This is something I struggle with. All the chores are done, kids are dressed and fed, it's not time for playgroup or joy school or errands. We've already watched our alloted 2 hours of TV (remember, you can't judge me!) and I have no idea what to do with the boys. What are some ways you play with your kids?
Here are a couple things we've tried that have worked:
1. filled the tub with bubbles, all of us put our swimsuits on (including me), dump every bath toy in and go swimming
2. playdough...Spence is just now getting into it
3. mini sandboxes...we did this for joy school by filling infant tubs with sand and then giving the boys measuring cups. They loved it, but be prepared for a major mess
4. running races
5. make cookies...it's amazing how much help a two-year-old can really give
6. teaching McKay to crawl
Okay, what things do you and your kids do?
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3 comments:
I'll start with....I never have all my chores done AND my kids fed & dressed. My question is how do you do THAT?! I usually have my kids fed, dressed OR all my chores are done (except for the fact that I NEVER have ALL my chores done). It's usually one or the other in my house. You are amazing if you can get all that done and still have time to play...in my opinion. Maybe I shouldn't divulge that much info to everyone here...but there it is...it will help those who do feel really good about themselves.
Anyway, back to the question at hand. If I'm trying to get my chores done and I need my kids to be entertained on their own (or I play with them depending on the day), I have (tucked away where they can't get them on their own...for these special times) coloring books, play-doh, bubbles, water colors, stamping stuff, kites, etc. I also have number & alphabet flash cards and games (ie Don't break the ice, memory, crocodile dentist, candy land, etc). Avery loves to play these with me. We don't get these things out everyday or even every week. These things are "tucked away" so they will captivate her when I do bring them out.
Another thing I tell Avery (if I feel that she has had too much TV and I can't take her to go do something fun right away) is that she needs to go play with her toys & read books by herself. Free play on her own or with Bella. I feel lucky that the girls play well together and on their own.
I also take my kids on our own playdates all the time...just us. We go lots of different places besides the playrounds, zoo, & children's museum there is:
1. Meadowoods rec center for open gym hour $4 (Avery has an absolute blast...playing her little heart out);
2. Chucke E. Cheese and only ride a couple rides (I'll usually do this as her good girl treat for running errands with me...you can get coupons in the newspaper that comes out to be 1/2 off tokens);
3. Bass Pro Shop aka "The Fish Store" to look at the fish and sit in the tents on the second floor & ride the elevator a few times.
4. Storytime @ Barnes & Noble. It's free, Friday's @ 10am off Alameda. After storytime they give the kids a coloring page & a snack. Then we are allowed to stay and read as long as we want.
Those are our staples...there are other things we do that I can't think of right now.
This is a little off the subject, but thought I'd offer...
To help Avery want to behave well during my errands (or even throughout the day at home) I'll have her work for a couple of "good girl treats." I let her pick them out. They don't always have to be sweets either. I have some healthy foods that she thinks are treats like yogurt, apples, apple sauce, etc. And it's not always food she works for...she also works for the priviledge of watching her shows or going somewhere SHE wants to go (chuck e cheese, the fish store, the playground) and we'll stop by on our way home so that the day isn't all about mom. At the grocery store I have her work for 2-3 things that way if she messes up, then all is not lost and she'll still get something for "repenting," just not as much as she would have. This tactic has helped both of us emensley!! She is much better behaved on errands. She has a say in what she gets, she works for it & then earns it! But I have to stick to my guns. If she didn't earn it, I won't give it to her. Otherwise it does NOT work the next time.
I know my response was kind of long, but there you have it. Let me know how you get all your chores done, get your kids dressed & fed AND still have time to play....seriously! :)
We like to set up all of Jace's racecars/Hotwheels and then make different tracks for us to race on. Eventually he'll do it on his own:
The Couch - The Cliff Jumper
The Floor - Street Racer
through his dinosaurs - Dinosaur Valley
through his toys - Toy Land
He loves that they are all named, it makes it more real, like I'm not just sending him off all the time We will also count so he feels like he's racing, and he'll count on his own too, a good learning tool!
The other thing Jace loves is Obstacle Course Races We set up the chairs and he goes around them, under, over, throughout the house. It's really a blast. He'll go backward and forward through it, and we time that too!
Exercising together (Jumping Jacks, etc) or watching him run around our kitchen 10 + times... we just try to get the energy out!!
I have vinyl stickers that are shapes and colors and Morgan loves to put them on the windows and tell me the shapes (even though everything is either a circle or an oval, depending on the day). She has her own kid sized broom and loves to move all the mats in the kitchen and "sweep." If she remembers, she can have 15 minutes with me on the computer, playing, "Elmo" (Sesamestreet.com). And, lastly, Morgan could stack blocks and do puzzles all day and stay perfectly happy. But, I have learned that chores only get done at our house at naptime or after bedtime because Morgan always wants to show me what she is doing. I think I might have to try some of Courtney's ideas to get stuff done when she's awake.
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