Since it is school holidays it's a good time to do fun things at home that don't cost and encourage creative play.  There might be a few here you haven't tried yet

Finger paint outside with chocolate pudding (instant mix pack) -it uses all five senses

Follow the arrow- use chalk outside, paper strips inside

Paint their faces as an animal then go to a park and play zoo keeper- all the animals have escaped and you have to catch them

LOOKING expedition to a pet shop or toy store

Make vegetable people, mice out of pear halves and raw spagetti, devon faces, animals out of sultanas and toothpicks

Feed ducks or chase pigeons

Flatten a box and draw around the child, colour clothes on for a life sized doll

Singing in the rain. Puddle jumping. Boats (twigs) in the gutter.  Dams

Treasure hunts outside- find something red, wet alive, beautiful etc

Go on a "small things" walk- look under bark and rocks for tiny flowers insects, moss etc

Shaving cream on a plastic sheet outside to 'skate' on 

"Can't say 'yes' game" - try to trick them into it

Wrestling, pillow fights, "sandwich hugs"- parents are the bread and the child is the filling in the middle

Draw an outline of a large barn or house or store and cut out or draw pictures to put in the rooms

Make a mini world in a plastic container with dirt, sand, rocks, twigs and weeds for trees, lids filled with water for lakes

Make an "All about Me" book- title page, drawing  and name, footprint, height weight, eyes, hair colour, family, list of who loves me, list of what I can do, favourite food, friend, toy, activity

Funnels, sieves, cups etc for rice, beans or water.  Provide a little broom and dustpan

Egg carton sorting -number the cups 1-12, then give 78 beans or small things.  Drop the correct number into each hole.

Driveway or side walk drawing with chalk- snakes and ladders, hopscotch, draw around a child, draw a road with signs and crosswalks, then ride a bike around it. It washes off in the rain.

Make a pinata

Stickytape creations- either wadded up paper taped together for 3d creatures, or use the newspaper as a costume taping on a wedding dress or magician outfit etc

Use cardboard to slide down grassy hills

Paper aeroplane flying contest out a second storey window

Use a large sheet of paper to draw an accurate picture of your neighborhood

Put objects on coloured paper in the hot sun.  Paper fades to show shapes

Play a "What floats" game in a bucket or the kitchen sink

Bike parade - decorate and ride

Food colouring and glasses of water.  Make colours

Hammer nails into a block of wood.  Use yarn or rubber bands to make patterns around the nails

Secret messages- 1 1/2 tablespoons of baking soda in 3/4 cup of warm water.  Use the solution to write a message on paper which will disappear when dry.  Iron with a warm iron to reveal the message.

​

-Lisa