Some days you just need your child to work on something by himself. Usually when you're really stressed it's hard to think of activities for him to do.
Here's a list that might be helpful to print out for those occasions!
* Give your child two rolls of pennies and let her put the coins into a piggy bank.
* Bring out the cookie cutters and homemade clay. (the simple homemade kind doesn't stick or make as much of a mess as commercial play clay)
* Make a necklace with yarn and ziti pasta or fruity loop cereal.
* Give your child a couple of large boxes to play with.
* Offer your child a pencil and a pad of post-it notes. You'd be amazed at how long this activity can keep a little one occupied!
* Load up the refrigerator door with magnets of all kinds and let the fun begin!
* Sort sea shells and place into an egg carton.
* Have your child put a sock on her hand and help "dust" the furniture.
* Get a bag of 15 bean soup. Let your child sort beans or glue onto a piece of cardboard.
* Shine a large flashlight on the wall and let child make hand shadows. Sure, you'll use up a few batteries, but sanity is worth a couple bucks!
* Let him measure objects around the house with a small retractable measuring tape.
* My niece loved this activity --even before she could walk! I'd give her a small bowl of water, a toothbrush, and some baking soda. She'd sit and "scrub" the kitchen floor and keep pointing to more baking soda!
* Make leaf rubbings by placing a sheet of paper over a leaf and coloring over it with a crayon. You can do coin rubbings, shell rubbings, etc.
* Chalk on dark paper makes for a fun activity.
* Have your child try to bounce ping pong balls into a small wastebasket.
* Provide a stack of magazines that need the "cards" taken out of the middle. Funny how these simple activities can provide so much fun!
* Pitch a tent! A large sheet over a card table or 4 chairs makes a great imaginary playground. Invite some stuffed animals over for extra fun!
* Provide a few plastic kitchen utensils and some old pots and pans to play with.
* Children love to use unusual items like a hole punch. Simply provide a few sheets of colorful paper, and the fun can last for a good half-hour!
These activities all provide important independent learning time for preschoolers. Fun and games lead to "brain gain"!
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Lisa Preston taught public school for 17 years before becoming a Homeschool Evangelist! Pick up her free book Why You Should Homeschool Your Child at
http://www.homeschoolhelper.com
Lisa R Preston is the author of numerous books, articles, and best-selling software, Instant Niche Emails. She enjoys coaching her clients to create streams of income around their passions in life.
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