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mutually
enjoyable activities
Fish tank back-drop –
invite creativity
If you have a fish bowl or a fish tank at home, you can organise a
scenery drawing competition for them and the winner gets to paste
his creation at the back of the tank. When viewed from the front,
the fish now seems to be swimming against this backdrop.
Dress up – assemble great memories
You and your kids can play dress-up. Place old discarded clothes
in a suitcase and organise a dress-up among your kids, with a
prize for the most creatively dressed one. We suggest you be ready
with a loaded camera to record your kid’s creativity.
Quick and easy finger paint– nourish their imagination
Use on paper or the bath-tub. To make the paint, dissolve one
packet of instant gelatin in 1/4 cup hot water and let it remain
for 10 minutes. Combine 1/2 cup cornstarch, 3 tablespoons sugar
and 1 3/4 cups cold water in a saucepan, and stir until cloudy and
smooth. Cook the cornstarch mixture over medium-high heat,
stirring occasionally, until thick.
Reduce heat, add the gelatin mixture and 1/4 cup mild, liquid
dishwashing soap, and stir until smooth. Allow to cool. Divide
equal parts of the mixture into small bowls. Add several drops of
different food colouring to each (light colours are easier to
clean). Store the paints in airtight jars. Let kids finger-paint
the sides of the tub.
Cucumber in a bottle – teach them gardening in a fun way
First make a sampler to show them on your own. They'll wonder how
you managed to squeeze that great big vegetable through that
skinny little bottleneck. Take a packet of cucumber and sow them
in small pots, 4 to 5 per pot. When the seedlings are about 3
inches high, thin to 2 to 3 plants per pots. Make sure they
receive at least an inch of water a week.
After the first yellow blossoms have appeared, start searching for
tiny young cucumbers. Choose one at the bottom of the plant.
Gently slip the bottle over the baby cucumber. Save the bottle cap
and, for best results, shade the bottle slightly with a sheet of
newspaper. Once the cucumber reaches a suitably impressive size,
snip it off the vine and fill the bottle with vinegar.
Volcano – practical applications make learning easier
Form a mound of dirt 6 to 10 inches high, then clear a hole down
the middle of it. Put 2 teaspoons baking soda in the hole, add
vinegar and watch it 'erupt'.
Create an obstacle course – teach them initiative
Provide them different sized boxes to crawl through and small
boxes to jump over. You can use what you have in store. You can
use this idea for a group of kids or just your own child. It gives
toddlers something safe to do when they are just learning to walk
and who want to explore their surroundings. |
