Stores have hundreds and hundreds of different toys to buy for all seasons. It is fascinating for kids of all ages to stroll through the aisles looking at all the wonderful gizmos and gadgets. There are thousands of things they believe they need. As a parent, I remember the days I really needed a new toy. I would beg, clean my room, and be on my best behavior. This seldom worked; my parents could not afford a new toy each day and did not agree with the material world. I have taken much of this philosophy in my parenting. There are thousands of things I still really need but have opted to giving myself a few treats each year by prioritizing my purchases. My son is too young to understand this in a verbal message but example is the best way to go. There are thousands of things to keep our children entertained and excited about. Read on for examples brought from my home to yours.
- Decide on a place the family would like to visit. No restrictions are made. It can be Africa, Mars, or your nearest town. Go to the local library and get various books out on this location. Research their culture, food, environment and everything else under the sun that fancies you and the family. Decide on a day when you will travel and get the supplies ready for the day. Have the children draw pictures of the environment to be hung around the home to make it authentic. Play games that are popular in that area and eat the hosts favorite foods. The children can participate as animals or people. I had an Africa night . The boy's faces were painted to their favorite animals. We made their ears and tails the night before. They ate their animal's favorite food and were not able to eat with their hands. They had a great time reading stories and acting out as hippos, zebras and lions. They slept in a tent in the living room, pretending they were out in the African jungle. We learned about the people, animals, culture, and environment in a fun atmosphere.
Have yourself and the kids imagine the unimaginable.
Tic Tac Toe - Take a stroll to the beach. Gather10 rocks that are similar in size. (Not too big.) Gather a large flat rock that can be used as a tic tac toe board. Divide the rocks into sets of five. Paint the sets two different colors. Paint them with flowers or animals or whatever tickles your fancy. Divide the large flat rock into a tic tac toe board. Use a ruler and paint. Once all is dry, have a game of tic tac toe. This game can be stored in the flower garden and it looks great.
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