paint with water on it to wash it off. My chalkboard is 3.5 feet by 5 feet - my 3 girls can fit at it at once, but it is definately feasible to make 3 smaller ones.



spaghetti art: boil spaghetti or other pasta (white is preferable), let the kids make pictures on paper with it then squish it with a plate or other heavy object. Let it dry and then let them paint it with tempera paint. always a hit...



painting canvases: Often I pull out 2-3 colors of paint, squirt some on a small canvas (usually 8x10 or 6x8 which are inexpensive from Wal mart) and let the kids go at it. After the canvases have dried I have them pick a picture of themselves, which I print, glue to the finished canvas and allow them to decorate with stickers for their room or our dining room/art studio.



A simple collage is wonderful and easy - no glue needed. Just gather art supplies, scrap paper tissue, small beads, feahters, glitter (if you are brave) odds and ends and clear or white contact paper. Lay the conact paper out in desired length and tape down the corners. Let the kids have fun creating designs. If you used white contact paper, lay the glass from a $1 store frame down on the top, press gently to adhere the sheet to it and place in frame; let the child hang it up. If you use clear take another piece of clear contact paper and lay over it. Using colored duct tape or masking tape (duct tape works best) seal the edges and hang in a window for a stained glass effect.



Make a flock of birds for your cieling by taking paper plates folding them in half with a piece of yellow construction paper cut into a beak shape and glue shut. Allow the kids to decorate with paper, feathers etc, staple ribbons inside back edge for the tail, punch hole through the middle top, run fishing line through and hang from the ceiling with thumbtacks.



outside activities: have a mini olympics - set up relay races, bike riding obstacles, etc

-scavenger hunt in your backyard, have them find things like worms, grasshoppers, sticks, leaves, etc.

- if you have a sandbox periodically bury "treasure" in the sand for the random find.

- do a treasure hunt outside (see above under rainy day)

- go hiking around your neighborhood as if you were explorers in a new world. Take journals and make maps. Photograph everything at odd angles, take them home and create a travel log with them all.

- have a mid day camp out - complete with smores

- make a fairy garden

- make mud pies, bricks, etc to build with -create mud cities

- have a water fight with buckets and cups - simply place the buckets at opposite ends of the yard, fill with water hand kids cups, explain they can't pick up the buckets and let them go at it - more fun than water guns and harder to avoid getting wet.

Kim - posted on 06/02/2009

so , it doesnt apply to boys, but painting your nails . i find it helps them "wind down". you can get formeldahyde-free (spelling?) polish, so it wouldnt be harmful to your kids fingers!



get them to help make lunch- like fruit kebobs. or putting the french fries on the cookie sheet. nachos with lots of veggies--no measuring or stirring!



cleaning ninjas! a bucket of water and an old t shirt ripped into headbands and rags. its great for outside on a hot day. and you might get your lawn furniture cleaned too.



making maracas out of old water bottles. fill them with buttons, rice etc. get them to decorate them with stickers. parents glue the lid shut and then you can recycle them when you are done!





magazines, scotch tape, paper and scissors. put down a bed sheet and work on it for easy clean up.