Okay! So its Summer already! And we have a tricky situation :) - kids are at home 24x7!
While there are a million classes / Summer camps flooding your doorstep with their advertisements, do you really need to dispatch your little to yet another mini school in that sweltering heat? While a swimming class every alternate day is great, you could save the heat & stress by starting mini sessions of your own! Just pick one DIY everyday & explore the fun you can have with your little one!
While I did create a list of some 22 DIYs that I'd create for my daughter, I'm not sure if I'd complete them this summer! (Talk about a Mommy's life!). But there is certainly one thing that I discovered: Our little kids find greatest pleasures in simplest things. Over this week I found that even though I just made very simple Princess Crown, Paper Chain, Paper Bracelet in the name of summer activity, she loved it. And was actually more excited than I could think. So I guess, its just about us as parents who feel that expensive toys/activities/sports/classes will lure them the most...but as is the case, precious joys are hidden in simplest things... And am thankful! (certainly not against these wonderful classes, just that kids should be old enough to enjoy or cherish them. As long as simple is precious, we as mommies should cherish being with them!)
Okay, so here's a list of stuff you can create - it may be darn simple, but remember its great for 2-6 year old kids...
1) Paper Crafts: Pick up ordinary paper & make boats, plane, animals, bunting, basket, good old dolls (in picture)... Whatever you make, just let your kid color it... it just doubles the fun for them!
2) Act a Fairy Tale: Tell your tiny tot a story & let them enact along with you... That way you'll get to discover the hidden actor within you & your kid :)
3) Coloring: Its simple & a No-Brainer. But often kids love very simple things, so just draw something funny & let them color! Experiment with colors, paper, fabric according to their age... At four years, my daughter loves water colors... & came up with something so beautiful... (I asked her what should I draw & she said, 'Two Dinosaurs trying to eat up a boy & boy is shouting') ...well, that's imagination running wild! :)
4) Sing a Song & Do Sing Along: Kids love songs & rhymes. Take off a few minutes during the day & sing along with them... I discovered that I had learnt numerous songs during school days... & now as I sing along with my girl, its just 'Yesterday Once More...'
5) Clay Activity: Play Dough is great fun. Make shapes using cookie cutters, bottle caps, spoons or simply with hands... Dry them out & make magnets, paper weights, incense stick holders & much more with clay!
6) Read a Book: Kids don't read for hours like us... But just a few minutes with a book can take them into a wonderful world of animals, people, fairies etc. This way, they'll develop the habit of reading... & a passion!
7) Outdoor Sports: Just sending you kid out to play is not the only way... double his fun time by joining him or her with a Ball, Frisbee etc.
8) Forest Trail: If there's a forest or simply a garden... take them for a Nature Trail. Discover flowers, trees & bugs along with your kid and help them learn the fun way!
9) Bead Jewellery: This one is a great option for girls, but with caution. Buy wooden beads & let your girl make a beautiful piece for herself! :) ...She made this colorful bead neck piece & has never taken it off since... :)
10) Cook & Bake: Think of a very simple & safe recipe - let your little one help you with stirring, pouring, mixing... I've been baking cakes with my girl & I often act as if I'm hosting a food show for her... she loves it & tries to do the same... Adorable! :) And while doing this we created a few items for her kitchen! Aren't those French Breads cute? :)
2) Act a Fairy Tale: Tell your tiny tot a story & let them enact along with you... That way you'll get to discover the hidden actor within you & your kid :)
3) Coloring: Its simple & a No-Brainer. But often kids love very simple things, so just draw something funny & let them color! Experiment with colors, paper, fabric according to their age... At four years, my daughter loves water colors... & came up with something so beautiful... (I asked her what should I draw & she said, 'Two Dinosaurs trying to eat up a boy & boy is shouting') ...well, that's imagination running wild! :)
4) Sing a Song & Do Sing Along: Kids love songs & rhymes. Take off a few minutes during the day & sing along with them... I discovered that I had learnt numerous songs during school days... & now as I sing along with my girl, its just 'Yesterday Once More...'
5) Clay Activity: Play Dough is great fun. Make shapes using cookie cutters, bottle caps, spoons or simply with hands... Dry them out & make magnets, paper weights, incense stick holders & much more with clay!
6) Read a Book: Kids don't read for hours like us... But just a few minutes with a book can take them into a wonderful world of animals, people, fairies etc. This way, they'll develop the habit of reading... & a passion!
7) Outdoor Sports: Just sending you kid out to play is not the only way... double his fun time by joining him or her with a Ball, Frisbee etc.
8) Forest Trail: If there's a forest or simply a garden... take them for a Nature Trail. Discover flowers, trees & bugs along with your kid and help them learn the fun way!
9) Bead Jewellery: This one is a great option for girls, but with caution. Buy wooden beads & let your girl make a beautiful piece for herself! :) ...She made this colorful bead neck piece & has never taken it off since... :)
10) Cook & Bake: Think of a very simple & safe recipe - let your little one help you with stirring, pouring, mixing... I've been baking cakes with my girl & I often act as if I'm hosting a food show for her... she loves it & tries to do the same... Adorable! :) And while doing this we created a few items for her kitchen! Aren't those French Breads cute? :)
11) Scrabble / Crossword: You don't need to buy one to play... just take a paper & pen... write some short spellings & let your kid learn new words around that. My girl loves those little crosswords that come everyday in newspaper... She fills them with her own spellings... 'ONE, TWO...' etc ... what joy to see her cute acts.
12) Paper Puppets: This DIY was long back & am yet to share the templates with you. Its very easy, fun & can be played with in various ways! The link to template will be posted soon, promise! :)
13) Dance Baby Dance: You can dance around with your little one and no one will judge you! Its a great way of spending time with your little one... teach them a move or just copy what they do... Its so much fun & you'll lose those extra calories along the way too!
14) Activity Book: Create your own activity books for your little one. Just take 4-5 pages... You can add various things on different pages like coloring, counting, missing letters, tiny puzzle, match the following, opposites & more... You don't have to run to the bookstore every now and then, just devise some simple activities... Remember, kids don't really think about exclusive & exotic books... for them anything is great, as long as its fun!
15) Water Fun: Fill a small bucket, drop in their favorite blocks, doll etc and let them have fun for half an hour... they'll love it. Who needs a Water Park when you can devise a pulley & a tiny bucket to drench yourself and your kiddo? Try it, you'll love it!
16) Blow Bubbles: This one is therapeutic! Try blowing bubbles along with your kid & you'll actually end up finishing the liquid before they do! :)
17) Homemade Picnic: With sweltering heat around who wants to venture out? But hey, who says picnic is all about going out? Just spread a little mat in your porch/balcony, a few snacks, juice/milk, play some music & you're ready to picnic... just Mommy n Little one! Well, Dad can join the fun on weekends... I've done it so many times here in my balcony, that now my girl thinks that every meal is actually a picnic! Including Tea times!
18) Make a House: Not with bricks! Just a few pillows, a light cloth & a few clothespins... Make a hideout/house for your boy/girl & let them play. In case you make it big enough, you can play too... Its fun to get creative with this one!
19) Click to Scrap: Take pictures when you both take up an activity. And then just create a scrapbook of Summer of 2014...so when they grow up, you can proudly show them, 'I know what you did last Summer!' ;)
20) Catch up on sleep: Kids & Mommies both need to catch up on their sleep idle summer holidays...All day of inexhaustible jumping, playing, running, screaming etc can certainly get your child tired. And You? let's not even get started! So just ease out, relax and have a fun summer siesta... while it lasts!
These are fun activities for kids aged 2-6 years. You may not agree with all of these, but having a list of To-Do's in one place certainly helps! That's why I just thought of sharing what I do, with you :)
If you loved it, just drop in a comment...I'd love to hear from you!
Have Fun!
12) Paper Puppets: This DIY was long back & am yet to share the templates with you. Its very easy, fun & can be played with in various ways! The link to template will be posted soon, promise! :)
13) Dance Baby Dance: You can dance around with your little one and no one will judge you! Its a great way of spending time with your little one... teach them a move or just copy what they do... Its so much fun & you'll lose those extra calories along the way too!
14) Activity Book: Create your own activity books for your little one. Just take 4-5 pages... You can add various things on different pages like coloring, counting, missing letters, tiny puzzle, match the following, opposites & more... You don't have to run to the bookstore every now and then, just devise some simple activities... Remember, kids don't really think about exclusive & exotic books... for them anything is great, as long as its fun!
15) Water Fun: Fill a small bucket, drop in their favorite blocks, doll etc and let them have fun for half an hour... they'll love it. Who needs a Water Park when you can devise a pulley & a tiny bucket to drench yourself and your kiddo? Try it, you'll love it!
16) Blow Bubbles: This one is therapeutic! Try blowing bubbles along with your kid & you'll actually end up finishing the liquid before they do! :)
17) Homemade Picnic: With sweltering heat around who wants to venture out? But hey, who says picnic is all about going out? Just spread a little mat in your porch/balcony, a few snacks, juice/milk, play some music & you're ready to picnic... just Mommy n Little one! Well, Dad can join the fun on weekends... I've done it so many times here in my balcony, that now my girl thinks that every meal is actually a picnic! Including Tea times!
18) Make a House: Not with bricks! Just a few pillows, a light cloth & a few clothespins... Make a hideout/house for your boy/girl & let them play. In case you make it big enough, you can play too... Its fun to get creative with this one!
19) Click to Scrap: Take pictures when you both take up an activity. And then just create a scrapbook of Summer of 2014...so when they grow up, you can proudly show them, 'I know what you did last Summer!' ;)
20) Catch up on sleep: Kids & Mommies both need to catch up on their sleep idle summer holidays...All day of inexhaustible jumping, playing, running, screaming etc can certainly get your child tired. And You? let's not even get started! So just ease out, relax and have a fun summer siesta... while it lasts!
These are fun activities for kids aged 2-6 years. You may not agree with all of these, but having a list of To-Do's in one place certainly helps! That's why I just thought of sharing what I do, with you :)
If you loved it, just drop in a comment...I'd love to hear from you!
Have Fun!
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