10 simple, enjoyable activities to do with your preschooler

Even your favourite games can lose their allure after a time when you’re playing with your preschooler — for both of you. Here are some simple activities to do when the traditional standbys become a little boring.

1. Play the Earth and Moon game.

Bill Herbert, a father of three and a long-time third-grade teacher, created the Earth and Moon game with his daughter Melanie when she was four years old.

Give your youngster a flashlight with a wide beam and take a flashlight with a narrow beam to play with (a laser pointer will also work). Face each other on a bed in a dark room. Your child’s responsibility is to move the Earth (the wide beam) around the ceiling in great, slow circles. It is your responsibility to keep the moon (the narrow beam) in orbit around the Earth.

2. Create “scrap boxes” for your favourite spots.

Gather items unique to that location, such as shiny rocks or acorns, during a trip to a beloved location, such as a park or another site you enjoy visiting. Take images of mementos that will not last, such as colourful leaves.

Once you’ve returned home, assist your child in decorating a box in which to put your collection. For instance, have her create a picture of the location (or print out a photo) and glue it on the box top. Then let her colour and decorate it whatever she wants. Make a separate box for each of your chosen destinations.

Then, on rainy days, you can snuggle up with your child and recall your best adventures while sorting through the treasures you’ve gathered.

3. Create a Simple Bird Feeder

Here are two fast DIY bird feeder ideas to attract additional feathered friends to your yard. Birdseed, peanut butter, empty toilet paper rolls or cut-up empty paper towel rolls, an orange or grapefruit, and string are all necessary ingredients.

Sprinkle birdseed on a rimmed container, such as a plate or pie tin, to form the initial feeder. Spread a thin layer of peanut butter on the exterior of the paper rolls, then have your child roll the peanut butter coating in the birdseed until it’s completely covered.

Use twine to hang the feeders or just slip them over tree limbs.

An orange can be used to build two feeders. (A grapefruit can also be used.)

Preparation for parents: Cut the fruit in half and carefully scoop out the flesh, leaving a thick rind on the outside. Poke a small hole in the opposite edges of each orange half, about a half inch from the top, with a skewer. Then, to build a hanger, thread a long piece of twine through both holes and knot the ends together.

Assist your child in mixing the peanut butter and birdseed together and spooning the mixture into each half of an orange. It should be hung outside.

4. Put on a show with toys

Make a cast of dolls, plush animals, and toy figures with your child’s participation. Divide the dolls and animals between the two of you and act out a play, using different voices for each doll and animal. Improvise as you go — half the fun is going in a goofy direction with the action.

Another idea is to put on a talent show and have each character perform a song, a joke, or a storey.

5. Arrange the food sculptures

Find “art supplies” in the refrigerator and fruit bowl that you and your child may arrange into pictures on a large plate. For ideas, cut up carrots, cucumbers, grapes, or other colourful fruits and vegetables. You and your partner can make anything from a clown to a train to a stunning piece of abstract art. Make eyes out of olives, wheels out of circular crackers, and windows out of cheese slices – the options are unlimited.

Then comes the real fun: eating your work of art!

6. Make bubbles

To manufacture your own bubble solution, combine one part dishwashing detergent with ten parts water and a few drops of glycerin or corn syrup to keep the bubbles from popping. To generate bubbles, your child can use practically any open-ended object, such as the rings from a six-pack of soda. Make bigger and bigger bubbles to see how far you can get!

7. Have a sleepover in the living room

Campouts are always entertaining, but ones in your living room have the extra benefit of carpeting and easy access to the kitchen and restroom.

Make your own little pup tent by spreading blankets over properly positioned furnishings. Then, for a true camping experience, bring out the sleeping bags, pillows, and flashlights. The “tent” can be left up for as long as you wish, allowing you and your child to go camping whenever you choose.

8. Keep an eye on the clouds

Grab a blanket and lie down on your back in the backyard or a park with your child, watching the clouds pass by. Compare notes with your youngster on the shapes he sees: You might see a whale where your youngster sees a pony. Feel free to be silly or reflective (“Is it a dog with an umbrella?”). (“That cloud has the appearance of affection.”)

9. Shake it up, rattle it around, and roll it around

Play some music and get moving! Steve Brum, a father of three from Hayward, California, says, “My daughter Ashley and I love to dance around the living room.” “It’s one pastime that is certain to make both of us giggle.” You and your youngster can dance to Funky Chicken or come up with your own routine.

10. Tell stories while listening to music

Kids enjoy hearing you make up stories, and you can obtain ideas from your own music collection (while also increasing your child’s musical appreciation). Begin with a familiar instrumental piece and plot, such as Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf.”

You don’t have to repeat the storey exactly as you remember it; add a twist by substituting your child for the main character or inventing a new character who will captivate your youngster, such as a dinosaur. Ask your child whether he’d like to add to the narrative on a regular basis.

You’ll be astounded at how music aids in both plot progression and character development: The sound of pounding drums is reminiscent of someone galloping through the woods. A flute is a small bird in the sky that tells the animals which way to fly, while a violin indicates that the sun is setting. You’ll almost certainly come upon several favourites that both you and your child will enjoy recounting before long.

FAQ