At-Home Activities for Kids

Pom-Pom Tube Drop

The pom pom tube drop is a toddler developmental activity. It will help improve fine motor skills, an understanding cause and effect and problem solving. You can set it up in under 5 minutes and only requires three household items. You will need assorted pompoms, painters’ tape and a variety of empty paper towel and toilet paper rolls. You will want to make sure you're using painters tape so it can easily come off. Now that you know what you need, find a flat open wall & using painters tape attach the paper towel and toilet paper rolls onto the wall. Align the tubes vertically or diagonally so that when the pompoms drop in from the top, they will fall out the bottom. Make it a fun maze by allowing the pompoms to drop from one tube to another. Teach them to use their thumb and pointer only to grab each pompom one at a time. Note be careful if your toddler tends to put things in their mouth as these are small enough to be choking hazards.

Snow Spray Paint

Bundle up and take your kids out for some fun outdoors with this snow spray paint. This is a surprisingly easy snow paint recipe that guarantees a super fun time period you only need three things and you'll be on your way. You will need spray bottles food colouring water and of course a snowy area outside. Let the kids pick their colour add a few drops of food colouring to each bottle then add your water and give it a good shake. Now it's time for the fun once you have picked the perfect spot start making designs by spraying your snow spray paint on to the snow.

Grow a Rainbow

This colourful grower rainbow experiment will amaze your kids! Learn how to grow a rainbow within minutes by using paper towels markers and two cups of water. Young kids can do the entire experiment with little help from adults! You will need paper towel, washable markers, water and two identical glasses. Fold the paper towel in half horizontally cut off about 1/3 of the paper towel. Draw the rainbow colours on one end of the paper towel in rectangular blocks. Make sure to go over the colours a few times with the marker so there's enough dye to travel up the paper towel repeat the same colours on the other end make sure the colours line up on both ends. Pour water into the two glasses until they are 3/4 full. Place the two ends of the paper towels into the cups. Half of the rainbow block should be in the water do not fully submerge the entire coloured portion of the paper towel in the water. Watch the colours travel up the paper towel how long it takes for the colour to travel up the paper towel will depend on how much marker you used and the absorbency of the paper towel.

Canvas Finger Paint Art

Kids tend to imagine the world as a place with an entirely different perspective. They believe in colours things that are bright and shiny they perceive the world free of problems and thus their imagination runs far and wide. Finger painting helps to capture their perception in a unique way. The best part about finger painting is the messier it gets the more fun it is. All you need is a garbage bag to cover the table dollar store canvas and fingerpaints. Let the kids dip their fingers in the paint and go wild on the canvas. For older kids let them use painters tape on the canvas first and then remove after they are done! When your’re, done this makes a great memento or even a gift for a grandparent.

Make your own Lava Lamp

Do you need a fun activity that is equally impressive and inexpensive? This make your own lava lamp is sure to make you and your kids happy. The do-it-yourself lava lamp requires no heat or electricity. It is a perfect science project for an indoor activity. All you need is an empty water bottle, vegetable oil, water, food colouring of your choice and Alka seltzer tablets. Fill the empty water bottle about 2/3 full of vegetable oil. Fill the rest with water leaving a little space at the top allow your child to do as much as possible on their own. Now add the food colouring. We used a chop stick to stir the food colouring into the water. I don't recommend shaking the mixture. This causes a lot of little bubbles to form in the oil which makes the effect of the lava lamp less magical You only need a few drops. Now for the magic. When you're ready for the fun break an Alka seltzer tablet into four pieces have your child drop one piece at a time have fun watching what happens. You can even screw on the little plastic cap and break it out a few days later for fun. All you need is more Alka seltzer.

Frozen Ice Gems

During the cold weather it isn't good for much except fun experiments like freezing balloons full of water to make frozen ice gems it's a fun way to make the best of the colder weather. It's easy to fill and freeze the balloons. You need latex balloons water and food colouring or gel food colouring. Put some of the food colouring into the balloon then stretched the balloon over your faucet. Make sure to hold the balloon tight at the top while you fill to prevent the balloon from popping off. Before trying to carry your water filled balloons outside or even to the freezer put them on a tray or cookie sheet you do not want them to stretch and break in the house! If you're going to freeze them outside, you should do it overnight When it's really cold. Carefully placed the balloons on the sidewalk do not put them in the snow as that will insulate it and prevent the balloon from freezing if it's not cold enough find some space in your freezer and put them in there overnight and take them out in the morning once outside your kids can use them to decorate or pretend their dinosaur eggs like mine did.