Just wanted to pass along some ideas from our MOPS meeting yesterday, which was all about activities for our kids. You can see a Boredom Buster jar

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. I also compiled a list of ideas:

Pick up a shower curtain or plastic tablecloth from the dollar store, and use that as a protective barrier during messy playtimes.
 Give your child a large pail or dried beans or rice, along with smaller cups to measure it out, a funnel, tongs, and a few spoons. They can also draw shapes in the beans/rice with their fingers.
 Set up a baby or car washing station

Don’t want your kids playing with the magnets on the refrigerator while you’re trying to cook dinner? Give them a large cookie sheet to play on. Or take an old muffin tin, and paint the various cups (1 row blue, 1 row red, etc) and have them sort the magnets.

Make your own shrinky dinks! Draw shapes on styrofoam meat trays using a permanent marker, then cut out the designs. Cut a square from a brown shopping bag, then lay the foam shapes on the paper. Bake at 300 in a toaster oven for a few seconds, or at 250 in a regular oven, and watch them shrink up! (Work in a well-ventilated room)

How about making some Christmas gifts? Make some molded soap (all supplies are readily available at the craft store), or layered soup/cookie mixes (some good recipes at

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These are also great to have on hand for hostess gifts.

Make a tangram kit out of fun foam - visit

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for instructions and puzzle sheets.

Talk about your family’s emergency plan, and have a drill.

Head to the library and learn something new. Try origami, or study the constellations.

Make a bowling set out of half gallon milk jugs or soda bottles.

Make a fishing set: draw and color fish shapes, then tape a paper clip on its mouth. Make a fishing rod out of a stick, piece of string, and small magnet.

Cut pictures from magazines and create a scene, then make up a story about it. You can also glue pictures to boxes to create new play areas for toy figures.

Set up a “tent” made from a sheet over a table or chairs.

Have your child pick a favorite picture from a coloring book, and make a puzzle out of it (color it, then glue it onto an empty cereal box and cut it into irregular shapes.)

Let the kids dress themselves, and have a photo shoot.

Show your kid how to use a measuring tape (a soft one made for sewing is best, as it doesn’t have metal edges) and send them off to find things of various lengths.

Create some sewing cards. Cut up empty cereal boxes, draw simple shapes, and then punch holes in it. Lace with yarn or ribbon.

SILLY CONTESTS:
 Marshmallow stacking
 Feather throwing
 Watermelon seed spitting
 Jumping backwards
 Blowing cotton balls

If you’re feeling very energetic, organize a “Silly Olympics” with the neighborhood kids.

Make your own dinosaur excavation site with a gallon sized ice cream bucket. Pour a bit of water into the bucket, and add a small plastic toy. Allow to freeze, then repeat until full. Send the kid outside with forks and let them “dig.”

OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES:
 Sidewalk Chalk
 Cover a portion of the sidewalk or driveway with shaving cream, then let the kids “paint.” If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even add a few drops of food coloring to it. (Running in the sprinklers is a recommended follow-up activity!)
 Create an obstacle course
 Water relays – have children race to see who can transfer water from one bucket to another the fastest using a small cup
 Bubbles!!

And here are some playtime recipes:

Play Dough


1 1/2 c. flour
3/4 c. salt
1 1/2 c water
1 Tb cream of tartar
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 packet unsweetened kool-aid powder*


Stir all ingredients together and cook over low heat for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until it begins solidifying. Once it has started clumping up, remove from heat and allow to cool. Now play!! Store in a sealed container.
(*to add color and scent. You can leave it out entirely or use regular food coloring)


Eggshell chalk

6 Eggshells, washed and dried
1 tsp very hot tap water
1 tsp flour

Take the eggshells outside and grind them with a rock on the sidewalk or other concrete surface. Make sure the rock and ground are clean so you don't get dirt ground in with the eggshells. Grind the eggshells into a fine powder. You'll need about a tablespoon of this powder to make a stick of chalk.

When you're absolutely sick of grinding and have enough powder, pick out any little bits of eggshell that are still not ground up and throw them away. Scoop the eggshell powder into a paper towel and bring it into the house for the next part.

Measure the flour and the hot water into a small dish. (You may add a drop or two or food coloring if you’d like) Stir them together to make a paste. Add the eggshell powder into the paste and mix well. It may help to mash it with the back of the spoon.

Shape this mixture into a chalk stick, then roll it up in a strip of paper towel. Set it aside and let it dry for about three days. When it’s dry, just peel the paper off one end and you're ready for some sidewalk art. (not for use on chalkboards)

Silly Putty
This will bounce and pick up pictures from the paper just like the name-brand stuff.
 Combine 1/2 cup water with 1/2 cup Elmers (Glue-All, not School Glue!). Mix well and add 3 drops of food coloring (optional)
 In another bowl, combine 1 Tb borax (from the grocery store, in the laundry aisle) with 1/2 cup of water and stir. When well mixed, stir into glue mixture.
 Stir together, and allow to “set” for about an hour. When ready, it will be smooth and rubber-like. Store in an airtight container.

Bubble Liquid
6 c water (distilled is best)
3/4 c light corn syrup
1 c dish washing liquid
Mix together. Let set 4 hours (to let bubble settle), then enjoy. Get creative with the bubble wands – how about slotted spoons, or make your own by bending coated wire into shapes and then gluing them onto popsicle sticks.

Coffee Can Ice Cream
• 2 clean metal cans, both with lids (one can needs to be larger than the other)
• Ice Cream ingredients:
o 1 c very cold milk
o 1 c sugar
o 1 tsp vanilla
o 1 Tb chocolate syrup
• Ice
• Salt
Combine the ice cream ingredients in the smaller coffee can, and make sure the lid is on tightly. Now place the smaller can inside the larger one. Pack the ice and salt around the smaller can making sure the smaller can is more or less in the center of the larger can. Seal the larger can and roll the can around for at least a half hour. Let the kids roll it to one another or kick it gently. Add additional ice if necessary. You can eat it “soft” or put it in the freezer to allow it to harden up. Enjoy!!


Face Paint

 One tablespoon shortening
 Two tablespoons cornstarch
 Food coloring
Blend together until smooth, and store in airtight container.

Floober

Combine 2 cups cornstarch and 1 cup water, and mix thoroughly. Very fun stuff that is a mix between a liquid and a solid. Make up a batch and have a relay race (outside!), holding it in your hands.

Thanks for this awesome idea!!! I've been searching for things to do with DearDaughter and these are great

Keep sharing these ideas!!! I've never been one with a child's mind and so I lack fun and spontanaity with DearDaughter These ideas aid me in adding a little bit of color to our routine filled and hum drum days.

Thought this was a neat project, and would be particularly fun if older siblings could help create it for the younger ones!

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Also lots of fun ideas for "activity bottles" found here:

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Ask for free trial sessions...Some even have open houses...

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