Need Ideas for Children's Activities

Check out the group Kid Friendly. Many on Gather have posted great stuff for kids to do. Good luck!

Crafts! Get some newspaper, put it across a table, open up a few boxes of crayons OR water paints, a pile of paper and some brushes and let them go at it.

Or give them the craft supplies to do something else - they sell craft kits at Michael's and AC Moore for fairly cheap - foam things - and they can all make something. Keeps them busy and out of your hair.

Or maybe get some sport-y type stuff - and put it out in the backyard - let them do things together or apart. Or a sprinkler that goes around and let them run through the sprinkler - Buy a Slip & Slide and set it up. That used to keep my son and his friends busy for a long time.

The easiest thing to do with mixed ages during a short time, is have multiple activities planned and precut all the pieces...That way you don't have a two year old trying to cut his hair while you're keeping an older one from cutting the kid's hair beside him ( yes I do speak from experience LOL ) Also when I had children's church the kids loved motion songs..You're in Pensacola? Try looking at your local Bible Book store for a book of motion songs and some have cd's to go with them...This gets the kids up on their feet, works off energy, and can be tons of fun in group settings like that.....

I wouldn't say its a matter of keeping them busy and out of your hair...I think if someone is going to work with children they should genuinely enjoy being on the child's level. As parents we often get busy and don't spend that one on one time with our children. As a teacher, its our soul responsibility to pay that child the most attention that we can. Thats just my opinion.

Kids love to make things, sing, listen to stories (exagerated* voices of course ), act out mini plays, play games, challenge themselves, and lots of creative play!

Lisa - I like the idea of "active" songs! Two of the girls take dance, so this would be right up their alley.
I agree with you - a lot of these children don't get a lot of face time with their parents, so they do enjoy getting attention. I just want to make sure they get positive attention instead of constantly trying to avoid a train wreck, which is how they were operating before I came along.
I really want to find some crafts they can work on and take home with them. I could always do some of the work (like cutting) ahead of time for the younger ones, and let the older ones do a little bit more on their own.

Keep those ideas coming!

The active songs is a great idea. That's always a huge hit with little kids, and even the two year old can get fairly involved in that one (even if he or she is always a few seconds behind!).

If you are looking for cheap craft kids, you can always check on orientaltrading.com. Before I got married, I taught Vacation Bible School for a few years, and I usually found some pretty good stuff there. You could always do those kinds of crafts as like a special treat, too, to keep down costs. Like only do them once a month or something, and take turns paying for the supplies.

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I always liked to play games that involve everyone. Maybe a game of Simon Says or a low key game of Duck-Duck-Goose

Sounds like you got some good ideas here already, if I think of anything else I will let you know.

It's been too long...but my kids loved play doh and paint and markers ...

Ellie - you want me to have a huge mess to clean up! : )

you could get some small brown paper sacks and let them make liek puppets or something like that..

Well, one activity is play dough and let them make things - obviously the older ones will make more sophisticated things and the little ones can just play with it. Salud.

There must be some fun circle games that they all can participate in like musical chairs or something that makes them move a bit. Salud.

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thanks for all of the ideas!

Great suggestions, here!

of course there is always macaroni. that's good for a couple of projects. Make a picture, make necklaces, etc.