There’s no easy way to put this: 2022 is starting to feel like 2020, too. The Omicron variant is rapidly spreading. Many schools are going remote. Many offices are as well. While it doesn’t look like another lockdown will take effect, one thing is for certain: the majority of us will be spending a lot more time indoors. That will require a few things: patience, understanding, and a heap of activities to occupy — and maybe even entertain — your kids. Let’s get crafty.
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This Simple Hat Flinging Game Will Entertain Any Kid
An easy, on-the-fly version of ring toss, this game requires kids to fling hats at the legs of an overturned chair. That’s it. Simple, yet remarkably effective at both teaching young children the basics of throwing while keeping older kids occupied on an indoor day.
What You’ll Need:
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A kitchen chair.
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Up to four hats. Baseball, cowboy, winter, — it doesn’t matter, just as long as it can lasso the leg of a chair.
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Paper, pen, tape, and scissors (if you’re making rings).
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Prizes of the festive sort.
Set Up
Turn a kitchen chair over so that all four legs are pointing up in the air. Depending on the age/motor skills of the kids playing, position the chair several feet away with the legs facing you. If you want the game to involve scoring, label each leg with a piece of paper that designates its point value. So, the upper right can be 50 points, lower left 25, doesn’t matter. This is just to give them practice adding numbers. You can also keep score by simply tallying how many hats out of four they hook each round.
After the chair is set, designate a series of lines ⏤ using pieces of tape or other objects ⏤ behind which they will stand when throwing. Obviously, they should be close for toddlers and farther back for older kids.
How to Play:
After deciding whether to play as teams or individuals, explain the rules and scoring. From there, the first player steps to the line and throws four hats ⏤ one at a time ⏤ at the chair legs. When they’re done, assuming they hooked at least one hat, let them add up the total points and note it on a sheet of paper/whiteboard. Now the next player throws. When all players have gone, add up the first-round scores and start again but from the next line back, so it’s more challenging. Wash, rinse, repeat until all players have thrown from all the lines. At that point, the game is over. Tally the scores, announce the winner (with much fanfare, of course), and award the prizes. Play again.
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How to Make Homemade Playdough in Less Than 15 Minutes
Homemade playdough is just like the kind you buy in the toy aisle except it’s made with ingredients you already have in the kitchen. Even better, making it from scratch using a playdough recipe not only soaks up an afternoon with a fun project but also teaches kids a thing or two about science. It’s easy, safe, and even edible if one of your munchkins gets the munchies. Here’s how you do it.
What You Need
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A pot
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3 cups of flour
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1.5 cups of salt
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6 teaspoons of white vinegar
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3 tablespoons of oil
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3 cups of water
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Food coloring
How to Make It
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After decking the kids out in aprons or smocks, help them prep the ingredients with measuring cups and spoons.
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Dissolve the salt in the water.
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Over medium heat, combine the remaining ingredients in the pot and stir. Add a few drops of food coloring to achieve the desired hue.
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Depending on the age of the kids, they can either help stir or watch as you do so. Either way, the dough must be stirred continuously, pulling it away from the sides and kneading until it reaches the consistency of playdough.
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Once a ball is formed, remove the pot from the heat and let it cool. From there, some recipes call for adding additional food coloring to make it darker, but you don’t have to. As soon as it reaches room temperature, you’re ready to mold, roll, and squish.
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Make sure to store the new dough in an airtight bag or container if you want it to last longer.
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LET'S GET CRAFTY
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