It's cold again today.
Another day inside, another day trying to stretch my children's play possibilities beyond "sit on mom's lap while she's on the computer" and "take all the toys from one room and hide them all under Natalie's bed."
I've mentioned before that I have a hard time playing with my kids. Mainly I'm easily distracted and once they're playing nicely my mind is buzzing with things I could be doing. Sometimes these things need to get done, sometimes they're just things I like.
I've been better these past two weeks because I've thought up some games we can play that involve me as a leader, rather than an idle observer.
Here are some recent games.
Old McDonald
1.Sing song and then challenge the kids to find that animal in the room or in a book
2.Sing it using different people in your family as you look through a family photo album. Use normal phrases
Another day inside, another day trying to stretch my children's play possibilities beyond "sit on mom's lap while she's on the computer" and "take all the toys from one room and hide them all under Natalie's bed."
I've mentioned before that I have a hard time playing with my kids. Mainly I'm easily distracted and once they're playing nicely my mind is buzzing with things I could be doing. Sometimes these things need to get done, sometimes they're just things I like.
I've been better these past two weeks because I've thought up some games we can play that involve me as a leader, rather than an idle observer.
Here are some recent games.
Old McDonald
1.Sing song and then challenge the kids to find that animal in the room or in a book
2.Sing it using different people in your family as you look through a family photo album. Use normal phrases
3. Sing the same song 20 ways, Old Macdonald had an opera singer, eieio... (Opera, nasaly, squeaky, robot, staccato, whisper, baby, loud man)
Exercise!
1.Animals- Yell out an animal, and the kids have to act like that animal across room- Penquin, ostrich, cow, dog, pig, Snake, Bird, etc. The kids love this one, Natalie regularly pretends to be an "anaconda snake."
2. Follow the Leader- rotate every person picking an exercise. We do the exercise 10 times, then it's another person's turn. My kids usually pick an animal, I usually pick some kind of sit up, running motion, leg lift or taebo exercise.
Cleaning up
1. I spy- One person picks an object that needs to be picked up. Everyone cleans up and when that item is put away, we yell "YOU'RE THE WINNER" and do a crazy dance. Then the winner gets to pick a new object
2. Freeze Dance pickup- Put on music, the kids pick up while music is on, then have to FREEZE when it stops.
Now, go play with your kids!
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