Having a hard time trying to figure out how to plan your days? Is school closed? How about taking initiative and coming up with some great activities for the kids?! Check out our Au Pair in America Pinterest boards for some great ideas: http://www.pinterest.com/aupairinamerica/
Or visit The San Antonio Kids’ Guide for more suggestions: http://sanantoniokidsguide.com/
Don’t have time to go anywhere? See below!
Activities for school aged children using things around the house:
PAPER ARTS:
Basic Bookmaking: Use white or colored paper and a stapler. You can add a cover with themes depending on children’s interest (wrapping paper, magazines, art work).
More elaborate bookmaking with older kids: you can sew the pages together and make a really nice cover by covering some cardboard with nice paper!
Flip Books: Using small post-id pads, draw a picture on each page that looks just a little bit different than the one on the previous page. When you flip the pages really fast, you can see some action!
Paper Chains: Kids can really get into these: Take many strips (about 2 x 8 inches or 5 x 20 cm) of construction paper (white paper will do, too) and staple the first one into a circle. Form the next circle and loop it through the first one. Keep on going until your chain has the desired length. This is a fun project when you use “seasonal” colors, like read, white, and blue for the 4th of July celebration, or orange and black for Halloween.
Origami: Use any kind of paper to fold fun things out of paper. Pick up a book at your library for ideas.
CLAY & CO:
Make your own Silly Putty: You need 1/2 cup of Elmer’s Glue, or any kid-friendly white glue, liquid starch (local drug store, grocery store) and food coloring if desired. Put glue in a small bowl and add liquid starch until it covers the glue. Add food coloring. Start mixing with your hands – it is very messy at first. Keep squeezing until it gets the consistency of Silly Putty or a very soft rubber ball.
Cooking: Especially elementary school-aged kids enjoy cooking. They can help with basic cooking, making fun sandwiches, bagel faces, etc. Be cautious with everything concerning safety. Only hand out plastic knives for children. Point out danger spots in the kitchen (oven and stove, knives, running hot water, microwave, and more). Pick up a kid’s cookbook at your local library, or look online for recipes.
Role Playing: Don’t forget that children love to role play. They may take their favorite stuffed dog for a walk or play a big fantasy role play with you in the backyard or on the playground. If you put up a play with the children, make sure the parents watch it! Use furniture inside to get the right setting for your play.
Games: You probably remember a lot of card games, marble games, games with dice from when you were younger? These are a lot of fun to teach to kids!