Looking for affordable yet fun activities to fill up those long dog days of summer? Look no further. Homemade fun can be creative and economical.
1. Box play. Give a child a cardboard box and watch their imaginations explode.
2. Living room architect. Who doesn’t remember the classic living room fort built from sheets and chairs?
3. Bring it into the kitchen. Children love to be invited into the kitchen to cook with adults. (Remember to incorporate math skills by allowing kids to measure and estimate.)
Homemade play dough Kool-Aid recipe
2 1/2 to 3 cups flour
2 cups boiling water with one package of Kool-Aid
3 Tbsp. corn oil
1/2 cup salt
1 Tbsp. alum
Mix ingredients and knead with flour. Makes very fragrant and flexible play dough.
Easy homemade ice cream recipe
One 10-ounce package frozen sliced strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup heavy cream
Combine the frozen strawberries and sugar in a blender. Blend until the fruit is chopped. With the blender running, slowly pour in the heavy cream until mixed smoothly. Serve immediately, or freeze leftovers.
4. Scavenger hunts. Put a twist on this age-old classic game.
5. Recycle crafts. Use items found around the home for crafting projects.
By focusing on projects that allow children to find the required resources rather than using something pre-packaged, we encourage ingenuity and enhance imaginations. It’s a great way to help with both summer savings and summer fun.
Michele is a former elementary school teacher who turned in her chalkboard to stay at home with her daughters. She spends much of her time negotiating tantrums, mastering the art of Play Doh and morphing into her alter ego, Mammatalk, on her quirky blog, www.mammatalk.blogspot.com.
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