Glow in the dark activities are REALLY fun for kids (and you), but they are SUPER difficult to photograph. I tried, really I did, but nothing worked out. So, I’m sharing a few fun ideas for glow in the dark fun with your kids for those hot or rainy days when you need to play indoors and you’ll have to use your imagination to picture them. Thanks for understanding. These are ideas are simple, but will provide endless fun for your family. Be sure to check out the rest of the A to Z Rainy Day Activities Series at Something 2 Offer for more fun indoor play ideas.
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Indoor Play Ideas: 10 Bad Weather Boredom Busters
We are blessed to have a few glorious sunshiny days during the winter here in Texas, but we still have our fair share of nasty weather that makes it impossible to play outside. With two very active kids I’ve had to get creative to keep us (me) from going stir crazy. Today I’m sharing 10 ideas we use as bad weather boredom busters. Hopefully they will help you keep your sanity, avoid cabin fever, and have fun with your kids.
Quick & Easy Indoor Play Ideas: Make a Simple Rice Sensory Bin
DIY sensory bins can be a really fun (and cheap) way to keep kids entertained while giving them sensory stimulation and practicing important skills. Your sensory bin doesn’t have to be fancy, and the one I’ll show you today can be made with things you probably have in your kitchen in under 5 minutes. This simple rice sensory bin is so fun and my kids are obsessed with it. Read on to find out how to set up your own and also find other great quick and easy indoor play ideas from my friends in the Kid Blogger Network.
Active Indoor Play: Mini Trampoline and Jumping Activities
Stuck inside with kids who desperately need to burn off energy? Yep, me too. We saw the long, cold winter ahead and bought our kids a mini trampoline for Christmas. It was the Bear’s big present and it has been a LIFESAVER. We were at my parents’ house for the holidays with 5 kids 5 and under, and we got our money’s worth that first week. The trampoline is super fun and helps the kids to be active indoors. The only issue we’ve run in to is that sometimes just plain jumping gets a little old. I’ve compiled a great list of fun activities to do on a mini trampoline (or on the ground if you don’t have one). Our mini trampoline has a support bar, which I’ve found is really helpful for kids under 5. If you want one for your kids, find great deals on mini trampolines here.
Active Indoor Play: Dance Through the Alphabet
The weather outside is frightful, and the indoors might not be so delightful if your kids are filled with pent up energy. My little ones are VERY active and when they don’t get to play outside we have to get creative. I’ve shared before about our dance parties and indoor obstacle courses. Today I’m sharing a new idea we tried this week as part of the Gross Motor Activities from A to Z Series with Still Playing School – lots of great ideas for active indoor play. We’ve been working on the alphabet as part of our home preschool, and the Bear can now identify all of his letters. To practice them while getting some exercise we had an alphabet dance party. With the whole body involved, simple silly dancing becomes a gross motor skill development tool. It was silly, fun, and both kids really got in to it. Best of all you don’t need anything except a little creativity and music. Bonus: Enter to win a Parachute Pack to take active play to the next level. (more…)
DIY Outdoor Obstacle Course Play Ideas for Kids
We are so ready for spring and getting back to our daily outdoor play routine. While my kids play independently pretty well outside, sometimes an activity or a little direction helps to get them moving. We often set up DIY outdoor obstacle course play for the kids using our existing lawn furniture and their outside toys. The course never looks the same and they are always up for racing around, climbing, jumping, and competing. Today I’m sharing how we set up outdoor obstacle course play as part of the Outdoor Play Challenge. Check out the rest of the Outdoor Play Challenge at Building Blocks and Acorns and grab a free printable play calendar with a whole month of fantastic outdoor play ideas.
Taste Safe Snow Dough for Toddler and Preschool Sensory Play
Living in Texas we don’t often get to play in the snow. The Bear knows what it is, but we haven’t had any yet this year. We decided to take matters in to our own hands and make sparkly snow dough to play with inside (and make our own tiny snowman). Because the Pearl Girl is still at the stage where she puts EVERYTHING in to her mouth (as you can see above), I knew I had to make taste safe snow dough. Read on to find out how to make your own, plus find fabulous snow dough ideas from the other 12 Months of Sensory Dough bloggers. Find more of our indoor play ideas here and preschool posts here. For more snowy fun check out my Indoor Snowman Building Ideas here.
Do You Want to Build a Snowman? Three Fun {Indoor} Snowman Activities for Preschoolers
Living in Texas, we rarely get enough real snow to build a snowman. Rather than miss out on all the frosty fun I set up some simple preschool snowman activities for my kids. The supplies and instructions are easy and we had so much fun. (more…)
Four Simple Ways to Use the Amazon Fire HD Kids Edition Tablet to Help Kids Learn, Play, and Grow
We are a few months in to our home preschool journey, and are always looking for new tools for learning at home. When I had the opportunity to review the new Amazon Fire HD Kids Edition Tablet I knew it could be a great fit for our family. Today I’m sharing four ways you can use the tablet to help your kids learn, play, and grow as well as how the Kids Edition Tablet works for us. Read on to find out more and learn how to get a FREE year of Amazon Free Time for your family. (more…)
Play Outside: Five Fun Games for Your Backyard Kiddie Pool
To kick off the summer I’m celebrating Backyard Games Week with a group of fabulous bloggers and sharing our ideas for playing fun games outside with your kids. We love to spend time outside playing our yard, and as soon as it is warm enough we break out two little inflatable kiddie pools. Most of the time the kids splash around and create their own fun, but occasionally I add a game in to the mix to keep them entertained longer. Mama needs time to drink her coffee, right? All of my game ideas are simple and geared towards the 0-3 crowd.