Rainy Days, Runny Noses

I've made the mistake more times than I'd really like to admit. The weather is coming down in buckets, and/ or my kids have colds, and somehow I think, "it's okay, we'll just take it easy today". With a ten month old, this is actually a safe thought. With a toddler? Not so much! Even with pink eye, a horrible cough, or a green runny nose, the world is still their oyster and a lack of stimulation leads, at least in my household to unbearable whining and seemingly incessant boundary testing. Here are some of my favourite ideas to occupy my kids, well mainly my toddler, on days we can't go out and play!

Painting w/ a Wine Cork "Stamp"

Sounds simple enough, I know, but my daughter LOVES this.

What we used:
- wine cork(s)
- washable paints : I only give the lids from my Sargent Art washable paint so I don't have to worry about the entire paint set being mixed into different shades of brown!
- paint smock or old t-shirt: we have the Crayola Beginnings Tidy Top, bought at The Real Canadian Superstore for less than $4
- Bristol board or any sizeable paper : the reason I suggest this is you aren't left with a multitude of semi-finished art projects. We reuse the same board several times before it gets displayed. Also it covers a greater surface area resulting in less cleanup afterwards.

Sensory "Pond"

I got this idea when my friend, Kristin - mother of three, shared this blog post with me on Sensory Sinks. It has been a wonderful way for my toddler to be stimulated while I take some very rare time for myself to dry my hair or paint my nails!

What we use:
- a large mixing bowl placed in the bath, or a sink accessed by a stool
- a little bit of Jell-O mix to give the water both a scent and colour
- foam cut into shapes : dollar store
- glitter : dollar store
- glow in the dark or synthetic rocks: dollar store
- Little People and other bath toys we already had

The best part of this activity is all you need is the general idea and your own imagination, and resourcefulness.

Box "House"

Now, the stipulation with this idea is you need to already have a box or somehow find one. But if you do, oh the fun you can have! Our most recent one started as a train, and ultimately became a house.

What we used:
- furniture box
- serrated or x-acto knife to cut door
- crayons or felts to decorate
- stickers
- existing toys to use in "house"

Rain Puddle "Adventure"

Despite what your grandmother may have told you, going out in the rain won't give you a cold or more of a cold. In fact, I look at our "adventures" finding puddles as a natural humidifier when the kids are a little congested.

What we use:
- rubber boots
- rain jackets
- rain shield for the stroller
- stomping feet
- an eye for puddles and a spirit of adventure!

Homemade Jello Playdough

Playdough is an incredible medium to stimulate the imagination (you can really create anything the mind can dream up) and it's excellent for working the muscles needed to learn how to print (check this out for more info on how Playdough can develop fine motor skills).

What we use:
- 1 cup white flour
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 3 oz pkg of no name Jello
- 2 tbs cooking oil
- 2 tbs cream of tartar

The original recipe, and "how to" can be found here!

Make Cookies

With the help of a small step ladder, my two year old loves dumping ingredients into a bowl. She also very eagerly samples throughout the entire process!

What we use:
2 cups whole wheat no additive flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup butter or non-hydrogenated margerine
3/4 cup organic brown sugar
1/2 cup raw organic sugar
1 egg and 1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup crushed pecans

For instructions, and nutirional info, check out my old blog!

If you have any tips, ideas, comments, or questions, write me!
Or, tweet me