Bub is developing an interest in boxed games like Candyland, Hi Ho Cheerio, Memory, Cootie, and a Thomas the Train game. His attention span and respect for the rules of play are still, ahem, developing, but he seems to enjoy himself. Plus, he is great, NTB, about cleaning up all the little pieces so Little Bit won't try to eat them. I play such games with Bub while Little Bit naps in the morning. Hubby plays with Bub before bed most nights.
With lots of rain and temperatures in the mid-fifties most of last week, we've had more indoor time this summer than anticipated and thus, more indoor games. NTB, but Bub has been thinking out of the box on some of most recent "games."
Here are some of Bub's favorites games with materials and instructions given from his perspective . . .
Mailing Letters
Materials Needed: candy, envelopes, stickers, crayons
Instructions:
1. Mention every five minutes that you want to go to the candy store.
2. Once your mom has given in or found some candy somewhere, ask her to dump it on the table.
3. Get to work filling envelopes with one or two pieces of candy in each.
4. Work with mom to put a sticker on the front of the envelope for a stamp. Remind her that you do not want any Winnie-the-Pooh stickers with Piglet on them because "the pig is sad."
5. Delegate as much as you can, as in, "You write my name on the envelope, Mom." She will probably make you trace your name.
6. Place envelopes in your own mailbox.
7. Start asking your mom when you can check the mail because you think you have some letters.
8. When she relents, open all the letters, even the ones you said were for Daddy. 9. Eat the candy inside.
10. Return to step 1.
Poker Chips
Materials needed: poker chips and caddy, Spray N' Wash (suppose Windex or non-aerosol hair spray would work in a pinch)
Instructions:
1. Dump all the poker chips out of the poker chip caddy and on to the basement floor.
2. While your mom is changing the laundry, spray as many chips as you can with Spray N' Wash.
3. Find a piece of dirty laundry from the pile and use it to start drying the chips.
4. Put the chips in the caddy as you dry them, reserving the black and white ones. Don't forget to scold your baby brother for trying to put away chips that have not been "washed and dried" yet and for not keeping black and white ones out of the caddy.
5. Tell your mom the black and white chips are for "making snowmen."
6. Take an extra pile of black and white chips and hide it in the guest room.
7. Once you have about 15 chips dried and back in the caddy, leave the rest on the floor so that you can skip step 1 when you are ready to play again.
Unnamed Game A
Materials: matchbox cars, silo from Fisher Price farm, tennis ball
Instructions:
1. Fill silo full of matchbox cars, leaving some room at the top.
2. Place tennis ball in top of the silo.
3. Empty silo and repeat.
Unnamed Game B
Materials: bin of baby and toddler shoes, toy hammer
Instructions:
1. Empty shoes on to the floor. Do it right in the doorway between the kitchen and family room so that no one can miss the fact that you are playing.
2. Use hammer to beat the shoes repeatedly.
Making Sand
Materials: sandbox with plentiful sand toys, neighbors
Instructions:
1. Stand on the deck and peer over the fence until you get the neighbors' attention.
2. Invite them over. (Your mom will not mind because she prefers inviting them over to having you invite yourself to their yard or stare over the fence with longing. Plus, she likes the neighbors.)
3. Make sure all the toys you own are out of the garage and strewn about the yard.
4. Once all the toys are out, ignore them and lure all the kids into the sandbox.
5. Remove your shoes and socks, no matter what the temperature.
6. Once there are five kids (ages 11 months-8 years) in the sandbox (3-4 feet in diameter), work together to create an elaborate system for filling, straining, dumping, and moving sand. This is called "making sand."
7. Make sure to get as much sand out of the box and into the yard as you can.
8. Throw a fit when it's time for dinner and no more sand can be made.
9. Ask the neighbors if they want to "make sand" every other time you see them.
What games do the kids in your life play? Please share in the comments.
Also, please don't forget to send in your recipes for the NTB Dips and Sips Summer Recipe Drive! For the price of one recipe, you will receive many! Pretty please.
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8 comments:
Our "newest" game is called Jumping Jacks (the real concept of which I'm sure was taught at Sports Club, but was "modified" by Annika). Required every pillow, including seat cushions, from couches and chairs, placed randomly and sporadically around living room floor. Jump off sofa onto a cushion and then jump cushion to cushion (almost like a frog on a lily pad). Every so often fall of a cushion or the couch landing in a strange manner and requiring your mom to stop her task and ask "are you okay?" The Bub might like this one for a rainy day. : )
Amanda has really been into the Junion Pricness Monopoly game her Grandma gave her for her birthday. She has gotten better about following rules, but I just enjoy watching my husband discuss which princess game piece he will be and get excited when he lands on one of the good properties, like Prince Charming (he really tries to beat a 4 year old). My role in the game is prevent my Megan from eating castles.
Very cute post. I actually caused tears today when I instructed Swiper to run the wrong way in duck duck goose. Fancy is a stickler for rules. m
I am audibly laughing right now after reading this post. Just hilarious, these games of Bub's. My boys' favorite game is one in which they take any pot, pan, spoon, spatula (also called a "pancake"), napkin, plate, cup, that they can find. They combine it with all the matchbox cars and all the pretend food, then place them on the rug at the front door. With giggles and smiles, they proudly invite me to their "picnic." The best part of all is that they let mom clean up the picnic at the end of the day. "I just love cleaning this up!" Good times! Rita
Very funny post. Who needs Uno when you have all those games???
Some popular games around here lately are:
1. "Mom, Dad, Little Kid." Each player is assigned a role. It's mandatory that there be a pre-game fight over who gets to play the mom. Child is not named but simply referred to as "little kid." A sampling of activities is to go Kings Island, get rewarded with pretend fruit snacks for going potty, and to be allowed to watch shows in the van on every ride, not just long trips.
2. "Envelopes" Go to nick.jr and print off a coloring page. Spend 30 seconds (Swiper) to 10 minutes (Fancy) coloring said paper and stuff in an envelope. Seal heavily with stickers. The little sister is to use any "boy stickers." File envelopes until time to give to recipient. Pass out to the swim instructor, new babysitter, the Intern, the Intern's girlfriend, the neighbor's visiting cousin, and various other family members.
3. "Cock-a-do-do-do" Child turns lights off. You pretend to be sleeping until you hear "cock-a-do-do-do" as the lights come on. Not a bad game, as sleeping is always welcome, even if only in twenty second incriments.
4. "Wake the sleeping baby." Any time you see your little sister sleeping, get as close to her face as possible. Yell if you feel like it. Touch her face a lot. If she's on your mom's lap, see if you can squeeze in there too. Game ends when the mom gets mad or the baby starts pulling hair.
Fun post, one that Bub will love to read when he's older. And having been to your house on many occasions, I can totally picture the games you describe. I laughed aloud at the beating of shoes. Ha!
Sara G.
I think Unnamed Game B is my favorite. Acey's been creative lately with his playtime. So creative, in fact, that he refuses to engage in play unless I am within 5 inches of him, so I can appreciate how creative he is.
Too funny. Esp the one where he sets up right between the kitchen and living room. L likes to have pic-in-ics in the kitchen with her plastic food and dishes. She gets her stuffed animals in on it. It just seems like the pic-in-ic moves closer and closer to my feet as I try to make dinner.
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