Activity ideas for fun at home!

• Make an indoor "sandbox" out of a sturdy box and fill it w/rice...ideal for hiding small objects or making roads for little cars
• Find old pennies around the house, mix vinegar and salt together and let the children use it on an old cloth to polish the pennies.
• Decorate an old box to make a play house, cut out windows etc. can be for their dolls or if big enough, for them!
• make bowling pins out of used (cleaned) juice cans or eight ounce plastic bottles.
• Use an old, clear shower curtain or large piece of paper, make a street map with local places your child visits, fun with their vehicles!
• Save your junk mail and put it in an old shoebox.  Children will love opening their letters, using a pen to "write" on the letters and often will find stickers or promotions to stick on the letters.
• Make a "guess" box of an old shoe box, oatmeal box etc. and take turns putting in a small object, giving clues and then guessing what is hidden in the box
• Have inside picnics on the floor!

ART:

• Play dough recipe

2cups flour, 2 cups water, 1cup salt, 3 tablespoons oil, 4 teaspoons cream of tarter

add food coloring to water prior to mixing, then add all of the ingredients together and cook, at medium heat, until sticky and gathers in a big lump.  Cool and knead out lumps.

• Cereal necklaces
• nature collages (collect leaves, pebbles, sticks etc. and glue onto the back of finished cereal box, or thicker paper. Prior to project you can make a "scavenger hunt" list of nature things to find on a walk, then go home and make collage from your findings.
• cut out pictures from used magazines or catalogues and make collages or "photo books."
• Fun faces w/food (quarter an apple putting flat side down on cookie sheet.  use cream cheese to stick raisins for eyes, cut wedge for mouth and halve grapes to be little legs.  Be creative to make many other creatures :)
• cut up old sponges into shapes and "sponge paint" w/ washable tempura paint (available at Walgreens, Target)
• water down tempura paint in an old pie pan or yogurt container, cut a disposable straw in half and have child put watery paint on paper w/ dropper and then blow threw straw for a "splatter paint" effect
• use shaving cream (non-menthol, because it can burn) on a try or plastic cutting board at a table.  child can hide small plastic animals in it, "paint w/it" and it is easy to clean up!