| Being a stay-at-home mother of 3 kids I | | | | holiday, a funny event, etc. |
| constantly hear "We're bored", so I created a | | | | |
| list of things we can do for no money (or | | | | * Color with crayons or color pencils. There |
| almost no money). I've broken it down into 2 | | | | are tons of site online to print out free |
| categories: inside and outside. | | | | color pages with every cartoon character you |
| | | | can imagine. Another option is draw your own |
| Inside Activities: | | | | pictures that tell a story. |
| | | | |
| * Go on a treasure hunt - look for a missing | | | | * Get a cardboard box and let them play. |
| sock or toy, or just hide something for them | | | | Depending on the size it could become a car, |
| to find. You can even draw a map to find the | | | | house, space ship, train, castle, etc. Many |
| treasure. | | | | grocery stores will give you boxes if you |
| | | | ask. |
| * Read a book - Go to your local library and | | | | |
| check out a book then read it together. Talk | | | | Outside Activities: |
| about what happened in the story. | | | | |
| | | | * Visit a local or state park. |
| * Make a collage from old magazines, photos, | | | | |
| junk mail, newspapers or anything else you | | | | * Visit a local playground. Many apartment |
| have around the house. | | | | complexes have playgrounds for their tenants |
| | | | which anyone can use unless it says for |
| * Play post office. Using some of the junk | | | | tenants only. |
| mail we all get pretend to send and receive | | | | |
| letters. You can also write your own letter | | | | * Play tag - our favorite is freeze tag. |
| or draw pictures and pretend to mail them. | | | | |
| | | | * Search for acorns, leaves, flowers, seeds, |
| * Play store. Pretend to shop for groceries, | | | | or four leaf clovers, etc. See who can find |
| clothes, or anything else you can think of. | | | | the most or find one first. |
| One person can be the salesperson and the | | | | |
| other person can be the customer. | | | | * Go for a walk in the snow. |
| | | | |
| * Play restaurant. One person can be the | | | | * Make a snowman or snow family or anything |
| waiter and the other person can be the | | | | out of snow. Check out my aunt's site at for |
| customer. Pretend to take the order, prepare | | | | really neat snow creations using food |
| the food, serve the food and collect payment. | | | | coloring. |
| | | | |
| * Let the kids help you cook. Even the | | | | * Watch the sunset in the evening or sun rise |
| littlest kids can help pour or stir under | | | | in the morning. |
| your supervision. | | | | |
| | | | * Look for stars or planets in the night sky. |
| * Watch a movie together. Check out one from | | | | |
| your local library or rent one from a video | | | | * Have a snowball fight. |
| rental store. Then break out the popcorn and | | | | |
| enjoy the show. | | | | * Search for tracks - squirrel, deer, dog, |
| | | | cat, people, bird, etc. |
| * Play hot and cold. One person hides an | | | | |
| object and the other has to find it. When the | | | | * Plant seeds and help them grow. One |
| seeker gets close the are getting warmer and | | | | inexpensive way to get seeds is to get them |
| when they are moving away from the object | | | | out of pumpkins, watermelons, apples, |
| they are getting colder. | | | | cucumbers, peppers and then plant them |
| | | | outside or in a plastic cup. |
| * Start your own band. Use pots and pans for | | | | |
| drums. Pizza pans, pot lids and wooden spoons | | | | * Visit friends or neighbors. |
| work well also. | | | | |
| | | | * Have a picnic outside. |
| * Act out a story. Many people know Little | | | | |
| Red Riding Hood or Three Little Pigs. | | | | * Go to the beach, a lake, a river and enjoy |
| | | | the view or go for a swim. |
| * Make a fort using pillows, blankets and | | | | |
| sofa cushions. | | | | * Make mud pies. |
| | | | |
| * Put together a puzzle. You can also make a | | | | * Play in a sprinkler or in a baby pool. |
| puzzle of your own by drawing a picture, | | | | |
| cutting it into pieces, and then have fun | | | | * Go for a walk. |
| putting it together again. | | | | |
| | | | * Rake leaves into a big pile and jump in. |
| * Play dress-up. Let them wear your clothes, | | | | |
| shoes and make-up. | | | | Most kids just want to spend time with people |
| | | | who care about them. If you include them in |
| * Have a picnic inside. | | | | some of what you do each day it will help |
| | | | them learn about this great, big world around |
| * Tell them a story. Your favorite trip, | | | | them. |