Rainy Day Boredom Busters: Screen - Free

 There is nothing like having a child or house full of children who are bored. Bored children can aggravate themselves or siblings, get buried into electronics, or find some mischief to get into. All of these things happen with my toddlers if an activity is not planned. That is why I am always planning fun activities for them to channel their energy if we cannot get outside. There has been quite a few rainy days so I had to dig into my "activity bag" for some fresh ideas. These activities were intended for ages 2-7 but big kids will also enjoy them. 

Reading

 There is nothing like a good book. Encourage your child to read a story to themselves, a sibling, a stuffed toy or even YOU!. There are so many benefits to reading- communication skills, vocabulary building, stretching their attention span, cognitive development and the list goes on. Get a little creative by encouraging your child to draw their favorite part of the story. If you have a little problem solver, encourage your child to solve the problem in the story. You can add a stem component and physically solve the story's problem. In "Three Little Pigs" you can provide materials to create a house that cannot be blown down. 

Balloons 

Balloons are absolutely magical. Besides electronics, balloons are one of the items in my home that can keep my boys entertain for 20 minutes or more. 20 minutes is a very long time to a toddler and a toddler mama!!!! 

Balloons can just be filled with air and your child will enjoy a game of "Keep the balloon in the air". I like to tell my boys that the floor is lava (like the popular song). 

Balloon Tennis is a great gross motor game. All you need: paper plates, tape and a handle( you can use a plastic spoon, plastic knife, or  large wooden craft stick.

Tape Rescue

Tape is another one of my go to resources since its inexpensive and versatile. Place objects inside of a plastic container and create a maze with tape on top. You can incorporate letters, numbers or small toys. I like to use painter's tape as its not damaging to walls or most surfaces. 

Toddlers as young as 1 can develop their fine motor skills by taking tape off of the objects placed on a surface. Tape is portable and can be used on a road trip or a doctor visit. 

Sensory Play 

with Dried or Cooked Noodles 

Sensory play with noodles is a fun activity for children as young as 8 months (with supervision, of course). I recommend cooked noodles for children under 1 years old as it is a taste safe option. My youngest toddler is now 14 MO and I still prefer cooked noodles over dried noodles. Add scoops, cups, and tongs for fine motor development. 

Instead of cooked noodles, you can substitute couscous, beans or mixed veggies. 

Playing with Recyclable objects

Children have a gift of using their imagination to create new uses of things. Cereal, snack, and juice boxes can be used as large blocks. Juice box containers are the perfect size for small hands to manipulate and stack. Older children will enjoy stacking with the juice boxes.

You can use anything you have on hand. I used plastic cups and paper plates to make a tower with my oldest son. He enjoyed building and rebuilding the tower. 

Play with Pouch Caps

We are very proud of our pouch cap collection. We started collecting pouch caps in September 2020. I haven't counted them but we probably have over 100 of them now. Children love collecting things and its quite the bonding experience. Pouch caps can be used in loose parts play, making jewelry, stem activities with play dough, printing with paint, sorting, counting, and the list goes on. 

No Sew Sock Puppets 

Sock puppets are one of those traditional DIY toys from the past. I remember making sock puppets with my mom and also at summer camp. As a kid, little did I know, that sock puppets help with fine motor development (twisting little fingers inside of the sock), communication skills, social skills, cognitive development. The awesome thing about sock puppets is that you can use whatever materials you have on hand. The possibilities are endless. If you need a guide, here's instructions by Mas and Pas. 

Floor is Lava Game

I ran across "Floor is Lava" on Youtube last summer. I introduced my toddlers to the video and it was an instant hit! All you have to do is pretend the floor is lava. When the floor is lava, the floor cannot be touched! Create a safe place such as a blanket or some pillows for your child(ren) to escape to. Its a high energy game that your kiddos will love. I included the link to the video here. 

Obstacle courses/ Relay Races

I always aim for high energy activities as they are good for fitness as well as gross motor development. The great thing about an obstacle course or a relay race is that it can be modified for indoor/outdoor and according to age. I started with my toddlers at age 1. Now, at age 1, it isnt much of a race but it is cute to see them running around. My oldest is 2 so the relay races have increased with difficulty. 

Dance Freeze

Dance Freeze has been a favorite activity amongst all ages 3 -12. With older children, it becomes a competition of who can freeze the best. This is how the game is played in case you are unfamiliar. Play a song. Encourage your child to dance whenever they hear the music playing. Pause the song at random times. Your child needs to freeze or stop dancing when the music is paused. Most children will become a "statue" or hold their last dance position. Older children that dance when the music stops can be eliminated. Another variation is for a child to do five jumping jacks in order to return to the game. 

Duck, Duck Goose

Duck, Duck, Goose is one of the first games I introduce to toddlers 2 and up. Its a great gross motor and listening game. Duck , Duck, Goose is also a game that can be played by older children as well. 

Musical Chairs

Musical chairs is a classic game that is played amongst elementary school students. This is also a great listening game where your child has to pay attention to stop moving when the music is paused. This is typically an elimination game which is tough to play with preschoolers. I changed the game slightly with my preschool students. I had enough chairs for all of the children to play. 

Build A Fort 

Fort building is enjoyed by both girls and boys. A tablecloth and table becomes transformed into castle, house, hide-out and more! It takes a little imagination and about 5 minutes to create. There are actual fort building kits you can buy if your children enjoy building forts.

Dress- Up

Dress up is tons of fun. I remember putting on my mom's heels and pretending to go shopping. Dress up is an important part of pretend play as children work on their vocabulary and self expression. You don't need any fancy equipment. Just an open mind and some fashionable pieces! 

Indoor Parade 

"Follow the leader" and form an indoor parade. Play some conga line music. You can even incorporate pots and pans as drums if your ear drums allow! 

Talent Show

Every child I know love to put on a show. My niece formed a duo with her best friend and they would perform for us at family functions. It was so adorable. The talent show does not have to be a formal affair. It is just a forum for your child to showcase what they can do!

 

Meditation Painting

Teaching mindfulness can start as early as 2. Play some mediation music while your child paints. Its a soothing and relaxing experience. Breathing Space writes about 5 Mindful Art Activities you can do at home. 

Yoga

I just started doing Yoga during the pandemic. Cosmic Kids  Yoga is a great resource for kid friendly yoga routines. She has over 500 videos of different kid themed yoga. Try it! Yoga is good for fitness, mindfulness, and a cool down for nap time. 

paper airplane

Making a paper airplane is pretty simple but will keep your child entertained for quite some time.  Check this easy airplane tutorial on Youtube by the Kidsplainer. 

indoor picnic 

I started doing indoor picnics this past winter when it was too cold to go outside. my toddlers love eating picnic style in the house. All you need is a blanket or plastic tablecloth. I like using the plastic tablecloth because it can be easily disposed of if the mess is hard to clean or too tired to clean lol. 

Karaoke/ Kids Bop

Music is my go to activity for entertaining my kiddos. I guess this explains all of the music related activities on the post. Music is universal and enjoyed by all. Kids Bop has videos on Xfinity, Youtube and on their website. During the pandemic, Kids Bop Starting Streaming their dance routines for most days during the week around 3pm EST. 

                      

                           Arts and Crafts 

Do some arts and crafts if you have an artsy kid or two. My latest headband craft is a ladybug headband. Its so cute and simple to make. Here is the ladybug craft template.