Picture scavenger hunt

My son got a digital kid camera for xmas this past year. When I am trying to make dinner or fold laundry etc. I will have him go on a scavenger hunt with his camera. I will say..find something red...and he has to go take a picture of it. Other ideas:

Find something square
Find something you love
Find something alive
Find something that belongs to your daddy
Find your favorite toy
Find a place you clean yourself

Picture Time

Take your kiddo on a nature hike outside and let them snap a few pictures. Then print them off and let them put them in their own photo album.

Penny Clean Up Challenge

Trying to motivate your child to pick up...this is a little silly because by the time you have placed all the pennies you, personally, could have cleaned up the entire play area...however, your child would not have helped. So on a rainy day when he/she has pulled out every toy and it is time to clean up..make it fun!

Hide some pennies or stickers underneath some of the toys. Then tell them that they need to find the pennies. The trick is that if they pick up a toy to find a penny they have to put it away..whether there is a penny there or not.

I found that when I did this, my son was a little over three and he had a hard time remembering to put the things away. I had to watch and remind. But he had a fun time and got super excited.

Memory and Go Fish

Yes! You can buy these games but why not turn it into two activities. Get some index cards and make the cards with your child and then play! I did the alphabet and numbers and my son is proud to play with the cards that he made.

Make your own chalk paint

Chalk paint
¼ cup corn startch
¼ cup water
Food coloring
I found that your child has to be patient because when you first paint it there isn't a bright mark but as it dries the markings are very bright!...but it doesn't make large markings. I think my son had more fun mixing it and picking the colors that he wanted.

Paint the Sidewalk without a mess!

Use sponge paint brushes and water and let the kids go nuts painting the driveway or anything. By the time they finish, it starts to disappear, and they have to start over…avoids the chalk mess but the kids usually get wet.

PlayDough Mystery Shapes

First, use a broad-tip marker to draw shapes (circle, square, etc.) on construction paper, one shape per sheet. Cover the sheets with clear contact paper. Have your child roll play dough into ropes and shape them over your drawings. Have your child close his or her eyes and try to identify each shape. You can also play this game with letters and numbers.