Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Inside Play Ideas

Sometimes those rainy days or days that are too cold to go out can be looong for mommies (and for your little ones).

So here are some fun ideas to do inside:

1. Stickers! Give your little one a piece of paper and some stickers then have them do a sticker collage. Even though they might not know what a collage is, having stickers to place wherever they want will be great fun!

2. Playdough! You can make your own or pick some up at the dollar store. To contain the mess put your little one in the highchair for some great fun. If you don't have play dough toys use a plastic cookie cutter or a plastic spoon. Here is a website with a no cook dough recipe so your little one can help you make it: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,199,155162-230196,00.html

3. Coloring Books! (you can buy some at the dollar store). Give your little one some crayons and let them make the pictures beautiful!

4. Make a tent: Take a card table or a few chairs and drape an old sheet or a couple of blankets over the top. Crawl in the "tent" with your little one (s). Bring a flashlight for added fun or pretend you are wild animals in a cave.

5. Spread a blanket on the floor and make your lunch or snack into a picnic or tea party. You could choose to have something fun like a sandwich that is cut into a shape with a cookie cutter or maybe a treat that you don't have everyday like a special cookie. If you have a tent (see idea 4) you could take the treat into the tent!

6. Grab a pile of books and a blanket and cuddle up for some story time on the couch.

7. Grab your cell phone (or other musical toy-turn it on) and then hide it. Call the phone from your home phone and let your toddler try to find it. You can change the ring tones and hide it again!

8. Painting fun! For easy inside painting fun purchase a cheap paint by water book (you can get one at the dollar store). Your little one can have lots of fun dipping the paintbrush in water and then watching as the pictures turn colors when she/he puts water on them!

9. Music Time! Put on some fun music and dance around the living room. Veggie Tale music CD's are great to dance to. If you don't have a CD player or CD's just turn on the radio and find some music with a beat. Let your little one have a toy drum or maybe one of your pots and a wooden spoon for a drum stick. They can have their own band & they are getting some exercise in the process:)

10. Puzzles! Get out several different puzzles and let your little one choose which one to do. Doing it together makes it more fun. A twist for puzzle time is to put the puzzle pieces in a room and then turn off the light. Take a flashlight and go on a hunt for the pieces with your toddler. As they find the pieces put them in the puzzle. When you finish the puzzle you can celebrate with a happy dance or maybe a fun snack:)

Have fun and be creative! Keep an eye out for my next mommy advice post for more great ideas!