Saturday, 07 November 2009

• Easy and Inexpensive Games for Your Child to Play

  
  (via Ohdeedoh, Food on a String game -quick, easy, cheap and fun for the kids!)
  

  Looking for inexpensive and easy game ideas to play with your children or the families you baby-sit for?  Look no further!  As a nanny I have spent a ton of time coming up with creative ways to keep little ones happy and having fun on a budget.  Here are some simple ideas that have worked for me.  I mostly work with toddlers so these games were designed to be easy and appealing for them but with some adaptations older children will enjoy them too (especially the last one). 

  “What is that Sound” Game

  One game I recently started playing with a child I baby-sit for is a game I call “What is that Sound?”  First you will need three empty containers that can not easily be opened by the child; I found and washed out three empty Play-Doh containers for our game.   Next, with the toddler watching, place an item in each; I used a toy car for one, beans for another, and water for the third container.   Then shake each container and say the name of the item that is inside, for instance if you shake the container with the car say “car”, if it is the one with the beans say “beans” and if it is the one with the water say “water”.  Now, ask the child to shake each one, you may find this is entertainment enough for him or her!  Allow the child to shake each container for a minute or two then take one of the containers and shake it.  As you shake the container ask the child “What is in this container?  What is making that sound?”  Let the child guess until they get them all correct or until they grow bored and disinterested in the game.  This is a great game you can play over and over again, just switch up the items inside for some new fun!

  “Over-sized Dominoes”

  Toddlers love to make messes and love to knock things over.  Let them have their fun with this game!  Take empty boxes such as cereal or cracker boxes and have the child help you line them up close enough that when one falls it touches and knocks over the one next to it.  Make a small line or an elaborate shape; it is all up to you and your child. Once you are finished with the set-up stand back and let the child knock over the first box.  Now standby and watch the joy on their faces as they get to knock over a bunch of stuff without being reprimanded for it! 

  “Treasure Hunt”

  This one can be very simple or very detailed depending on how much time you have or want to spend on the set-up.  First, hide an object or a box full of “treasure” (candy, stickers, a puzzle or small game, coloring book and crayons, use your imagination, as long as it is something the child will enjoy you can’t go wrong!).  Next, depending on the age of the child draw a “treasure map” leading to the “treasure”, write riddles leading the child to various clues you have hidden that eventually lead to the treasure, or give verbal cues for very small children as to where they should look (tell them they are hot or cold, or close or far).  Again there is so much you can do with this game and since you can always switch up what the hidden “treasure” is and where it is located you can play this game over and over again! 

  Please suggest any fun and easy games your kids like to play with us.
  

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