Something To Do When "There's Nothing To Do!"

"Only boring people get bored, and baby, you aren't boring!" That was my mom's reaction to my complaining I had nothing to do.  She would promptly follow that up with some random chore ("if you are THAT bored, go clean out the cabinet with the pots and pans.")  It didn't take too long for me to come up with ideas on my own!

In case you need a little help with ideas today (It's a snow day here in Baltimore), I thought of something we do in the preschools that would be fun with your children.  Now, fun is a relative term.  You will need to be present in the beginning of the activity in order for it to succeed. If you do this activity while stir-frying or tweasing your brows, this may not be as fun.

Make a discovery pile with 5 random objects ( for example, pillow, umbrella, computer mouse, box of tissues and a picture frame.)  Use those objects to generate creative thinking games.

Completely random picture frame showing off
 my family in our early years.  :) 

Invite your children to tell a story that uses all of these items in the plot.  See how creative you can be!

Layout all the items, have them shut their eyes while you remove one, and then guess what’s missing.

Give your children play dough or clay and ask them to re-create one of those items.

Practicing wrapping the items (make sure you have plenty of recycled paper and tape!) and surprise each other with a “gift”.    

                         

One last idea:  Invite your children to pick one item, then come up with as many alternate uses for it.  (Remember the prop game from Whose Line it is Anyway?)

Note: After you try one of the ideas, keep the items together so the children can play with them.  Much of the learning occurs when they are able to come up with ideas on their own.  Just keep an ear out for their comments while you are busy doing something important, like, maybe, organizing the pots and pans.