Most mornings, children are aware that one or more
adults in the family are going off to work. Make the necessary
arrangements to have your child accompany or visit the adult one
morning. Show your child around the workplace and explain what goes
on. As a result, your child will understand better where the adults
go and what they do while they are away from home.
Leaf
Prints, Fall Art
Directions:
Simply gather fallen leaves, paints and brushes,
crayons, markers (whatever you have is fine), some paper, glue,
pencils, and maybe even a scrapbook, too.
Ready, set, go and gather your leaves and art supplies.
You and your kids can make leaf prints by painting one side of a
leaf (vein side up) and then pressing it onto paper. Or, you can
create leaf stencil art by laying a leaf down on a piece of paper
and painting over the edge of it onto the paper to create an
outline. Go ahead and create memories by making leaf art. Your
scrapbook is waiting.
Fox And
Geese
Directions:
Stomp a big circle in the snow and two intersecting
paths through the middle of the circle. Where the paths meet, stomp
out a small safe zone. The figure should look like a circle with an
x in it, with a stomped-out circle in the center. Choose one person
to be the fox; all other players are geese. The fox chases the
geese and tries to tag one of them. All players must run only on
the paths, and geese can't be tagged when they're standing in the
safe zone. As soon as the fox catches a goose, that goose becomes
the new fox.
Melt Some Crayons In The
Sun
Directions:
You will need some crayons, aluminium foil, cookie
cutters, a paper plate and a very hot sunny spot.
Start by peeling and breaking your crayons into small
pieces. Cover the plate in aluminium foil.
Place the plate with the cookie cutters in a sunny
spot. Add the broken crayons.
Melt crayons and cool inside, and then pop out of the
cookie cutters.
Color on scrap paper for a truly eco
friendly activity!
Balloon
Kites
Directions:
Tie one end of a long length of kite string to a round
helium balloon and the other to your child's wrist.
He will find it fun and easy to fly his balloon, and
you won't worry about crashes and tangles.
Try attaching lengths of paper streamers to the balloon
to give it a more authentic kite look.
Digging For
Treasure
Directions:
Hide small objects in the sandbox for your toddler to
find as he digs about.
Try using an old kitchen colander to sift through the
sand.
If you like, spray-paint rocks in shiny silver and
gold, and show your toddler how to search for hidden
treasure.
Sack
Races
Directions:
Each kid climbs into the sack and, holding the edges of
the sack up around his or her waist, must hop from the start line
to the goal line and back again. Many kids will fall over and
you'll laugh a lot during this crazy game. If adults grab a sack
and start hopping with them, the kids will squeal with laughter—the
adults will look even sillier than the kids!
Potato
on a Spoon Race
Directions:
For the Potato on a Spoon Race, you'll need some
regular-sized stainless steel or plastic spoons and some small- to
medium-sized potatoes. The potato should be slightly larger than
the spoon to make balancing a little tricky. You will also need to
establish a start line and a goal line. Everyone balances a potato
on his or her spoon and when the whistle blows, you must make it to
the goal line and back without dropping your potato. If you make it
back first, you are the winner.
Kid-Friendly
Golf
Directions:
Dig a hole in the ground and place the empty can in it
so the top of the can is flush with the ground.
Mark a spot about ten feet away from the can. This will
be the point from which players will putt.
Give the balls to the first player and challenge him to
putt them into the can.
When he has putted all the balls, retrieve them from
the can and record his score.
A ball that lands in the can scores two points, and the
ball nearest the can scores one point. (This way, every player
always scores at least one point.)
Each player takes a turn.
Set a time limit.
The player with the most points when time runs out is
the winner.
A child playing alone can try to accumulate a certain
number of points within a given time period.
Backyard
Picnic
Directions:
You don't have to trek to the park to have a
picnic.Set up a picnic in your own backyard:
Spread out a blanket, set up the goodies, and bring out the balls
and other outdoor toys to complete the fun.
In warmer weather, turn on the sprinkler or fill the
kiddy pool for some water play.
