Hello All!
In a effort to help with ideas for play, interaction, and engagement with your children, I am providing some ideas of activities, crafts, and possible therapy tools that you can make with supplies that you currently have.
Look in the Garage or Recycling Bin!
Those of you who know me, know that I am a huge fan of reusing and creating useful items from recycled materials.
Pool Noodle Fun!
Do you have any old pool noodles, hanging out in the garage or poolside?
Sadly, they cannot be recycled so please use them in a creative way!
Go here for some great ideas on what to do with those noodles.
From trash to treasure . . .
Use a variety of cans and plastic containers to store shaker eggs or even plastic bugs.
Make a Froggy
Make a froggy that can “eat” some bugs, pompons or whatever small items you can find around the house!
Shaker Eggs
These may not be in your recycling bin but hopefully you can find a few around the house.
You’ll have endless fun with shaker eggs! Create eggs with different fillings and see if you can match them by the sound they make when you shake them!
I’ve used dried pasta, beans, rice, and sand. What would it sound like with coins, rubber bands, bottle caps, or cotton balls?
Crafts!
Play Dough Fun
You probably already have most of these ingredients at home. It’s ok if you don’t have the cream of tartar but it does help with preserving the dough.
Dig out the cookie cutters. Make some fun shapes!
*You don’t need a laminator for this activity! Use some plastic file folders or document covers instead.
Get out the vehicles and animals and make tracks in the dough. My favorites are the dino tracks!
Matching Pages
Make a matching activity book!*
*This does involve using a copy machine and laminator but laminating is optional.
Craft Sticks
Craft sticks are great for building and creating. Use colorful ones or paint/color the natural sticks.
Add Velcro dots for endless fun making letters, shapes, or whatever your imagination comes up with.
Sensory/Activity Wallet
These wallets can be customized to your child’s favorite characters, animals or activities.
Tea Set
This tea set activity is one of my favorites for working on functional language with my kiddos! These supplies may not be around your house, but online ordering for a few crafting supplies is possible!
Bean Bin Play
I customize my bean bin activity for each child that I work with. These animal packs are examples of some of the small toys that you could use for your bin.
Photo Album
Making a personal photo album is an activity that I recommend for all of my families.
Social Engagement Kits
Organizing your play spaces can be so beneficial to your child’s progress. Give it a try!
Read, Read, Read!
Gather all of your favorite books and enjoy reading, pointing to pictures, touching a variety of textures and making funny sounds.
Model animal and vehicle sounds and give different voices to all of the characters in the story.
Sing Songs and Play Music
Bring out the musical instruments or make your own shakers with plastic eggs and beans, or drums from pringles cans and sticks. You can make a fun rain stick with a paper towel tube filled with uncooked tube pasta and dry rice. Seal the ends and then turn over and over again for a calming sound of “rain”.
Visuals
Make your own visuals for when you read your favorite stories.
I found these pictures on a free site. (This was many years ago, so I don’t remember where I found them.) I copied and laminated them so they would last and I can clean them, but laminating is optional.
The kids love to hold them and follow the direction to place them in a folder or box as we read or sing “Brown Bear”.
Go Outside!
I know we are all trying to self isolate right now, but try to get out into your yard or patio to get some fresh air and maybe even a little sunshine.
Here are some ideas:
- Sidewalk chalk
- “Paint” the house exterior with a large paint brush and water. How long does it take to dry?
- Hide some plastic eggs around the yard. Place some goodies in each one. Maybe a sticker in each one and then make a picture afterwards.
- Fill a baby pool, bin, or bucket with water and gather some items around the house to see if they will float. Don’t forget about those pool noodles! Cut some rings and float some animals in the water.
- Place some empty water bottles and knock them down with your favorite ball. Fill some of them with some sand or rice to see if that makes it a little more challenging.
- Put some tape around your arm or your child’s arm, sticky-side out to make a discovery bracelet. Walk around your yard and collect some small sticks, leaves or wild flowers that you might find. Stick them to your bracelet and talk about all of the great things you found!