As I sit at the gate and wait to board the plane that will take me to a GIRLS WEEKEND in ATLANTA... I will update the FIRST GRADE FRENZY!
1. Word hunt
Go round the house and list down all the things that start with a specific letter, for example, Toaster, torchlight, tools, tape, etc. Set a time limit and score one point for each word.
2. Torch light party
Have a party in the dark. Use only torch-lights. Invite your neighbors. Make colored filters out of plastic or glass paper and add color to the party!
3. Play 20 questions
Here are simple directions.
http://www.parentdish.com/2010/04/14/twenty-questions-game/
4. Face painting
Go wild painting wacky designs on your face. You can also paint hands and legs. But
make sure you take precautions - parental supervision required especially if you have small kids who could get paint splatters in their eyes.
5. Paint toenails
If you can, get Dad to lie down on a sofa and apply nail polish on his fingers and toes. If Dad chickens out, paint your own toenails. Don't believe Dad would do this?
6. Makeup party
Ask Mom if she's got old makeup that she doesn't want anymore. Find a victim (err.. volunteer also known as Dad) and apply makeup on him!
7. Indoor treasure hunt
All you need is a couple pieces of paper to scribble your clues and a nice treat for the successful treasure hunter. Start at on point somewhere in your house, think of the next point you want to hide a clue, then create a mysterious riddle or question about it. About ten riddles and clues should do. Celebrate the winner with fizzy drinks all around while they enjoy their treat.
8. Learn to build a webpage
This is the Internet age. It's NEVER to soon to learn to build your own webpage. Here's your jump start. http://www.2learn.ca/webauthoringtool/kidscreateyourpage.html
9. Learn to perform simple magic tricks
Learn simple magic tricks with stuff you can find in the home. Once you've got it right, mesmerize Dad and Mom. Here are a few starters. http://magic.about.com/od/libraryofsimpletricks/ig/Easy-Magic-Tricks/
10. Play pencil and paper games
Don't underestimate the fun potential simple paper and pencil games.
http://www.pencilandpapergames.com/
11. Make up knock-knock jokes
Knock-knock.. Who's there? Summer. Summer who? Summer nice, summer smelly just like you.
http://www.jokesnjokes.net/funny.jokes.amusing.humor.laughs/Kids/knock001.htm
12. Music hour
Have an hour where you must talk in melody. No plain talking allowed. You have to sing everything that you want to say for an hour. You can even have musical themes; rock, country, etc. (SHOUT OUT TO KELLI: THIS IS JUST AN EVERYDAY ROUTINE HUH?)
13. Pillow fight
Clear the room and floor of any toys or sharp objects and let loose. Make it a family pillow fight. Use light, fluffy pillows.. Not the hard stuffed kind.
14. Rainy day jigsaws
Get that 1000 pieces jigsaw out and do it. It's not about the jigsaw but about doing something together and bonding.
15. Disco night
Get out those old 80's disco albums. Oh come on.. You know you still have them. String some Christmas lights and if you have one, a disco ball. Then dance the night away to your favorite disco songs. End the night watching "Saturday Night Fever".
16. Make a what-to-do jar
Get the kids to write fun stuff they want to do on slips of paper and put them in the jar. When they get board, get them to reach in the jar and pull out a slip. The activities can be as simple as 20 jumping jacks.
I want to make something to this nature for my classroom when I start to see the glassy look in their eyes.
17. Play charades
Watch each other go wacky trying to act out phrases or things. If you have small children playing, then simple to-do actions are needed.
18. Turn your living room into a movie theatre
Give your kids lots of newspaper, old bedsheets, and sticky tape and let them turn your hall into a dark cinema in the daytime. Dad needs to be on-hand to help out while Mom makes the popcorn. Then watch a movie in your self-built movie cinema.
19. Pajama Day
Declare on day pajama day. Go about your daily chores in your pajamas. Dare your Dad to go to the store in his pajamas!
20. Pirate Day
Dress up like pirates for the day. Make pirate themed meals and talk like pirates. If you can't do it the whole day, then specify a time-frame.
21. Make a family scrapbook
Get those old photos out, organize them and make your own scrapbook. What's important here is sharing the memories with your kids so they know how very special each and every day with them is to you.
22. Feed the monster
This is a twist to the bean bag toss. Get a large cardboard box.. about 2 feet wide and 2 feet tall.. and on one side, paint a picture of a cuddly monster with big googly eyes and mouth. Then cut out the eyes and mouth. Make a simple bean bag, use tennis balls or small packet of chips to see who can toss them through the eyes and mouth. You can assign points to each hole and keep score.
23. Doodle Storyboard
Grab a pack of colored pencils and a piece of paper. If possible, you can also a large sheet of paper and play on the floor. One of the kids usually start first by drawing anything on the paper and starts a story. For example, he draws a rabbit and says, "One day a fluffy rabbit was walking in the park". Then the next one draws something else (a carrot for example) and continues the story. You continue allowing everyone to draw and add these piece to the story. This can continue for as long as you like.
24. Blankets, Bedsheets, Curtains, and Towels
Use your imagination!! These can be turned into super-hero capes, tents, flying flags, even a home theatre when hung on the wall.
25. Bed station
Four-post bed anyone? This was one of my personal favorites as a kid. String up bedsheets from post to post. Try to make the inside of the bed a mini-dark room. If you can't do this, turn your kids bed into a make believe space ship and play "Battle Space Ship". Or take a couple of flashlights and crawl under the bed and tell creepy stories. Make sure there's enough ventilation. This activity can get stuffy and sweaty but your kids will love it.
Mrs. Varner
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