Childminders what are your favourite at home activities for pre-schoolers?

[thisgirlrides]

Thought it might be nice to share what we get up to with our little ones and I'm sure I'm not the only one that could do with some fresh ideas I'm sure they all have free time to just play with the toys but I'm thinking more adult-led / structured activities.

Mine all love circle time especially using the nursery rhyme sack (take it in turns to pick out an object, guess the nursery rhyme then sing it together)
Moving to a Tumble Tots action songs cd
Painting using anything but brushes (sponges, scourers, scrunched up newspaper, shaped potatoes etc)
Setting up a shop or cafe especially when I'm the customer (ditto doctors with me as patient !)
Making Playdoh food

Shaving foam and cornflour gloop. Dressing up in pieces of material. Den building behind the settee. Anything involving glue. And they could all read stories, individually or in groups, all day long.

We have some stones with eyes, nose, ears, mouth painted on each one and a big mirror. I ask the children to look in the mirror and try and create their face with the stones. I also have some photos of children with different expressions on their face, and the children talk about how they’re feeling and try to pull the same face in the mirror.
This is a firm favourite with my preschoolers and I love activities that they can continue without my constant supervision