I am a firm believer in teaching your children at home before they are the age to go to school. Kids learn so much when they are toddlers and who better to teach them than their parents. It can become difficult to come up with activities that teach and entertain kids. Especially this time of year when the weather gets cold. In summer, it is easier because you can go outside. There are many things to do outside. Here are some suggestions that are free or cheap that will both entertain and teach a lesson to those children who are at the age of “hunger for knowledge”.
Go to the airport. You don’t have to go on a flight to teach your child about airplanes and travel. You can park close enough to see the planes take off and land. Kids have a natural ability to hunger for knowledge and this is the perfect time to teach them about planes. You could talk about the amount of people on board and the destination, the amount of time to get from one place to another. The possibilities are endless. Who knows maybe your child will be a pilot . All you have to do is plant that seed into their minds, they will cultivate it themselves.
Check out a train station. You could talk about the various cars to the train. Chances are that your child has seen a train on the track before but never knew how the people got on board or where the train was headed. This is a great time to teach that lesson. They love the loud noisy engine sounds. You could even mention that trains were a large part of the history of the United States. Again, the possibilities are endless.
You could also make a trip to the Post Office and show the kids how a package or letter is sent to loved ones far away. You could prepare for this one by letting them make pictures for family. Then address the envelope and take to the post office. Let the child put the stamp on after you purchase one. This is an important part of the process so don’t put the stamp on at home. You could even let the child choose which stamp to purchase. You could show them the Post Office boxes both in the P.O. and outside.
How about going to the donut shop to see how the donuts are prepared. You could then sit down and eat one as part of the activity. Who knows you may have a budding chief or baker in the making. All you need to do is get the imagination juices rolling.
Kids love to draw and paint. Winter is a great time to cultivate this skill. Have you ever let them paint on the windows before? Kids love to decorate the house and personalize it to show off their skills. This recipe is easy to make and loads of fun. I do however suggest that you try it out before you let the kids paint on the window with it to be sure that you can get it off. It should come right off but one never knows for sure. I would hate to tell you that it comes right off just to have your windows stained forever. J You may have the next world’s best artist in your mist.
Window Paint Recipe:
2 Tbsp powdered Tempera paint
1 Tbsp warm water
1 tsp Joy or Dawn dishwashing liquid
Measure powdered paint into a container. Mix in water
thoroughly to achieve a smooth paste. Add Joy, mixing completely,
but do so gently, to avoid making paint too sudsy. Dries on
windows in 5 to 10 minutes. Washes off easily with a solution
of water and vinegar.
Do you have some frugal activities that you do with your children as the weather turns colder?
I would love to hear about them.
recommend this
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 64
Thanks. Your Grandkids are very fortunate to have a mother that is so involved with them.
Thanks for dropping by. I Hope you can use the ideas. Do you have any ideas to share??
To make the paint thicker you can also use baby lotion along with dish washing detergent.
You have some great ideas. When my daughter was younger we lived right by the airport so we saw the planes often. We would always talk about them. She's been on many trains, they are great experiences.
Trollies are fun too and what about horse and carriage? I remember riding a horse and carriage as a child for fun during the christmas season to see all the christmas lights on a certain street that did this year after year.
There are so many things you can do to teach children before they hit school age.
Thanks for adding your ideas. The library is one that we always did with our kids. We took them each week.
Thanks for adding all the extra information. How much baby lotion should be used or does it matter?
Our kids loved to go camping. Our daughters are avid readers also. We took them to the library each week. Thanks for adding the extra information.
We sort of lived at the library. At one library in particular, they used to have a filmstrip projector you could allow your children to watch "movies" for about 10 minutes at a time. Our library also had story times we would attend regularly, depending on their ages. They sometimes offered craft times and snack times.
Some of the libraries we attended had terrariums, aquariums, and live animals. We visited them regularly. Going to the pet stores in malls was also another fun activity.
Another library had puzzles and simple toys for kids to play with, so my toddler could play while the older child could browse the books.
Today most libraries have computer labs and allow for games. Some even have earphones to wear so that they could play games.
For a few years we lived close enough to walk down to the river and could watch huge freighters coming through almost every trip.
Our local public gardens had children's programs that included planting seeds, playing with pumpkins, picking food things out of gardens, songs and stories about nature.
Our local nature center had a bird watch area where we would sit for long periods of time and watch the birds feeding and quarreling among themselves. They had interactive displays the kids enjoyed. They had a river overlook and you could use binoculars checked out at the front desk or the telescope in the overlook area to view eagles, ducks, turtles, coyotes, and such.
Our nature center had a library too with unique books we couldn't find anywhere else.
Sometimes bakeries enjoyed letting children take small tours and then end up with a sample for the kids to eat. That always went over well for my kids.
Community centers have programs for preschoolers. So does community education. The cost is usually reasonable. We used many of the programs where the parent could be present. I didn't just drop them off at a program until they were older.
Overall, my kids' best memories were the ice cream making ventures and teddy bear picnics, storytimes, and even birthday parties we had through our local library system.
A lot of good comments. I'm glad that you are striving to understand others Danielle.
I can tell you that even those of us who have supposedly normal lives and don't live in an abusive situation can still be beaten down and misunderstood. There is such as thing as unfairness and inequality.
In our case, determination and drive didn't get my husband very far when ability was lacking. And in my case, determination and drive was irrelevant when I shifted into a depressive episode for months at a time, as a bipolar. No full-time work situation could tolerate that, and certainly could not understand it.
Thanks for expressing your thoughts here. I think you'll get a great discussion from this article!
Strategies for Living With a Mental Illness Tip #2
There's a spot at the Atlanta airport where the planes fly right over you on take off and landing (depending on time of day). I almost stopped there on my way home from middle Georgia yesterday to take a few photos, but I was too tired from hiking 4 miles :)
I wish you had not been too tired. I would love to see your photos.
Those are wonderful additions to the article. Thanks so much for adding them.
Dancing is a wonderful idea! Thanks for sharing
That is a wonderful way to bond with toddlers. When our kids were toddlers we let them do the stiring and flatten the cookies. They too loved it. Thanks for adding that to the list.
* From the Occupational Therapist: Get the largest tupperware-style container you can find. Make an indoor "sandbox" by putting in rice, dry macaroni, confetti, extra-large beads, anything "fun" you can find. Put in some measuring cups, or even a mini massager. Let the kids have fun.
* This one's great for you getting a workout: Take a beach towel or blanket and play 'wagon'. Have your child sit on the blanket and drag him around. Or, get your spouse to grab the other end and make a blanket swing. You'll get a great workout and entertain your child!
I will be incorporating some of your ideas in the near future! We've already been to an airport recently, but it wasn't just for a lesson, it was to watch hubby leave. The kids loved it (not him leaving, but watching the planes come and go)!
I agree with you! Kids need a parent to teach them. I am glad that you can use the ideas.
That is a wonderful idea. Thanks for adding it.
This is a great idea. I bet the kids loved it too.
Thanks for stopping by.
I am glad that you like them. I hope you have fun with the paint
One of these days I want to take my kids on the city bus. My mom did this with me a lot when I was little & it was a lot of fun to just go on the bus somewhere. My mom didn't drive & so that was how we got around. I drive so it makes it hard to achieve this one LOL...I will do it someday cause like you said they need to know how people get on things...like the train (or bus in my case ;o)).
We have taken our kids to the airport...we didn't see too many airplanes at the time we went, but it was nice family time.
I really need to get my kids into the art thing more I think because I want them to know how to color before they are in kindergarten! I just worry about the paint mess...I rent so I worry...I guess I need to just get over that! ;o)
Sometimes I will just turn on some fun music & dance with my kids...they love it & when they are happy mommy is happy!
I like to go onto Disney.com & play a lot of the preschool games with them...(mostly my boy since he is older & won't bat at the keyboard LOL). The other day when I was having a bad day we got online & went there & I played catch the honey pot with Pooh & my boy giggled so much! Everytime I missed the honey pot I would yell AWWWWWW NUTS & OPPS! He thought it was hillarious! ;o).
I used to take a lot of walks with my boy & since I have had my girl not so much :o(. I just started it back up again about 2 weeks ago & we go on Tuesdays after the library & I pack a lunch & we walk to the park. Too bad I waited until Fall to start up again. I think even in the winter we will take walks...if it doesn't get too bad (winter's are mild here...)
When my kids get a bit older I want to bake with them. My dad & brothers used to make doughnuts all the time & it was such fun! I want to do that. (I am great at baking cookies thanks to my mom & also Mrs Field's Cookie Book! Mrs Field's really showed me how to put things in order as you bake...it really makes a difference.)
I think when my kids get a bit older that I will take them to serve at the local food shelters & banks...and even maybe at the children's hospitals & other service things. I have found a lot of joy in serving others & I just can't wait to share that with my kids!
I am sure I have more, but yeah...thanks for making me realize that I do do a lot with my kids...I was wondering if I was a good mom & maybe I am ;o) Thanks!
Ten Things…About…Bipolar
We got my son a Fisher Price digital camera that he takes along.
Almost anything in the kitchen can be made exciting.
As you mention, window-painting is great! Rock-painting and even flowerpot-fragment-painting (on broken pieces of terra cotta pots) are too.
In nice weather, we went for walks and talked about plants that were out at the time. S/he picked some here and there. Lots of weed, but it helps to view them through a child's eyes. Then we dried them at home and they were soon forgotten. Then, in colder, rainy weather, the kidlets made shadowboxes (made out of cardboard) and collages out of the dried "flowers."
Paper plates, just the plain white cheaper ones that come in big packages, are very versatile. Especially with the addition(s) of colorful crepe paper streamers, tempera paint, crayons or pipe cleaners.
I always read a lot. Still reading away happily and my son is 10!
I forgot to mention that, since I sew and quilt a lot, I have lots of fabric scraps and samples and stuff like that. I was interested to note that a 4-year old with chicken pox can keep occupied for *hours* - without scratching - making collages from my "arts and crafts bag."
I totally agree. Thanks for adding your tips to the growing list of free activities for kids. :)
I know they would love it. Read all the comments above for more free activities.
We take Gideon to a play group, a library story time, to the mall (sometimes very rarely as it's an hour's drive) to the indoor play area there.
Also worth mentioning is the special WINDOW FX markers that you can buy for kids to mark up your windows. They are opaque and wash off with water.
We travel in the winter usually by plane but this year will be by train. He's always with us when we mail stuff too, lol.
We also do the zoos on the warmer days. They are 100% free only cost is in gas to get there.
I love when my nephew comes to stay in the summer. We cook and read together. He's the greatest kid in the world.
I have never heard of Letterboxing. Could you please tell us more about this???
It is great that your nephew has a "Cool" Aunt like you to hang out with. :)
This is quote from http://www.atlasquest.com. There is a lot more just go the site and check it out.
And thanks for the great ideas. Buckethead and I might have to check these out!
Thanks for the additional information and the link. :)
It is good to see you. I hope you enjoy the activities. :)