Tag Archives: indoors

Cool off with some indoor games!

Here are two simple games to play with young children when it is too hot out to be very active.

I Spy – To play this game simply choose an object within eyeshot and state the color of the object (or with older children say the first letter that the name of the object begins with). For example, if your object is a banana you say “I spy with my little eye, something yellow (or beginning with ‘B’)” Each person takes turns guessing what object you spied. Whoever guesses the object gets to go next.

Hide It – Hide an object in an obvious place. For example, place your portable telephone on top of the television. The first person to find the telephone gets to pick the next object and hide it. The only rule is that the object cannot actually be “hidden”, it must be in a visible place and not hidden from view.

http://www.ehow.com/list_6718041_easy-play-kids-inside-outside.html

Ways to keep busy in the winter

There is still  plenty to keep you upbeat and busy until the spring weather appears.

Here are a few suggestions:

  • Let the child in you escape and try tubing at the local ski resorts.

  • Go outside everyday, go for a walk, try jogging…exercise improves mental health.

  • Join  a health club. You not only get in shape for Spring, but you will also meet new people!

  • Use the library in your town. Sign up the kids and yourself, for the free programs.  Area libraries also have ESL programs !

  • Prepare a Global Awareness presentation for one of your host kids’ classes.

  • Volunteer at a local hospital, school , animal shelter, food bank or wherever your interests bring you. Helping others stimulates the brain activity. You help other to feel good and you feel good about yourself!

  • Set a goal for yourself, to learn somthing new each day. Record it in a journal and you will be surprised, at what you have accomplished, by the end of your year in the U.S.A

  • Arrange a play date with another Au Pair and her host kids.

  • Call a friend, and meet for coffee.

  • Get plenty of sleep each night, and as your mom told you when you where young, eat your vegetables!

  • Spring will be here soon!

National Puzzle Day!

Don’t be puzzled by today. National Puzzle Day honors puzzles of all size, shape and form. Crossword puzzles are by far the most common. Sudoku, a number puzzle, is the most recent puzzle rage. There are easy puzzles, and there are puzzles for experts.

 They fit the needs of every person, and every skill level.

puzzle

 

Puzzles are a favorite pastime of millions of people, young and old. So, what’s with this fascination over puzzles? There are numerous reasons for their popularity. For many, doing puzzles is fun. Some people just like the challenge of completing them, and graduating to evermore complex and difficult puzzle solving levels. For others, it is a way to kill time, and to eliminate boredom. Others still, do puzzles to keep their mind sharp, or to learn new words.

Take time to read a book today!

mom readingIt is never too early to start reading to children.  Children of all ages enjoy having stories read to them.  Reading, cuddling up on a couch or reading before a child takes a nap or goes to sleep at night, is comforting for the child.  This special time together builds a bond, take the time to read to the children in your life.

  • Read slowly, this gives children time to think about what you are reading.
  • Change your voice for different characters, or read in a softer voice from some characters, louder for others.   A sing song voice is fun for young children.
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  • Share a picture book with a child and have them tell you a story from the pictures!
  • Read every day!
  • Children have favorites, so don’t worry if they want the same story every day, but add a few others so they can develop new favorites.
  • Talk about the story, ask the children what was their favorite part.  Let them share the story back to you or their parents!
  • Do arts and crafts about the story.  Have them draw you a picture about the story.
  • If the children are old enough to read themselves, have them read you a story.  Alternate, you read, they read.  This will encourage them to read more!
  • Have fun, read stories about subjects you and the children enjoy!
  • Turn off the TV and computer and read!