25 Cheap Ideas To Keep Your Child's Mind And Hands Busy

Sep 27, 2017

25 Cheap Ideas To Keep Your Child's Mind And Hands Busy. 25 Inexpensive Ideas To Occupy Bored Kids Say No To Boredom With These 25 Inexpensive Kid Activities In the words of Miguel de Cervantes, "to be prepared is half the victory." Few can better attest to that than parents, especially when it comes to keeping kids occupied in ways that are both fun and mentally stimulating. And, if you can also do it on a limited budget, well, then you deserve a sticker star. 1. Gather up the toy cars you almost broke a leg on yesterday and put them to good use in a maze. Using colored tape as your "road," make a fun path, maze, or racetrack from point A to B. 2. Multi-colored chalk and mini beanbags or a sponge provide the kids a safe and free game of bullseye on the driveway.3. Scissors for paper doll dress up are often a no-go. But, that doesn't mean the game can't go on. Outline dolls in chalk and let the kids fill in details with chalk, real play clothes, shoes, and accessories. 4. Art is always a fan favorite with the kids. Spice it up a little with some cool glue art. Save your plastic lids as free canvases. While glue is still wet, add some food coloring and allow kids to use toothpicks to swirl, draw, and design their masterpieces. 5. Adventurous mom? Try a paint bomb that'll let the entire neighborhood see your little artist in action. Recipe: • ziplock bags• corn starch •baking soda •vinegar • liquid watercolors (or food coloring) •napkins Mix vinegar, corn starch, and coloring agent in ziplock bag, filling it at least 1/3 full. Place baking soda in napkin and twist the top lightly. Place baking soda bomb in ziplock bag and seal. When ready to detonate, vigorously shake the bag. Kaboom! 6. Leftover bubble wrap also makes inventive art projects. Apply bubble wrap to feet; dip feet in washable paint; and use the driveway, a spare poster, or leftover wallpaper as the canvas. 7. Maybe your child is more of a sports enthusiast? How about a homemade throwing target for footballs or softballs. Cut holes of various shapes and sizes in a large tarp, labeling each hole with with point value. Secure each side with rope to tree branches or poles. 8. A sponge tower helps foster concentration without all the clanging and expense of traditional wood blocks. Cut sponges lengthwise into three strips. Stack away. 9. Stretch aluminum foil down a path, crinkle the sides to form a path water can flow down. Add water, and you have Tin River. 10. Toddlers will have hours of fun with a simple empty paper towel roll secured to the wall. Put a bowl of mini fuzzy balls under the end for a cool shoot that encourages dexterity. 11. Colored tape makes for a great indoor hopscotch game when the weather prevents outdoor activities. 12. Punch holes out in piece of cardboard to mimic a shoe's lace holes. Your child can practice lacing. A piece of burlap and string can be converted into a sewing station. Older children can practice spelling or shapes. 13. Indoor camping. Add a flameless candle and let imagination ignite. 14. Take the beach to your house. Fill a box with sugar. Kids can practice drawing, letters, numbers, spelling, and math. 15. Rockets away. Tie one end of a piece of a string to a chair. Thread a plastic straw through the opposite end. Secure the end to a second chair, stretching the string out to its length. Inflate, but don't tie, a ballon. Attach it to the straw with tape. Let go of the ballon to watch it rocket away. 16. Mini bowling lane. Tape off a lane. Cap pencil erasers make perfect pins. Use a marble or gum ball as the bowling ball. 17. Let the kids see what happens if you put a bar of soap in the microwave. 18. Remember Catherine Zeta-Jones in "Entrapment?" Give your kids a secret mission to get through a yarn maze. 19. Tape a "spider web" in the corner of a door frame and let the kids throw paper balls at it. 20. Paper plates, popsicle sticks, and a ballon equals an indoor tennis tournament with no broken windows. 21. Stairs can be turned into a slide with just a large deconstructed box. 22. White t-shirts ruined with a stain can be transformed into your child's own fashion line with crayons or fabric paint. 23. Turn play-dough into a whole new toy by simply putting it inside of a ballon. 24. Ordinary bubbles getting stale? Try this giant bubble with a hula hoop. Simply dip into bubbles or soap and water mixture and take off running. 25. Want a colorful twist for bubbles that's super easy to make and free? Mix liquid soap with water. Carefully cut the bottom from an empty soda bottle. Place a sock over the cut end. Apply a couple different colors of food coloring to the end of the sock and dip in the soap. Blow a rainbow.