Activity for an individual child
Age group: 18–40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
Crayons
1 cardboard paper towel tube
2 squares of tinfoil, large enough to cover the ends of the tube
Masking tape
1 long pipe cleaner twisted into a loose coil
¼ cup dry rice
Let your child color the tube for decoration.
Fasten 1 tinfoil square on the end of the tube with masking tape. Leave the other end open until the tube is filled.
Help your child fit the pipe cleaner into the tube. Assist her in pouring in the rice.
Close the other end of the tube with the second square of tinfoil. Show your child how to tilt the stick back and forth to create the rain noise.
Let’s Go Out
You don’t have to always stay in when the weather is dreary. You won’t melt, and there is a lot of fun to be had during a warm summer’s rain. Be sure to return inside if there is any lightening in the area.
Runny Pictures
Your child will enjoy livening up the yard with these beautiful but temporary creations.
This works well with chalk too.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 18–40 months
Duration of activity: 20 minutes
Water color paint
Paint brushes
Go outside before the rain comes or while it is just drizzling.
Let your child paint on the sidewalk or cement area to create any pictures he wishes.
Observe how the water makes the colors run.
Mini Streams
This is a great way to encourage your children to use observation and problem-solving skills.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 12–40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
Sticks
A patch of dirt or sand outside
Show your child how to use a stick or his finger to create a small trench in a patch of dirt where the rainwater can flow.
Encourage him to clear leaves to create mini rivulets.
Show your child how to lead the paths so that the water flows downhill.
Storm Shelter
Once your shelter is built, you may wish to spend some cozy time in there snuggling or reading a story.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 24–40 months
Duration of activity: 30 minutes
Rain poncho or tarp
Clothes’ pins or duct tape
Help your child spread a poncho or tarp to create a tent or lean-to. You may drape the cloth over a piece of patio furniture, a large branch, or a fence.
Use clothes’ pins or duct tape to fasten as needed.
Collect Rain
Try this activity during different times when the rain fall is heavy and light.
Let your child explore further by transferring water from one container to another.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 12–40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
Various sized containers
Involve your child in selecting different containers. Point out why some will work better: Wide necks, no holes etc.
Have your child experiment by placing the containers in different locations. Can she collect more rain if the container is under a drain spout or under a tree or out in the open?
A Day at the Beach—Indoors!
You don’t have to wait until you win the lottery to spend a day in paradise. There is no better way to beat the winter blues than to have a day at the beach in your very own home. Don’t be surprised if the rest of the family wants to join in on the fun.
Indoor Beach
With a little effort and creativity, it is easy to transform your living room into a wonderful surfside paradise. You can always find fun, tropical-themed props at your local party supply store, too.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 18–40 months
Duration of activity: 1 hour
Beach towels
Large umbrella
Scissors
Brown construction paper
Green crepe paper or ribbon
Wall adhesive (such as Sticky Tac)
Recording of beach-type music
Beach-theme posters (optional)
Set up the beach towels and the umbrella as you would if you were at the beach.
Cut out a palm tree trunk from the construction paper, and cut sections of crepe paper for the fronds. Crease each frond into a wide “V” before attaching them to the trunk. Post the completed palm tree on the wall using the wall adhesive.
Hang any other themed posters or props, and play your favorite tropical music.
Beachcomber
Here is a fun twist on a simple scavenger hunt. You can alter the complexity of
the challenge based upon your child’s ability.
Activity for an individual child or a group
Age group: 18–40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
Seashells (large enough so that they don’t pose a choking hazard)
Small plastic pails, one for each child
Hide a number of seashells in a room. Make some easy to find, and choose more challenging hiding places for others.
Give each child a pail, and encourage all of them to find as many shells as they can.
Beach Fantasy
This activity will help your child develop motor skills as she exercises her imagination. You can add to the fun by having your child dress in appropriate beach attire, such as a swimsuit and sunglasses.
Activity for an individual child or a group
Age group: 18–40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
Ask your child to pantomime various actions that take place at a beach. Possibilities include swimming, jumping over the waves, walking on hot sand, or surfing.
Indoor Volleyball
This is a fun game for all ages. When you are playing with young children, take the emphasis off of completion and point scoring. If you are worried about using a ball inside, use a balloon instead. Watch for popped balloons as the pieces can be a choking hazard.
Activity for a group
Age group: 30–40 months
Duration of activity: 20 minutes
Small beach ball
1 sheet or blanket
Hang the sheet between 2 chairs, low enough for players to see over the top while they are seated.
Divide children into 2 equal groups, and seat groups on opposite sides of the sheet.
Show players how to gently volley the ball or balloon over the sheet.
Fun with a Box
It is a common scenario: A young child excitedly tears through the fancy wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows. He opens the box and removes the year’s newest and hottest technological gizmo toy. After a few minutes of play, he puts aside the toy and turns his attention and creativity to the toy he prefers—the box. In fact, boxes are wonderful open-ended toys. Rather than running on batteries, they run on imagination!
Treasure Chest
Young children tend to find and collect little treasures.
Many of these items may be meaningless and even bothersome to you, but they are dear to your child. Make this project with your child and give him a special place to store his treasures.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 30–40 months
Duration of activity: 20 minutes
White craft glue
Wrapping paper or tissue paper cut to fit the outside of the box
Cardboard shoebox with a lid
Ribbons, buttons, fabric scraps, yarn, sequins, or any other crafty remnants available
Mailing label
Marker
Assist your child in gluing on the paper to cover the shoebox.
Provi
de him with many different materials to glue onto the box for decoration.
Apply the mailing label to the box and write your child’s name on it. Find a special place to store the “treasure chest.”
Box Train
There are many dramatic-play props that you can make with a box.
This project is just a suggestion to help spark your own ideas.
When cutting the rope, be sure that none of the sections are long enough to be a safety hazard.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 18–40 months
Duration of activity: 30 minutes
Three shoeboxes (or other small boxes open on top)
Scissors
Lightweight rope, cut into three 1 sections
Tempera paint or markers
Teddy bears, dolls, or action figures (to act as passengers)
Arrange boxes to form cars of the train. The front car is the engine—the open side of this box should be down, as the engine doesn’t carry passengers. The other boxes are open side up.
Cut a small hole in the front and back sides of each box so that holes in all boxes line up.
Connect the boxes with the sections of rope. Knot the rope ends on the inside of each box to secure them. A rope in the front can be used to pull the train.
Let your child decorate the train with paint or markers. The train is then ready to carry its passengers.
Matching Boxes
Promote your toddler’s problem-solving skills with this fun activity. You can do this at any time, but it’s a particularly good way to use paper from a recent holiday or birthday.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 30–40 months
Duration of activity: 20 minutes
Wrapping paper in various patterns
Boxes with lids, in various sizes (shoeboxes and small gift boxes work well)
Scissors
Ribbons or bows (optional)
Transparent tape
Choose a different color or pattern of wrapping paper for each box and matching lid. Wrap separately so that you can remove the lids once the boxes are wrapped. If you wish, you can have your toddler help you decorate the boxes.
Place all of the boxes in one pile and put the lids in another pile. Have your child match up the boxes with the lids.
Nesting Boxes, Stacking Boxes
This activity will teach your toddler about size, spatial concepts, and problem solving while having fun. You may choose to have your child decorate the outside of the boxes.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 30–40 months
Duration of activity: 10 minutes
3–4 small boxes of diminishing size (without lids)
Challenge your child to nest the boxes inside of each other. Alternatively, ask him to try to stack them and build a tower.
Shoebox Golf
This game tests your young child’s motor skills and eye-hand coordination.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 30–40 months
Duration of activity: 20 minutes
Scissors
1 shoebox
Crayons
Masking tape
1 golf or ping-pong ball
Cut a hole in the center of the shoebox lid just big enough to fit the golf ball.
Invite your child to decorate the inside of the lid with the crayons. (He can also decorate the rest of the box, but the inside of the lid is most visible as it is the playing field.)
Invert the lid and secure it over the empty box with a couple strips of masking tape. You want to be able to remove the lid to retrieve the ball.
Place the ball on the lid. Challenge your child to tilt the box back and forth and try to get the ball to fall in the hole.
Backward Upside-Down Day
The next time bad weather forces you to stay indoors with your child, why not make it into a special day? Try following the backward, upside-down theme throughout the day. Start the day by greeting your child with a “Good night!” Consider letting her wear some of her clothing backward. Maybe you can have breakfast as the last meal of the day. Here are some other ideas to get you started.
Backward Meal
Children of all ages will love the silliness of having a backward meal.
Don’t be surprised when you are asked to do it again next week.
Activity for an individual child or a group
Age group: 18–40 months
Duration of activity: 30 minutes
If your family has assigned seats at the table, consider a shift. Let your toddler sit at the head of the table for this meal.
Of course, a backward meal must start with dessert! You can go the extra step by serving the pie à la mode upside down.
For the main dish, how about a backward sandwich or tortilla wrap? Put the meat and cheese on the outside with the bread and dressing in between.
Last-Minute Activities
As a parent, you know the saying about the best-laid plans. Sometimes you need to come up with a way to calm or entertain your child without much planning. Here are some ways to pull a little magic out of your hat.
Makeshift Shelters
Every child likes to create pretend places to play in.
This activity gets you involved in the fun—a great bonding experience.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 18–40 months
Duration of activity: 30 minutes or longer
“Building” materials, such as couch cushions, blankets, cardboard boxes, etc.
Help your child use the building materials to set up a fantasy environment where he can engage in pretend play for many hours. The shelter may become a tent, a fort, a cabin, a boat, a lighthouse, or a farm—the possibilities are endless.
Tea Party
This activity is fun for boys and girls. Instead of dolls, your child can invite favorite action
figures or stuffed animals. This does not have to be an elaborate party.
You can use real materials, but pretend props work just as well.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 30–40 months
Duration of activity: 20 minutes
Let your child help you plan and set up the event. What can you use for decorations? What will you serve?
Follow the level of your child’s interest. You may simply need to put a few paper plates on a table, or your child may enjoy making placeholders, party hats, and so on.
Attend the party and be a good guest—enjoy the refreshments, and keep the conversation lively!
Rainy-Day Pictures
Do not despair the next time rainy weather keeps your child indoors.
This fun rainy-day picture will help chase the blues away.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 30–40 months
Duration of activity: 20 minutes
Crayons
1 sheet white construction paper
3 or 4 large paper soufflé or baking cups
White craft glue
3 or 4 pieces of yarn, each 3 long
Let your child use the crayons to color a rainy-day picture.
Show your child how to make umbrellas. Fold the baking cups (which will double as umbrella tops) in half and glue to the rainy-day picture. Glue yarn “handles” to the picture underneath each umbrella top.
Indoor Snow Fun
Try these fun ideas when it is too cold to go out and play in the snow, or if you live in a warmer climate without snow. To add authenticity, give your child mittens and a scarf to dress up in while he is playing.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 18–40 months
Duration of activity: 45 minutes
White sheets
Cotton balls
White socks
Instant potato flakes
Drape the white sheets over furniture and on the floor to create a wintry look to the room.
With your child’s help, toss around the cotton balls and pretend that they are giant snowflakes.
Wrap pairs of white socks into balls and use them for a pretend snowball fight.
Put the potato flakes in a pan for sensory pretend play. If real snow is available, bring some in and let your child play with it in a contained area.
Puzzle Hunt
Here’s a new way to interest your child in puzzles and problem solving.
It is best to use a puzzle that your child knows and can complete. Jumbo floor puzzles
work best for this activity, but you can use any favorite jigsaw puzzle.
Activity for an individual child
Age group: 30–40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
1 puzzle with all the pieces
Remove 1 piece of the jigsaw puzzle and set it on a table. Hide the remaining puzzle pieces. You can choose how hard you want the search to be. For a younger child, you may wish to scatter the pieces in plain view and face up.