Tasha
Okay my step kids have been out of school for 2 weeks and they already getting bored. In turn they are becoming hard to control, which is putting me on the hard to live with side. Their dad just got a new job where he goes out of town (truck driving) & that means me and the kids have lots of time together. I try to play school with them, take them outside and play soccer, play with the dogs, you name it I've done it. They are getting tired of it all and I'm trying to do something to get them to chill. I have house work to do, school things, and getting the youngest (who usually lives with the mother) on some days who is 2. The kids are either bored, fighting, or constantly bugging me where I can't get anything done. Help would be greatly appreciated.
P.S. This is my first summer alone with them. Sometimes they do get to go to the lake, splash pad, the park, and movies. but I need day to day things not big things.
Answer
Depending on your kids and what there interests are i'll tell you what mine like! arts and crafts are always really good things to do! let them paint outside, play with playdough, or just color! We have theme weeks, where 1 week we pick a theme and learn/play lets say its "medival theme week" have them make paper swords one day...build a cardboard fortress one day...make paper crowns one day...and let them watch a movie/cartoon about nights! maybe do a sports theme week..different games every day! maybe have them "help with house work?" most parents think its easier to not let them help, but you should have a little fun chore list, and give them stickers on every "chore completed" and take away stickers for attitude problems...lol....and then if they earn enough they can pick out a toy at the end of the week, or go somewhere fun? hope this helps!
Depending on your kids and what there interests are i'll tell you what mine like! arts and crafts are always really good things to do! let them paint outside, play with playdough, or just color! We have theme weeks, where 1 week we pick a theme and learn/play lets say its "medival theme week" have them make paper swords one day...build a cardboard fortress one day...make paper crowns one day...and let them watch a movie/cartoon about nights! maybe do a sports theme week..different games every day! maybe have them "help with house work?" most parents think its easier to not let them help, but you should have a little fun chore list, and give them stickers on every "chore completed" and take away stickers for attitude problems...lol....and then if they earn enough they can pick out a toy at the end of the week, or go somewhere fun? hope this helps!
Looking for Crafts. Designated for kids ages 5-7?
Court
Hey guys! I'm going to start watching my two cousins every Thursday and I would really enjoy doing crafts with them on my days. I have googled and found some great ones, but I know that people have great home made ideas out there that would never be found on google! Share away! But remember to keep it simple. Anything goes! I'm up for seasonal, holiday-ish, random. You name!
Ones a boy and ones a girl. Also, they have a baby sister on the way, so any neat ideas to make for the baby or get them ready (craft wise) would be super!
Thanx so much in advance!
Answer
here are some ideas i've come up with - most are pretty generic - you can vary & build on them as required. i've also tried to keep in mind the varied learning experiences & interests of the said ages.
- firstly, kids love collecting stuff, picking things up, etc. So if/when you take them out, collect flowers, fall leaves, twigs, pebbles, pinecones, acorns, shells, - whatever they fancy. then use this collection to make crafts.
- dry the flowers & leaves between newspaper sheets [for a few days], weighted down under a mattress or something.
they can then glue these to paper, cards, candles, book covers, etc.
- pierce cloves in apple or orange to make pommanders which, when dry, can be placed in cupboards.
- make finger, palm, foot prints on large sheets of paper. convert these into animals, etc. by adding a few details with crayons. or cut them out & use them as petals for a flower or some other pattern, such as peacock from hand print...
- leaf-printing -- select a few nicely shaped leaves from your collection. coat them with some thick water color & use as stamp-prints.
if you use acrylic paint, then you can do this on fabric & use the fabric for the little baby's linen.
- similarly, slice different types of vegetables [okra, cucumber, onion - horizontal or vertical, celery, capsicum, ....], dip the cut surface in paint & use to print. again, if you want to do it on fabric, use fabric colors.
- modelling with play-doh, clay, etc.
- make letters from the clay & write their names with them. adhere them to a piece of wood or plastic - they will have made their name-plates to hang on their door.
- look for some empty plastic bottles - diff shapes & sizes. you can also keep the moulds that come in biscuit packets, etc. make little boats, ships, rafts out of these by sticking a wooden skewer mast with paper/fabric sails. sail them in water tubs.
- convert pingpong balls into animals, or other tree decorations by adorning with sequins, etc.
- make pompoms from wool or other yarn. [you can either buy a pom pom maker or just cut a sturdy cardboard in circle with another smaller circle cut out within]. use these balls to make tree decorations, snowmen, bunnies, etc.
- cut paper strips [tapering towards one end] & roll into beads. you can use glossy magazine paper, crepe paper, kite paper, origami paper, etc. Roll over a skewer stick to get the hollow bead. Use these to make fake jewelry or to string along for hanging tree ornaments, etc.
- make paper buntings - fold paper & cut into triangles on one side, or cut rectangular strips & link each strip like a chain. again, you can use light-weight paper..
- spray painting - use brush or comb
- sponge painting
- string painting - dip yarn/strings in different water color solutions. place haphazardly on card paper, with one end sticking out. place another card over it. hold them tightly. then, just pull the strings out. when you lift the card, you'll have Two greeting cards with random patterns!
- make tree ornaments or little bugs, beetles, etc. with walnut shells.
- from some netting, cut out squares or rounds. place pot-pourri flowers & herbs & sprinkle some essence. cluster, tie satin ribbon & use for cupboards, etc.
- make origami arts. or draw & color some favorite things on thick paper & cut out. glue beads, bells, sequins, shells. string these on a mobile for the crib.
- help make cookies - let them cut the dough in various shapes. after baking, let them decorate with frosting, etc. as per their fancy.
many of the above crafts can be used to decorate the baby's room, to make mobiles for the crib, to decorate their own room, to gift for Xmas, ...
for a lot of the crafts, just rummage through the kids' toys & see how differently you can use them...
basically, just have fun :-))) !!!
you can easily mix & match, combine various of the above ideas to create many many more & wonderful things.
hope these inspire you & your cousins.
all the very best & have fun
here are some ideas i've come up with - most are pretty generic - you can vary & build on them as required. i've also tried to keep in mind the varied learning experiences & interests of the said ages.
- firstly, kids love collecting stuff, picking things up, etc. So if/when you take them out, collect flowers, fall leaves, twigs, pebbles, pinecones, acorns, shells, - whatever they fancy. then use this collection to make crafts.
- dry the flowers & leaves between newspaper sheets [for a few days], weighted down under a mattress or something.
they can then glue these to paper, cards, candles, book covers, etc.
- pierce cloves in apple or orange to make pommanders which, when dry, can be placed in cupboards.
- make finger, palm, foot prints on large sheets of paper. convert these into animals, etc. by adding a few details with crayons. or cut them out & use them as petals for a flower or some other pattern, such as peacock from hand print...
- leaf-printing -- select a few nicely shaped leaves from your collection. coat them with some thick water color & use as stamp-prints.
if you use acrylic paint, then you can do this on fabric & use the fabric for the little baby's linen.
- similarly, slice different types of vegetables [okra, cucumber, onion - horizontal or vertical, celery, capsicum, ....], dip the cut surface in paint & use to print. again, if you want to do it on fabric, use fabric colors.
- modelling with play-doh, clay, etc.
- make letters from the clay & write their names with them. adhere them to a piece of wood or plastic - they will have made their name-plates to hang on their door.
- look for some empty plastic bottles - diff shapes & sizes. you can also keep the moulds that come in biscuit packets, etc. make little boats, ships, rafts out of these by sticking a wooden skewer mast with paper/fabric sails. sail them in water tubs.
- convert pingpong balls into animals, or other tree decorations by adorning with sequins, etc.
- make pompoms from wool or other yarn. [you can either buy a pom pom maker or just cut a sturdy cardboard in circle with another smaller circle cut out within]. use these balls to make tree decorations, snowmen, bunnies, etc.
- cut paper strips [tapering towards one end] & roll into beads. you can use glossy magazine paper, crepe paper, kite paper, origami paper, etc. Roll over a skewer stick to get the hollow bead. Use these to make fake jewelry or to string along for hanging tree ornaments, etc.
- make paper buntings - fold paper & cut into triangles on one side, or cut rectangular strips & link each strip like a chain. again, you can use light-weight paper..
- spray painting - use brush or comb
- sponge painting
- string painting - dip yarn/strings in different water color solutions. place haphazardly on card paper, with one end sticking out. place another card over it. hold them tightly. then, just pull the strings out. when you lift the card, you'll have Two greeting cards with random patterns!
- make tree ornaments or little bugs, beetles, etc. with walnut shells.
- from some netting, cut out squares or rounds. place pot-pourri flowers & herbs & sprinkle some essence. cluster, tie satin ribbon & use for cupboards, etc.
- make origami arts. or draw & color some favorite things on thick paper & cut out. glue beads, bells, sequins, shells. string these on a mobile for the crib.
- help make cookies - let them cut the dough in various shapes. after baking, let them decorate with frosting, etc. as per their fancy.
many of the above crafts can be used to decorate the baby's room, to make mobiles for the crib, to decorate their own room, to gift for Xmas, ...
for a lot of the crafts, just rummage through the kids' toys & see how differently you can use them...
basically, just have fun :-))) !!!
you can easily mix & match, combine various of the above ideas to create many many more & wonderful things.
hope these inspire you & your cousins.
all the very best & have fun
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