Keeping
Johnny Busy
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oredom can be a dangerous thing, both for child’s developing mind and for your sanity. No matter what age or stage, keeping kids busy
and active boosts physical and cognitive development. Here are some fun ideas that will keep your child entertained and give you a bit
of a breather:
Up to 2 Years Ages 3-5
Splashing Around
Children this young haven’t yet fully mastered their fine motor skills,
but that doesn’t mean there aren’t activities that will keep them busy.
The world is still a brand new place to them. Something as simple
as water will hold your toddler’s attention for hours. Just be sure to
supervise him the whole time. Even a small amount of water can be
dangerous!
Fill a large bin or a water table with water and an assortment of
plastic cups, balls, squirt toys, and other water-friendly objects, and let
your toddler splash around. The sensation of moving the water around
and playing with the toys will hold his fascination, and all you have to
do is sit back and watch.
If weather prevents you from playing outside, set your toddler on a
chair or footstool and appoint him as your little dishwasher. As he plays
with sponges, suds, cups, and plastic dishware, he’ll not only have a
good time playing, but feel proud that he’s helping you clean. You can
even promote him to cook if you need to get dinner going by filling a
pot with water and having him make “soup” with his toys and some
spoons. Indoor Fort
Building a fort of blankets and pillows is a guaranteed fun time. Once
your child has her fort made, have her decorate the interior to give her
fort that personal touch. You can even have her make animals out of
paper and cardboard or use her favorite stuffed toys and pretend to be
on safari. Whichever way she chooses to make her fort special, she’ll be
keeping busy and strengthening her imagination.
Snack Time Surprise
Make snack time an adventure by filling bowls with different textured
foods, like linguini noodles, crackers, fruit, and cereal. You can even
include mushy foods like applesauce or oatmeal if you don’t mind the
mess. Cover the bowls with a box and cut an arm sized hole in the
middle. Then let your toddler reach in to find her food. This makes for
some great sensory play. It may get messy (and gross!), but your toddler
will be sure to have a great time touching, squeezing, and eating her food.
Mess-Free Painting
Bring out your child’s inner artist! Fill a Ziploc bag with two or three
colors of paint (and glitter if you want that extra dazzle). Secure the bag
to a window with painter’s tape and let your toddler have at it. He’ll stay
fascinated with the feel of moving the paint around and watching the
colors mix, and you won’t have a big mess to clean up afterwards!
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GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
Lil’ Filmmaker
Use your iPad or smartphone to help your child make a movie. Film
him as he plays with his favorite toys or makes his own characters out
of Play-doh or clay. Not only will he have a blast making the film, he’ll
love watching it over and over again. Who knows, you might be paving
the way to a promising film career!
Yardwork Helper
If you like to garden or you just need to get rid of some weeds, have
your child join in. Set aside a small patch of soil, or a planter filled with
dirt, and let her dig to her heart’s content while you work. Help her
plant something, whether it’s flowers or fruit and vegetable seeds. She’ll
have a great time digging and learning all about nature.
Ages 6 and Up
With older kids, the issue is less about keeping them busy, and
more about keeping them active. It can be hard to pull kids away
from their video games, computers, phones, or the TV. Try to get
them outside and moving by introducing them to sports they might
enjoy, such as baseball, basketball, or soccer.
If your child isn’t big on traditional sports, try things like rock
climbing, gymnastics, martial arts, or hiking. There are even kids’
yoga classes that they might like. Of course, your child will be more
motivated to exercise if he sees that you’re exercising too. Try to
make it a family routine to get out and moving a few times a week,
whether it’s a nature walk or a fun, new adventure. You’ll be estab-
lishing healthy exercise habits that they’ll carry on into adulthood.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016
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