1. MAKE PLAY DOUGH AND USE IT TO MAKE FUN LITTLE THINGS.
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 Directions: Mix first 4 ingredients in a pan. Add water and mix well. 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 – add food coloring during kneading process. Store after use in a plastic container.

2. CREATE A TREASURE BASKET
A small basket or box labeled “Treasures” can hold items that your child is fascinated by or that you want him to learn about. For instance, you can do a kitchen theme of different cooking utensils, or things that we use for hygiene … the sky’s the limit.

3. WINDOW ART
Use sheets of foam for crafting and cut into all kinds of shapes or create a fun story scene — this stuff stays and is easily removed.

4. MAKE PAINT PRINTS
Use broccoli, peppers, spaghetti, toy cars, cardboard tubes, egg cartons or cookie cutters.

5. MAKE CLOUD DOUGH (moldable sand!) to make fun shapes. Cloud dough recipe: 5 cups plain flour; 1 cup baby oil. Mix and play.

6. CREATE SHAVING CREAM and finger paint shapes on a tray.

7. MOLD SMALL TOYS IN JELLO and dig them out; play and explore.

8. PLAY “CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS SMELL IS?” using items in your kitchen.

9. FREEZE SOME TOYS IN ICE and try and have a race to see who can excavate them the quickest.

10. PAINT EACH OTHER’S FACES with face crayons.

11. SET UP A ROLE-PLAY COFFEE SHOP

12. MAKE CLOTHING PIN FAIRIES using small pieces of fabric and a fine-tip Sharpie. Use the fairies to tell a story.

13. PRACTICE WRITING LETTERS AND NUMBERS IN SALT

14. HAVE FUN FINGER PAINTING

15. ACT OUT “GOLDILOCKS AND THE 3 BEARS”

16. GO ON A NATURE WALK & COLLECT ITEMS FOR A COLLAGE

17. MAKE BALL CATCHERS FROM MILK JUGS & PLAY WITH A TENNIS BALL

18. SET UP A READING TENT and read a pile of books together with milk and cookies.

19. MAKE A ROCK POOL using a large roasting pan, and tell seaside stories.

20. PAINT A TABLE TOP WITH CHALKBOARD PAINT then draw on it.

21. PUT TOGETHER A SENSORY TUB

22. MAKE MACARONI NECKLACES

23. MAKE SANDWICHES TOGETHER

24. STEP IN PAINT AND MAKE FOOTPRINTS on paper.

25. DECORATE COLORING SHEETS with buttons & other items.

26. MAKE EDIBLE FINGERPAINTS. Edible Fingerpaints Recipe: 2 cups corn starch; 1 cup cold water; 4-and-a-half cups of boiling water; liquid food coloring. Directions: Mix the corn starch with the cold water, and stir together. Pour in the boiling water, one cup at a time, and stir between each cup. Keep stirring as it melts into a pudding-like consistency. Separate into different jars or plastic bowls and add food coloring to make different colors.

27. SET UP AN OUTDOOR MESSY AREA for making mud pies and grass soup.

28. MAKE A PIRATE MAP, a treasure chest from a cardboard box, a sandy pirate island and go on adventures, indoors or out.

29. TURN A BOX INTO A PLAY CAR

30. COLLECT PETALS & MASH TO MAKE PERFUME

31. CREATE A DINOSAUR LAND ON A TRAY using small dinosaurs.

32. MAKE PICTURES with felt shapes.

33. USE PLASTIC BOTTLES to make discovery bottles.

34. PAINT RAINBOWS TOGETHER

35. CREATE A GIANT COLLAGE version of a favorite book of your child’s.

36. SCRAPE FORKS OR COMBS through paint to explore texture.

37. HOLD A PUPPET SHOW WITH SOCK PUPPETS

38. SORT TINY TOYS into an egg carton to practice counting skills.

39. MAKE A PICTURE WITH COTTON BALLS

40. BLOW BUBBLES TOGETHER

41. MAKE GIANT CHALK LETTERS

42. MAKE A RAIN GAUGE to measure rainfall together. Use a plastic water bottle; cut the top of the water bottle off and turn it upside down IN the water bottle to catch rain.

43. PLAY BOWLING INDOORS with empty water bottles & a rubber ball.

44. USE MASKING TAPE TO CREATE ARTWORK

45. FOLD PAPER OVER PAINT TO MAKE

46. HOLD A DANCE PARTY

47. PUT PAPER ALL OVER THE FLOOR and have a huge doodling session.

48. PLAY “THE VOICE”

49. PLAY RESTAURANT

50. PLAY STORE