ACTIVITIES FOR TODDLERS AND SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN | SUPERMUM AND HER MONSTERS

Do you have a toddler and school aged children? You probably have the same problem as me...its almost impossible to think of activities that they can do together. So i thought I would help you all out, keep reading!

1. ICE CREAM IN A BAG

This helps to incorporate maths and science without the kids even realising!

You will need:

• Large and small ziplock bags
• 4 cups of Ice 
• 1/4 cup of Salt
• 1 tspn of Vanilla extract
• 2 tbs of Sugar 
• 1 x cup of Full fat milk 

Place the milk, vanilla extract and sugar into the small ziplock bag. ensure that it is sealed completely. Then place this into a large ziplock bag. Put the ice and salt into the large bag. Again ensure that the small ziplock bag us fully sealed. You must then shake, shake, shake!!!! possibly for 10 minutes. So make some fun out of it. Put some music on and dance. After 10 minutes the ice cream will be ready. Enjoy!! How about next time experiment with some new flavours and colours.

2. NO COOK PLAY-DOUGH

You will need;

• 2 cups of plain flour
• 1 cup of cold water
• 1 cup of salt
• 1 tbs of oil
• 2 drops of food colouring

Combine flour and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl combine water, food dye and oil, mix well. add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix and kneed well. You can always add little more flour to reach desired consistency if a little wet.

You can always have the kids play around with the different food dye to create their own special colour and add some glitter. Store in airtight containers or ziploc bags

Ask the children to make their favourite cake or cartoon character.

3. STAMPED T-SHIRTS 

You will need;

• white t-shirt
• fabric paint
• potatoes 

Lay t-shirt on a flat surface. Cut potatoes in half, calve desired shape. Put potato stamp into the fabric paint. Have the kids create whatever pattern on the t-shirt that they like. Allow to dry then wear! Try an easter theme just in time for Easter weekend.

4. BALLOON TENNIS

You will need;

• balloons
• paint stirring sticks(normally free from  hardware's)
• paper plates
• Hot glue gun

Glue paint stirring stick onto the plate, allow to dry. Blow up balloon. Start playing tennis. When ever the other person is unable to reach the balloon or it hits the floor you get a point. Time 5 minute games and see who has the most points! its a great game to play when it is  rainy outside, the  kids are exercising and wearing themselves out. Easy to store away and pull back out, blow up a balloon when the kids cry that they are bored.

5. SAND ART

You will need;

• 2 cups of sand
• food dye
• PVA glue
• Paper
• Paint brushes
• bright picture book

Separate sand into 4 bowls (half cup in each), add food dye to reach your desired colour. Allow to sit and dry. Whilst sand is drying read the children a bright picture book. At the end of the book ask the children to create a Sand Art picture inspired by book.

Paint the paper with PVA glue. Give the children teaspoons to sprinkle the sand in their desired pattern. Allow to dry. Shake off excess sand. You can paint another layer of PVA glue if you wish to seal the sand in a little more. Display their beautiful artworks.

6. SCAVENGER HUNT

What you need;


Visit https://au.pinterest.com/explore/nature-scavenger-hunts/ for the free printable.

Either take the kids into the back yard or to a park. Have them search for these items. The older children can do this on their own and you can help your toddler. Once every item is found ask the children to see if they can find anything else that isn't on the list, give them 5 minutes. Then bring them all back and share what was found. Challenge the other kids to find what their siblings have discovered.

7. 100 COOKIES

What you need;

• 500g butter
• 1/2 sugar
• 1 can condensed milk
• 5 cups of self raising flour
• 1 cup of chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix well.Roll a teaspoon worth of dough into a ball. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Ensure that they are well spaced. Bake at 180 degrees for approx 8 minutes for a soft cookie and 10 minutes for a more crunchy cookie.

kids of all aged love being hands on and cooking. Try and be creative with flavourings. You could try jam, for jam drop cookies. Add coconut for a coconut crunch or even add mini M &M's.

You will then have an easy, cheap and quick snacks for the kids. 

If you do not wish to bake this many cookies at once freeze half of the dough and have freshly cooked cookies ready for school snacks or when guests drop by.

Watch our video of how to make these cookies.

8. MELTED CRAYON ART

You will need;

• 1 box of crayons per child
• Canvas per child
• Hairdryer
• Hot glue gun

Have the children select the colours they would like. Glue crayons with tip pointing downwards. Ensure the adult is the only one to use the glue gun as it is very hot. Only place glue on the top half of the crayon. Lean the canvas up against something, place newspaper or old towel underneath as the next bit can get messy. Using a hairdryer point it at the tip of the crayon in a downwards motion. Watch the crayon melt and drip (this will be hot so no little hands near it). Allow to dry and hang their artwork.

9. INTERVIEW WITH KIDS

You will need;

 Head to http://handsonaswegrow.com/wp-content/uploads/year-end-kids-interview-printable_edited-2.pdf for a free printable.

Interview your children. this is a great keepsake to capture what they were like at this very age, photos can only tell you so much. Print out a  couple of extras. Once you have interviewed the children individually have them interview each other. They could also create their own questions and interview you!

10. MAKE AN INSIDE OBSTACLE COURSE

Let the kids drag out blankets, pillows, skipping ropes, chairs whatever else they can think of. Have them positioned so that they must jump, hop, balance and wiggle through things.

The kids will be stoked  that Mum is letting them pull all this out and make a mess. Major brownie points for you!