This winter has been a long one. Long, is putting it lightly. I have no doubt that if I could see each and every person that is reading right now and if I were to take a poll----I would guess that every one of you would raise your hand if I were to ask who was ready for warmer temperatures, to leave the house without five layers on, and to actually be able to get the kids out of the stir crazy inside that many of us have felt trapped in. If you live in Florida, you certainly do not count.
While you continue to dream about the beach and the beaming sun, let us talk about something that is very important, critical I should say, in surviving the treacherous indoors for 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Keeping busy.
Keeping busy and coming up with new ideas.
Games.
Activities.
Put a sheet over your head and run around the house pretending you are a ghost.
Or make things out an egg carton.
That sort of busy.
Toys? You might as well forget it. You're going to have to put your thinking cap on and get to work.
Thankfully there are people like myself who have spent an awful amount of time indoors during the past 3 months and have stared at things like an egg carton and thought to myself:
"What in the world can I do with this."Make a scavenger hunt. Make it fun. Make it a time for communication. Make it a learning experience. Oh man the ideas were just swimming in my head and I could barely keep up.
Although this project was ultimately for my youngest for the learning aspect, I definitely wanted to have my oldest involved as much as possible and therefore she was part of the painting, the decorating, and then the most fun part of all---finding all the different characters from Disney's The Pirate Fairy movie.
Never had I imagined the excitement that would come out of that little girl's mouth.
Andrew and I were giggling every time she found a new character and then she made us hide them over and over and over again. Eventually she hid them herself and then went to find them. Tricky girl.
But best part of all this? Is the fact that she enjoyed putting this project together and then doing it. As well as the joy of knowing that I can use this for later activities with Graham in learning his ABC's, his numbers, shapes, colors, sight words, and more. Just attach these little learning things to the fairies and you have yourself an endless list of opportunities to teach your little ones.
Here is what you need and what to do:
What you Need
1. Egg carton
2. Paint {or you can use markers}
3. Paintbrushes {or if you use markers}
4. Glue {or hot glue gun for quicker drying time---I'm a little inpatient, so I do the glue gun}
5. Stickers to decorate with numbers/ABC's/ shapes {Or you can draw them on with markers}
6. Craft Sticks
7. Tape
8. Scissors
What you Do
1. Paint your egg carton different colors for each egg.
2. Paint the outside white.
3. Decorate as you please---ABC's on the outside, and numbers on each "egg"
4. Print off your scavenger hunt figures
5. Print off the checklist for the child to have as a guide
6. Hide them in good places and most importantly, have fun!
So indoors, crazy weather, and the winter that never ends, guess what.... you have not conquered us. We are making fun every which way we can, and teaching our children at the same time!
If you'd like to print off this exact scavenger hunt, click on the link below, don't forget to keep your egg carton, and get to painting!
Your child will be thanking you.
That and it will give you a break from having to run around the house with a sheet over your head.....save that for next winter.
PRINT SCAVENGER CHECK OFF AND STICK FIGURES
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| LINK HERE |
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