There are many tried and true activities for children to engage in. They are all fun and beneficial, but it’s also good to think outside of the box sometimes. New activities bring on new experiences and enhanced skills. Below you will find a few out-of-the-box activities for you to try with the children in your care.
Create A Nail Salon
Getting your hair and nails done can be basic essentials or a special right of passage. So bring the nail (or hair) salon to the kids. This imaginative, creative play activity is fun and jam-packed with benefits for all children, but especially for toddlers and preschoolers. Allow them to use all the colors and patterns that they would like and watch their imagination explode!
Benefits
- Enhancing fine motor skills
- Building hand-eye coordination
- Explore design/color creativity
Supplies
- Cardboard box with hand printouts pasted or hands drawn
- Mannequin hands (if not using cardboard)
- Black Sharpie (if using cardboard)
- Washable kids paints OR non-toxic nail polish
- Small paintbrushes
- Apron
DIY Skin Care
Get children involved with creating the lotions or body butters that they use regularly by helping them to create their own. This sensory activity is great for all ages from toddlers and up. Be sure to double-check all ingredients to make sure the child is not allergic to any of them, and that the parents are okay with each item.
Benefits
- Language development
- Fine motor skills
- Math skills
- Reading skills
- Self-care development
- For older children: an opportunity to talk about entrepreneurship
Supplies
- Recipe
- Shea, cocoa, or mango butter
- Oil of choice (coconut, olive, grapeseed, etc.)
- Cooking Pot
- Vitamin E Oil
- Glass bowl
- Mixer
- Measuring cups
- Essential Oil (optional..lavender if using)
Capturing Memories
Each day we have moments that we can capture and save. Grab a camera, your phone, or the child’s iPad and choose days to explore. Allow the child to take pictures of things that interest them. Whether it’s a plane, the sky, grass, a bug—whatever grabs their attention. While they are exploring, talk about what they see, and ask them why they are interested in it to start up a conversation. Print out the photos to make a craft or scrapbook out of them. Combine pictures in categories (animals, the sky, etc.) or timeframes (example: Sophie’s winter exploration).
Benefits
- Building communication skills
- Enhancing creativity
- Personal expression
- Project management
Supplies
- Camera
- Printer
- Scrapbook
- Scissors
- Magazines (optional)
Practice Teeth Cleaning
During the toddler and preschool age independence starts to heighten. They start to learn new things at a faster pace. One of those new skills is learning how to brush their teeth. You can add to this skill with this teeth cleaning activity.
Benefits
- Enhancing fine motor skills
- Building hand-eye coordination
- Making self-care fun
Supplies
- Laminated mouth/teeth picture
- Unused toothbrush
- Dry erase marker
- Water
Fruit and Vegetable Identification At The Grocery Store
Let’s learn about fruit and vegetables while we shop. This activity is great for toddlers and preschoolers who are just learning how to identify fruit and vegetables. Taking little ones out for a stroll to get some fresh air has many benefits that add to going to the grocery (preferably one with small carts for children) to do this activity.
Benefits
- Build communication skills
- Concentration
- Visual memory
- Attention to detail
Supplies
- 1-3 laminated pages of fruit and vegetables
- Small child grocery cart (optional)
- Access to your grocery store of choice
To enhance this activity: purchase 1 fruit and 1 vegetable and explore it at home. During exploration, you all can remove the seeds, taste the fruit/vegetable, identify the colors/shapes, and much more.
Alphabet Chart
Create a chart (a big one) that you add the “letter of the week” to each week. Keep a space next to each letter so that you can add items that begin with that letter throughout the week. These can be pictures, toys, or the actual item. Laminate the chart if you want to use dry-erase markers for each new letter.
Benefits
- Identify new things
- Build language development
- Parents can play when you’re not around
Supplies
- Posterboard or construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Tape
- Marker
When you’re taking care of children it is great to keep things fun, educational, and interesting. Your go-to activities are important to have, but so are ones outside of the box. Don’t be afraid to try something new and continue to get creative with how you spend your time with your kids!
