activities to help keep your kids busy at home
WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THESE KIDS?
The day to day needs of our young children are many times very similar . They need to play and explore. Some of us are facing or may face school closures. I know many families are choosing to stay home from certain activities and public spaces. If you are among these families, you may start to feel a little cooped up and stir crazy. We have compiled a list of novel and fun, yet easy to implement activities for your little ones. Most of these activities make use of things you already have and can be changed based on what you don’t have, what you can rustle up and what your kids love to do. Take the age recommendations as just that, a recommendation. We know, all kids are different with different preferences and capabilities. You know your child best!
A word about 1 year olds - we worked hard to share activities for the under 2 year olds. Please keep in mind, between 9 and 18 months is the prime age for exploring with the mouth. Our littles this age will likely put everything and anything in the mouth particularly when new to them. Please be cautious with small pieces and ensure the littlest ones are supervised when playing with small toys or objects!
We love sharing this stuff and are happy to help! One final and very important note - many of these activities are based on our Mrs. Nipple team member, Emily’s @emilykasel, experience as an early child educator and curriculum expert but much of it is also based off of the incredible work of Susie Allison @busytoddler.
Don’t go crazy trying all these activities in one day. Show your little one “how to do it” by doing it yourself (modeling) and then let them freely explore! Remember even if it gets messy, messes can be cleaned up and cleaning up a mess can be a great way to pass even more time. If something feels too messy or stressful for you, it’s okay to decide you're not going to do it. The idea is to reduce stress, not add. Think of this as a menu, not a to do list.
Have fun and Please DM @emilykasel for any questions or help you may need facilitating these activities.
Essential Supplies:
Painters Tape - blue painters tape is great because you can tape up anything, anywhere temporarily without leaving a mark.
White Butcher Paper - this stuff will last you a lifetime and you can roll it out as long as you like. So great for taping to the wall.
