Here are a few quick ideas to break up a morning or afternoon; easy to tackle even if you’re staying with the in-laws or dealing with a storm.
By Jenna Morton
Hopscotch: All you need is tape! Masking tape, green painters tape, heck even duct tape will work depending on how you feel about the surface beneath. (When I was a kid, our basement was unfinished, so chalk on the floor always worked great!) If you've got little ones who don't quite know their numbers, draw shapes instead and hop from circle to square to triangle.
Scavenger Hunt: Always an easy crowd pleaser, and all you need is paper and a pen. If you want to get a little fancier, take an empty egg carton and place 12 photos (cut up on old magazine, or find some images to print online) on the cover. When each item is found, in the egg carton spot it goes. If you go this route, make sure to keep the objects small enough that this can work. Scavenger hunts are a great way to get you outside, but can easily be done indoors if needed. (The egg carton approach doubles as meal planning; make French Toast for breakfast to empty the container!)
Shaving Cream Painting: Chances are you have a can of shaving cream and some food colouring around; if not, pick it up the next time you're out. A few drops of colour in shaving cream makes for lots of fun. My kids love to paint the bathtub – and themselves! – with it; then we add in a fun bath session and before you know it, an hour has disappeared in giggles.
Feel free to share your go-to boredom busters; everyone can always use new inspiration!
