When wet weather strikes in full force (as it’s currently doing in Cape Town), it’s hard to keep the little ones entertained indoors, barring putting them in front of the television. If you’re running out of ideas on how to keep them busy, consider these fun and easy suggestions, which will keep them entertained for hours!
- Make your own Playdough
Who hasn’t got a fond memory of playdough from their youth? If you don’t have any on-hand, this takes 40 minutes to make in total: 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of water, 2 tablespoons of salt, and 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar to preserve it. Add a teaspoon of oil and a few drops of food colouring (optional), and mix together. Put it over a low heat and keep mixing until mixture becomes pliable, then allow it to cool (20 – 30 minutes). Give to your little one and watch them get creative! Don’t forget to include some cookie-cutter shapes for them to use.
- Haul out the wet-weather play box
Consider making an age-appropriate wet weather play box for your little one(s), and set it apart from their usual toys so it doesn’t end up with missing items. Include:
– Large tarp / plastic table cloth / old shower curtain (lay it out for an instant no-mess play area)
– Assorted crayons, pencils, paint brushes, and paints
– Assorted paper, cardboard, tinsel, cellophane, foil, glitter, stickers, pipe cleaners
– Jam jars (save your Purity ones) to use as paint pots
– Non-toxic glue, children’s scissors, sticky tape, small rocks, and pebbles
With these items, your child (up to early teen years) can create numerous work of art for you to ooh and aah over, and you’re welcome to jump in at any time to assist and create a masterpiece together!
If you have a toddler, the above could be a bit too advanced and dangerous for them, so rather give them organic items to play with. Consider:
– rice, oatmeal, beans, frozen peas (maizena mixed with water). Ensure there’s nothing small to choke them
– plastic bowls for them to mix the above items in, toy cars they can roll through the bowls
They’ll have fun touching, gobbing, and learning how to play in their little ‘sand’ box.
- Newspaper Fort
Remember the good old days when forts of pillows and blankets became magnificent castles with drawbridges, turrets and cannons? One of the best alternative fort materials relies on old newspaper. Lots and lots of old newspapers! Thanks to Allison from modernparentsmessykids.com for this great trick!
All you require is:
– Newspaper
– Duct tape (or sticky tape)
Take 2 sheets of newspaper at a time, place them flat on the floor, one on top of the other, and roll them into a cone, from corner to corner. Use the duct tape to secure the ends so it doesn’t unravel. Make 25 – 45 of these rolls. Take 3 rolls and form a triangular frame, duct tapping the rolls together. Once you have a pile of triangles, set about creating the fort in whatever shape or size the children want, just remember to include a roof. Now, you can leave the newspaper frame as-is for the kids to play in, or you can cover it with a light-weight sheet or blanket. The newspaper can later be dismantled and stored.
- Story Time
Ever have someone who told amazing stories? This activity is perfect for younger children, and can be fun for older children too.
Let your little one pick out a story but don’t just read it to them. Add actions, funny voices, sing, and use objects around you to represent items from the story. It’s also fun if you encourage your kid(s) to make sounds with you. If there’s an animal in the story, say a lion, ask your little one to roar – and join in – each time the word appears. If there’s a mountain to be climbed, mime the climb and include some puffing and panting. Stories capture the minds of those who hear them, and this is a great way to bond!
- Photo Shoot
An at-home photo shoot is something the whole family can enjoy, and will be something you’ll look back on and treasure. All you need is a camera and some costumes, so go raid the wardrobes! It’s great if you craft some props or pictures to include in the shoot. Little girls love being princesses, so find them dresses and faux jewellery (if you’re worried about giving them your jewellery, string macaroni together and paint it). Little boys love imitating their favourite superheroes and TV characters, so make them a cape from an old pillow case. Let your imagination go wild!
Let us know what wet weather crafts you’d recommend?
Main image courtesy of Dan Lurie (Flickr)
