As soon as I stumbled across this idea from Awesomely Awake, I knew I’d be giving it a try our home. As you probably know from experience, it takes a LOT of ideas to keep children entertained all day, especially if you have reason to stay inside your house—and especially if you’re trying to break a TV habit.
One of my problems is that when my oldest, Trenton, comes to me because he’s bored, my mind pulls up the same tired old activities as suggestions. Creating a “Think Outside the Box Box” has helped me keep things hopping around here. I pull it down about once a day, usually in the late afternoons when the day is starting to drag. We randomly pick one activity and do it! The boys are thrilled by the mystery of not knowing what you’ll pull out!
Your box can include any activities. The best thing is that it is easily adaptable! When one activity starts to get old, pull it out and add something new! Here is what is currently in our box:
- Build a Fort
- Throw a dance party – try a kid station on pandora
- Blow bubbles
- Get crazy with play dough
- Play “library” – a good excuse to read to your kids and get their imaginations running at the same time
- Play with sand – a storage tub with a few cups of moon sand (recipe here) and sand toys would do!
- Play hide and seek
- Paint! – watercolors, tempera paint, bath paints, etc.
- Race some cars in the kitchen
- Play tag indoors
- Color or do sticker books
- Jump on a bed – does supervision make it okay?? 🙂
- Pretend you’re having a bake sale
- Shine flashlights in a darkened room
- Use a cardboard box to make a ramp off the couch, then race some cars!
For our box, I made this little page, printed it, cut them out, and stuck them in a small box. I also added a few more handwritten ones that just didn’t make it onto the printable. 🙂 Feel free to download the pdf HERE to get a jump start on your own Think Outside the Box Box! OR feel free to email me at letwhylead AT gmail DOT com, and I’ll send over the file!
I’d love to hear—What easy activities would you add to your box?
Linked up with Imparting Grace.
Great idea! I think I might make one of these with places to go on the weekends. Paityn sometimes wants to always go to the same places (Oakland Zoo and Happy Hollow:) so having a box of ideas and being surprised might be fun.
Thanks for sharing!
That’s the perfect adaptation! We’ve only been to Happy Hallow once, but I really like it down there! But yes, mixing it up helps a ton!
This is a great idea, because honestly in the moment of whining, clingy kids I can’t think very creatively. Thanks for the download, too – that makes it pretty easy on us! 🙂
During making dinner time, somehow we have gotten in the habit of playing hide and seek with one of their little stuffed animals and it’s lots of fun. I sometimes need to help charlie as they take turns, but they love hiding the animal for each other, telling the other if they’re “hot” or “cold” and getting excited when they find it. It’s minimal supervision for me since I can overlook the living room while I’m cooking.
Oooh, I am totally going to use that! Thanks, Mal!
Great ideas. I’ve been trying to add fun new things to do in the afternoon when it lags. It gets tricky for me because E is very picky about his textures. We’ve learned he is not a fan of playdough or chalk and I am doubtful of other fun things like finger paint and other goopy things. I’m learning to adapt by adding a paintbrush or something so it is less touchy.
Our favorites are drawing (or printing out a letter to color), jumping on the bed, playing with a squirt gun outside, puzzles, and anything to do with cars. I’m working on making a simple memory matching game with the alphabet letters. E loves to transfer water from bucket to bucket or play with the hose while I’m doing yard work outside.
What a great idea! My boys would love something like this. They get pretty restless in the afternoons and this would certainly help to keep them happy and entertained.
Thanks for sharing!
These are some great ideas. I think I will make this soon. Thanks!
Oh, I forgot a couple ideas. My boys still LOVE bubbles and sidewalk chalk and puzzles.
My mom used to have dance parties with us when we were little. She’d turn on some classical music, and we’d make up a story to go with the music. We’d dance around and act out the story. We loved it!
Love this! I printed it out!
Yay! I’m so glad, Ashley!
Awesome ideas! I think Henry is a little young for most of them, but I definitely want to do something like it, and incorporate your ideas as Henry gets older. Thanks!
This is such a great idea! Thanks, Erica. I’m stealing it for sure.