Any ideas for activities for children of all ages?
Question by Cathleen: Any ideas for activities for children of all ages?
I am babysitting at least 5-6 children a week… Not all at the same time but I am looking for activities I can do with these children. They are from the ages of 17 months up to 5 years of age. Any suggestions are appreciated!
Best answer:
Answer by mira
story telling.
for children that can speak, teach them with basic education such as ABC or basic maths.
Add your own answer in the comments!
Stories
Water and Sand play
Basic ABC
Basic Counting Skills
Drawing/Colouring
Basic Writing Skills
Board Games
Nursery Rhymes
Puzzles
Outside activities
Hannah x
Do you take an activity bag with you? Get a Rubbermaid bin to collect toys, games, books, etc. that you might want to use when babysitting. That way you can pull out appropriate ones for the children that night and put them in your bag. A new or exciting toy or book is always appealing.
Do you know how to make playdough? That’s great for all those ages.
Play Dough Recipe:
1 cup white flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tablespoon cream of tartar (find it in the spice section)
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup water
food coloring
Mix first 3 ingredients in a pan. Mix oil, water and food colouring separately, then add to pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 3 – 5 minutes. Dough will become difficult to stir and form a “clump”. Remove from stove and knead for 5 minutes. Play dough will keep for a long time stored in a covered plastic container or plastic sandwich bag.
Makes enough for about 4 kids. Also, a great tip with Fall around the corner – add cinnamon to the dry ingredients (as much as you want until you get the right scent).
Take the playdough along with some playdough toys: plastic forks or knives, cookie cutters, small rolling pins, etc. You can buy special toys for playdough or just look around at things in your home that will make interesting prints in the playdough. (A hint: if the playdough gets on the carpet, it’s easier to pick up the big part and let the rest dry. After it’s dry, it will scrape off the carpet with a table knife.)
Get some library books to share. If you’re not familiar with children’s literature that’s appropriate for the ages you’re working with, get to know the librarian. She’ll have lots of suggestions!
Make a sock puppet that’s your special friend. Have it talk to the children when you are there. Make some for the kids, too, and you can do little plays or just talk to each other.
If you’ve money to do so, pick up some preschool games at the toy store, like Candyland.
This would involve investing a little money on your behalf, but put together a craft kit with kid safe scissors, crayons, markers, different kinds of paper, glue sticks, stickers, etc. Kids will spend hours doing things with this!
Those are some ideas, but there are so many more on-line! Just google “toddler activities” or “preschool activities”. You’ll find enough to keep you and the kids busy forever!
Here are a few good sites:
http://www.toddlertoddler.com/
http://www.preschoolexpress.com/toddler_station.shtml
http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/preschoolers.htm
http://familycrafts.about.com/od/toddlersandpreschoolers/Crafts_for_Toddlers_and_Preschoolers.htm
http://www.youthonline.ca/babysitting/
everyone can paint including the 17mnth old. Drop some paint on the construction paper and give the baby a plastic spoon and let her go to town with painting.
story time
bored game
watch a movie
make snacks
mine??????
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091003125322AAjdmIw&r=w
Try http://www.toddler-net.com/ They have games and art activities for kids from 2 to 6 yo.
Check out this link below. The Learning Station has activity pages with all kinds of fun and healthy stuff to share with children. Everything from music and movement, cooking without sugar, circle games, art, sign language and much more!
http://learningstationmusic.com/printablehandouts.html
Good luck!