NationStates Jolt Archive

It's getting close to quitting time at work, it's rainy and windy and miserable outside, and I'm getting tired. I'll be picking up my lovely daughters (1 and 3) and taking them home soon, and I don't want to just sink into the couch and zone out in front of the tv. So, suggest some games or activities I could play with them inside, that won't take too much of my (non-existent) energy!

Restrictions: Games must be:
-legal, safe, inexpensive, and (hopefully) fun

public execution. which is legal on that there injun reservation, right?
:D

that won't take too much of my (non-existent) energy!

Yeah ... good luck with that!

Anyway, me and the kids tend to play indoor Calvinball when it's miserable outside. Suggestion: Protect the windows or the next game will be "How to install a new window", a game we've played often.

The classic Who Can Shut Up The Longest Competition

public execution. which is legal on that there injun reservation, right?
:D
Unfortunately, no. The government wouldn't let us pierce the skin of our enemies with porcupine quills anymore, then insert stakes into the skin over their ribs and suspend them from rawhide strips, beating them as they spin around. Damn oppression!

When my friends baby sister was a few months old her aunt came over and said "Now Rose, would you like to play with this nice sharp knife."

Yeah ... good luck with that!

Anyway, me and the kids tend to play indoor Calvinball when it's miserable outside. Suggestion: Protect the windows or the next game will be "How to install a new window", a game we've played often.
Hmmmm...I think the one year old might be a bit disadvantaged in that game...

You kind of have to prepare this on inadvance: If you have acess to a backyard, you could squirrel bait.

Take a few peanuts and string them up between 2 trees in such a way that the suirrels can't *quite* get to them. Think of a big spiderweb with little squirrel treats hung here and there.

The sit back and watch as the squirrels try their hardest to get to those peanuts. It will keep you, the toddlers and the squirrels amused for hours

Do you have Hulabaloo? That's fun. Or you could blow bubbles or play duck, duck, goose. My favorite game to play with my cousin was house. She was the mommy and I was the baby. Then when she put me to bed I'd actually go to bed. Of course, she's old enough not to fall for that anymore.

The classic Who Can Shut Up The Longest Competition
I always win. They never seem to understand the rules!

Unfortunately, no. The government wouldn't let us pierce the skin of our enemies with porcupine quills anymore, then insert stakes into the skin over their ribs and suspend them from rawhide strips, beating them as they spin around. Damn oppression!
:mad: Stupid fucking white man.

(Sorry, saw Dead Man the other day and couldn't resist)

I use colouring in books alot - my 4 year old loves em and has done since he was little

we also do alot of reading together

Pie-eating contest! :p

I would just interact with them. At that age they really don't play with people. More like around them.

I always let my girl (4) call the shots when it comes to play. ;)

Like Captain Kangeroo once said(an American show from about 15+ years ago) "Playing is serious business"

Do you have Hulabaloo? That's fun. Or you could blow bubbles or play duck, duck, goose. My favorite game to play with my cousin was house. She was the mommy and I was the baby. Then when she put me to bed I'd actually go to bed. Of course, she's old enough not to fall for that anymore.
Hehehhehee...I've done that one with the oldest...she gets really pissed when I start snoring for real:).

Bubbles...that's a good one! I could use dish soap and a fly swatter...and balloons! They love tossing balloons around....

This is sounding good...keep it coming folks!

I always win. They never seem to understand the rules!
hmmmm.... That is a hard crowd.

Maybe tell them the Easter Bunny dropped by and hid another couple of eggs in the house.....

Unfortunately, no. The government wouldn't let us pierce the skin of our enemies with porcupine quills anymore, then insert stakes into the skin over their ribs and suspend them from rawhide strips, beating them as they spin around. Damn oppression!

I love that game! We used to do it with large hooks made from bone that would hook around the clavicle (or, in some cases, the acromion) and a sort of "tether ball" like game ensued.

I like your version, though. Your tribe sounds fun. :D

Hehehhehee...I've done that one with the oldest...she gets really pissed when I start snoring for real:).

Bubbles...that's a good one! I could use dish soap and a fly swatter...and balloons! They love tossing balloons around....

This is sounding good...keep it coming folks!

If you have a fly swatter you can let them at the flies. That's if you have flies where you live right now. Little kids are very determined to kill flies.

See if you can build a really really huge Lego tower, if you have any Lego. If you're really adventurous, you could all try climbing it when you're done.

Hmmmm...I think the one year old might be a bit disadvantaged in that game...

If the kid can walk, the kid can play Calvinball. :)

I would just interact with them. At that age they really don't play with people. More like around them.

I always let my girl (4) call the shots when it comes to play. ;)

Like Captain Kangeroo once said(an American show from about 15+ years ago) "Playing is serious business"
Yeah...their games don't really make sense to me, but I play along. Like the littlest whose favorite game is to pull up her shirt and rub her belly, then run away giggling. I'm supposed to fall over laughing. If I try to tickle her, or chase her, she gets mad. She tries to push me over so I remember what to do. Then she does it again, I fall over laughing, and she runs off, then comes back, and repeat.

hide and seek

with you seeking.

assuming they cant count, just leave it as long as you want

hide and seek

with you seeking.

assuming they cant count, just leave it as long as you want
Heh...I call that game, "Mommy's nap time".

No, I'm having guilt right now that I haven't been spending enough time with them.

Pull out a huuuuge piece of paper and draw something with the three of you together

i would suggest a board game or something, but if theyre very young it might be difficult to keep them concentrated for long enough

Pull out a huuuuge piece of paper and draw something with the three of you together
oooh...I like that...there's a printing press down stairs I could get some newsprint from....we could dress the baby in flannel and dip her in paint, then roll her around...

i would suggest a board game or something, but if theyre very young it might be difficult to keep them concentrated for long enough
Well, I've got the one game "Operation"...you know, where you have tweezers and have to remove parts of the patient, but if you touch the side, his nose lights up and it buzzes? The three year old can play that for about an hour...buzzing, buzzing...not following the game rules, just giggling while she lights up his snout:).

The baby enjoys deconstructing fig newtons, crumb by crumb, and spreading them around the kitchen floor as evenly as possible. Keeps her entertained for about half an hour, and is reasonably easy to clean up:)

These are all things I can let them do so "mommy and daddy" can have some time together.

Tonight, however, with the hubby gone, I'm going to try to be a bit more interactive :p

Reading them a book (if you're really not in the mood for something active)

Reading them a book (if you're really not in the mood for something active)
They love books, and so do I...but books only last for so long. That's why I'm planning back up games:).

Kids love fireworks. And scissor-races.

They love books, and so do I...but books only last for so long. That's why I'm planning back up games:).
Excellent *imitates Mr. Burns*

I'm really out of ideas right now. They're so young. Just ask them what they want I suppose

Kids love fireworks. And scissor-races.
ROFL
Always the forbidden games lure us the most...

Excellent *imitates Mr. Burns*

I'm really out of ideas right now. They're so young. Just ask them what they want I suppose
Maybe they're too young yet to form future memories of me zoning out in front of the tv while they play "operation" and "figgy newton deconstruction in the kitchen"....hmmm....

Maybe they're too young yet to form future memories of me zoning out in front of the tv while they play "operation" and "figgy newton deconstruction in the kitchen"....hmmm....
Good idea....... Although they just might not remember, but you WILL have scarred them for life

Good idea....... Although they just might not remember, but you WILL have scarred them for life
As long as they never remember WHY they're in therapy...

Hmm... when we were little my brothers and I always used to make 'bobsleds' out of boxes and sleeping bags - then shoot down the stairs...

come to think of it... that expains a lot.

Shy of that, cooking can be a blast - we never had a lot of money when I was little and didn't have a lot of toys, so my mom (when she wasn't at one of her three jobs) used to take us all into the kitchen and have us help her bake cookies or pie as play.

It's actually one of my favourite memories from being a child. It benefits in a lot of ways too (despite age) the kids learn how to cook/bake, get some sweets to snack on, and get to enjoy the thrill of enjoying something they helped to make (which was always exciting for me anyway).

There will be a little mayhem, I can assure you this much, a mess will come. But the fun is incomparable to anything else. As a fringe benefit, you have a little baking done to send in their lunches and so on - which is also kind of nice. Kids love feeling important and doing 'grown up' stuff.

Of course, years later I realized it was all part of her evil plan to have us do the baking/cooking/cleaning since she was never there... but hey, I don't mind! hahahaha! Nothing beats baking on a rainy day. :)

Not sure if this will be much help, but I've found that origami stuff (especially the little flapping bird ones) seem to fascinate kids. If I was readily available, I'd make you a whole bunch =p Alas, you can probably Google instructions. Paper airplanes are also a lot of fun, or paper helicopters/whirlybirds/whatevertheheckthey'recalled
, and very easy to make. The most basic paper airplane requires no more than a regular piece of printer paper and five folds. Lots of room for experimenting new designs ^_~

Otherwise, I'd just kinda follow their lead. When we'd babysit my little cousin when he was about 3 or 4, he had an immensely active imagination and did most of the coming up with games for us. Granted, we were all completely exhausted by the time he was returned to my aunt, but... =p

Hmmm...

I suggest Risk, Chess, Battleship, or Pool.

EDIT: Poker too.

Can't beat Lego. Best toy ever!

And forget getting heaps of their designs to make up. They are only fun once. Best just to have a lot of assorted stuff and let them make their own creations.

As a male with a younger brother, in my experience the best bits are wheels, turntables and scissor-hinge-things. Then you can make all kinda fun things that drive, spin and grow :D

Aerials and windshields also important!

I can see that none of these people have toddlers from their suggestions. Here are mine:

Noisy: Wooden spoons and different containers to bang on so that they can hear the difference between the sounds. If some fit into the others that's even better because when they or you get tired of banging they can start fitting things into each other.

Quieter: A bunch of boxes, and crayons. They can fit the boxes into each other or fit themselves into it if the boxes are big enough. They can decorate the boxes with crayons or markers (the later can be dangerous because they might decide to decorate other things so the activities have to be a little better supervised). Big boxes (like the xerox paper kind) can fit small kids and they can push each other around the house (like a train) or you can push the if you have the energy. Then they'll start putting their animals and small toys in them.

Crinkling different things: popping bubble wrap, crinkling paper for the sound and the texture once you pull it open again, crinkling foil.

Wooden blocks or lego: Lego works with the 3 yr. old, blocks work with both.

Imitation: Let the kids do something. Then imitate them exactly. Kids love it when you mimic them.

Make up silly songs: If you're creative and like to sing you can sit around singing songs about their various toys or activities. It's easier than you think. Use nursury rhyme tunes that you already know. Or you can just sing the wheels on the bus or 5 little ducks with motions.

If the rain isn't too cold and it isn't too windy, dress them up in slickers and let them splash in the puddles outside.

Roll a large ball on the floor between all of you sitting down.

Make shadow animals.

Oooh....the above post is by far the best bunch of suggestions I've got here...thanks! I mean, these are all no brainers really, but I so often find myself drawing a blank after a long day at work, so it's good to have some advance planning in place for when my melon shuts down at 4:30:).

as long as you dont mind wasting food....

spill dry rice on the floor for the kids to sweep up. you DO have child sized brooms eh? they love to imitate mommy so having something clean to sweep up can be great fun. same with using rice to measure and pour from cup to cup. if you cant stand to waste food that way buy some confetti, its harder to sweep and pour but not so wasteful.

having a "what i did today" wildly made up story time when you all get home is also fun. it gets them to use their imagination (well ok, more fun for the 3 year old than the 1 year old but she may still enjoy hearing how her sister went to the moon and back today) giggling together is good.

Give your toddlers some tampons and a bowl of water. Then let them drop the tampons in the water and watch them inflate!

(Note - I know someone who did this, a person that WASN'T me, and her children turned out to be healthy, finely tuned adults, and did not end up in a mental hospital.)

Give your toddlers some tampons and a bowl of water. Then let them drop the tampons in the water and watch them inflate!

(Note - I know someone who did this, a person that WASN'T me, and her children turned out to be healthy, finely tuned adults, and did not end up in a mental hospital.)
The only problem I have with this suggestion is that I generally don't like to let them do things I wouldn't normally want them doing behind my back...and tampons are damn expensive! I can just picture it...desperately needing one, and discovering the toddler had tossed them en masse into the toilet...

try these...

find some old socks (esp. the mismatched ones that you've been hanging on to in hopes you'll find the other -- you won't) and make hand puppets out of them. pens, markers, paint, loose scraps of fabric, whatever you find in the house. the sillier looking, the better. make a puppet theater using the back of the couch and have a show.

use whatever musical instruments they might have, add a few pots and pans in, and have a parade around the house. alternatively, put in some music and dance like crazy people.

go outside and play in the rain (as long as it's not lightening or anything.) get wet, muddy, jump in puddles, rescue worms from the sidewalk. then go back inside and take a nice warm bath.

make a book -- have them tell you a story and write it down on a bunch of pieces of paper. staple all the pages together, let them illustrate it, and keep it with their other books to read.

We got a big screen TV and I kept the box in case we had problems with it. One rainu day, we made it into a little play house for my 15 mo old daughter. We cut window flaps so they open and close like shutters. I drew a fireplace and shelves with books and plants on them inside and let her color them how she wanted. She has tea parties in there with dolls and stuffed animals.
She also loves to play a game with me where we take a regular balloon full of air and try to keep it from hitting the floor.
We have tons and tons of toys and games, but the ones where the kids use their imagination more seem to be the ones that interest them most. I wish I could get back a few bucks for all I have spent on the latest and greatest toys-many of them are just laying around.

Yeah, people think I'm kind of mean because I refuse to buy my kids toys for their birthdays or Christmas. It's either books, real musical instruments, movies, clothes or other useful stuff. They don't play with those toys! The boxes are more interesting to them! They don't need them! They'd rather run around outside grubbing in the dirt! I'd like to encourage that.

When I was a toddler games I played.

Baking cookies.

Lego

Watching kids programs.

Splashing in puddles outside

Building forts out of living room furniture. (mostly using pillows)

Making noise with pots and pans.

Repeat after me: Google is my friend (http://directory.google.com/Top/Kids_and_Teens/Pre-School/Games/).

The most important rule of kids games is to allow the children to take the lead. Let them decide what they want to do.

Translated: lock the little brats in the basement/attic in the dark for a few hours and let them make their own entertainment.

Seriously though, music is always fun. Sing something, or play an instrument with them. Hide and seek is another winner. Assuming that you've starved them a little first, let them ride on your back. A lot of kids like that. Or you could always introduce them to the joys of narcotics...

*hides face behind hand*

Ummmmmmmm Chak!!

*Reveals face to child, child is entertained*.

Repeat Process until child finally realise you didn't mysteriously vanished.

The only problem I have with this suggestion is that I generally don't like to let them do things I wouldn't normally want them doing behind my back...and tampons are damn expensive! I can just picture it...desperately needing one, and discovering the toddler had tossed them en masse into the toilet...

That was your only problem?

That was your only problem?
Um yes...what else would be wrong with it? It was never an issue of DIRTY tampons...so...what?

Um yes...what else would be wrong with it? It was never an issue of DIRTY tampons...so...what?

Well even so...if it was me I'd make sure my curtains were closed, just in case a nosey neighbour takes a peek in.

Well even so...if it was me I'd make sure my curtains were closed, just in case a nosey neighbour takes a peek in.
Like I care if my neighbours get pissy about my kids playing with tampons. Do you have some sort of issue with menstruation, or with tampons in particular? It's pretty natural...and it would be pretty engaging for a kid watching one swell up in water. My kids run around in the nude a lot too...should I close my curtains on that also?

?

Repeat Process until child finally realise you didn't mysteriously vanish.

Warning: That takes nearly 3 years.

Warning: That takes nearly 3 years.LOL. You exaggerate. It only takes 2.5 years.

Put on kiddie music or even rock music and let them dance to it.

Bring out old clothes and let them try it on infront of a mirror (I think this may be too advanced for the 1 yr. old, tho') so they can dress up in costume.

If you have a place where you don't mind things getting wet you can fill a small tub with about an inch of water and put it down in the middle of a big towel, give them some containers for "boats" or scoopers and let them fool around with that.

Let them look for pictures they like in newspapers and magazines. The 3 year old can cut them out and the 1 year old can tear them out (maybe). Then they can paste them on paper for pictures.

Set up a container and see if they can throw bean bags or other smallish objects (stuffed animals?) into it. Let the 3 year old keep score on a big piece of paper stuck on the wall.

There's a board they make with magnetic filings and you can "draw" on it with a magnetic pen. This is great because there's no mess and you don't waste paper because when they are done, it has an erase feature. I think it's called Magnadoodle. It comes with "stamps," too.

Get a set of alphabet magnets or animal magnets for your refrigerator. They like moving those around.

Set a path of pillows on the floor, take off their shoes and let them balance on the path.

If you have anything that will act like a prism show them how the sun makes rainbows on everything.