Activity and play ideas...

[andtellyouofmydreaming]

Anyone interested in sharing a few good activity/play ideas? I'm a bit stuck in a rut at the moment, especially since lockdown.

I'll start... I have a 3 year old and a 7 month old.

Treasure baskets: for baby I have an empty shoebox that I fill with random items for her to explore eg comb, ribbon, whisk, paintbrush, bracelet etc. For 3 year old I sometimes give him my jewellery box/box full of DIY stuff like hinges, brackets etc/box full of crap that has been waiting to be sorted!

Tray play: I use a shallow storage box or a roasting tray or a large tupperware and fill it with oats/lentils/rice. I add mini digger vehicles for 3 year old or animals. When he was a toddler I added scoops and spoons and stuff. Baby joins in or if it's not a sharing kind of moment I do a box for her with just the oats/lentils/rice in. Does get everywhere but quick and satisfying to hoover it all up.

Anyone got any gems to share?!

Fill some ice cube trays with water and add water-colour paints. Once frozen they can paint with them on paper or fabric.

Stack cups/emptyyogurtpots and knock them down using a water pistol.

At that age, my dc loved printing - hand printing, potato printing etc..

Make dens and tunnels and tents with sheets and furniture

Cook up a big saucepan of porridge (with water instead of milk) and let it go cold. Add some food colouring and it turns into a fantastic squelchy messy play activity, especially with little toys hidden! I do the same with custard and with mashed potato using a packet of instant smash! Polenta works well too, as does cooked couscous or cooked spaghetti.

If possible, get a piece of guttering, put it on the stairs and use it as a ramp for toy cars.

Scavenger hunt - things of different colours, textures, shapes etc...

Make ‘islands’ out of the furniture and use cushions as stepping stones.

Make a washing line for them to hang up anything they can find - pieces of paper, hats, gloves, empty cereal boxes!

Hang a balloon from the ceiling. My DC used to have fun batting it.

Look up Five Minute Mum on social media. Loads of fab ideas for those ages.

Theres a book called "5 minute mum" with loads of activity ideas which (allegedly) take 5 mins to set up and 5 mins to tidy away. Its half price on amazon at the moment