Help me think of ideas for my 3 & 5 yo

[Quiver0f10]

I'd like to make up baskets of activites for my 3 & 5 yo to do while we are doing school. I'd be thrilled if it kept them busy for an hour so we can do one subject without interuption. Plus,w e don't so much artsy stuff so I am thinking it would be good for them anyways.

So far I have:

glitter glue & paper
play doh & cutters
magazines, sciccors(?) and gluesticks
stampers and ink pads or maybe bingo dobbers
paint and sponges or finger paint ( But I'd need to be right there with them lol)

Any other ideas?

[Mrs Mungo]

Get the book "Montessori Play and Learn." It has *tons* of ideas of things you can put together yourself and kids can use to entertain themselves. I also have a friend whose homeschool group used this book: http://www.activitybags.com/ to make up bags for everyone. Basically, 20 moms made up 20 of 2 of the bags (40 bags total) and then they traded so they all had 40 different bags.

[8FillTheHeart]

some others my kids do......

pipe cleaners and the small fuzzy balls and googly eyes

water, measuring cups, and bowls

pattern blocks

construction paper, glue, dried beans/macarroni/cotton balls

cuisenaire rods and the cuisenaire alphabet book

dry erase board and markers

pinwheels and shoe laces

[Stirsmommy]

Might I suggest paper cutting only scissors. Yeah don't ask. Also you will want to watch the bingo dobbers as they don't come out as some other paints. How about some big beads and shoelaces for stringing? Envelopes so they can make letters and play post office. Do they like puzzles?
Sounds like a fun basket to put together.

[whitestavern]

Dover Publications makes a series of books called Cut & Color. My 5 yo ds has Cut & Color Things That Go and it keeps him busy for hours! Also at makingfriends.com you can print out loads of paper dolls and all sorts of outfits for them. This also kept him busy over a series of days. Another messy one, but well worth it IMO is a big flat rubbermaid container filled with flour or oatmeal or rice w/a measuring spoon set and a measuring cup set. My kids loved this!

[SandraDumas]

stickers (tons and tons of them. you can get the best deals in teacher stores)
chalk
construction paper
craft supplies- any kind- googly eyes, pom poms, popsicle sticks, etc.
old boxes, toilet paper tubes, paper towel tubes
drawing paper
Crayola water colors and water color paper (the best deal I've seen on water color paper is at Rainbow resource. They have some cheap stuff that gets the job done pretty well)
stencils and colored pencils (you may have to sharpen yourself to keep them nice and useful)
tape -if you can find some cheap dollar store tape so they're not raiding your good Scotch tape, that'll go very far for the kids.
yarn- rule- no making webs throughout the house!
rulers
NO ELMERS GLUE in the box! What a mess
NO GLITTER in the box! what a mess
drawing books for the five year old- how to draw from library
buttons if your 3 year old is not putting things in mouth
paper fasteners- these are really important
kids scissors - I found the cheap ones are fine.
kids glue stick _Ross brand is a good deal. Target brand is horrible.
Aluminum foil pieces (again if 3 yo not putting in mouth)
NO BALLOONS
wax paper pieces (don't give them the whole roll.)

[Tarheel Heather]

My 2 ds loves to do his *school work*.

There are also the zip loc baggy games. I know of some who rotate and that have gotten together with others and made them so everyone had a baggy to rotate.

http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/preschool_activities.htm

Lots of ideas at Paula's archives.

[one l michele]

bean tub - toss in measuring cups/spoons from the dollar store & have them play with it on a sheet so the beans are easy to dump back in the tub

Honestly, this is my boys favorite, all three ages 7.5, 6, and 4 still play with it.

[BusyBee]

I purchased large plastic counting buttons and made a hole in the top of a coffee canister. My three year old loves to push the buttons through the top of the canister.

We also use Shape Lacing Cards, Leap Frog Alphabet Magnets, and of course loads of paper for her to cut up.

[Quiver0f10]

Thanks for all the great ideas!

[St. Theophan Academy]

bean tub - toss in measuring cups/spoons from the dollar store & have them play with it on a sheet so the beans are easy to dump back in the tub

Honestly, this is my boys favorite, all three ages 7.5, 6, and 4 still play with it.

My 3yo loves this the most too!!! That, and a collection of measuring items and a stool to reach the sink - we have a kitchen adjoining the school room and she will play for 30 minutes with some water and toys. If this is not doable, you can fill a small baby tub (like from the hospital) with water and place it on a shower curtain liner in the room you are working in.

Also , I have a few boxes of toys that only come down during school - like Mr. Potato head, a collection of kids meal toys, a set of magnetic wooden dolls with the clothes. These can only be played with one box at a time, and only on certain days and times, so she never gets bored with them! Anne Marie

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

Any math manipulatives. My 3yo dd loves using them. Her favorites are geoboards, Funtastic Frogs with activity cards, pattern blocks, and a bucket balance.

[Tonia]

I have a list of preschool activity bag ideas posted here (http://thesunnypatch.blogspot.com/2007/09/activity-bags-for-preschoolers.html).

[Quiver0f10]

I have a list of preschool activity bag ideas posted here (http://thesunnypatch.blogspot.com/2007/09/activity-bags-for-preschoolers.html).


Thanks! And thanks everyone, I love all the ideas! We are going to have fun :D

[lottie j.y6s4ly]

put the beans or rice in a small plastic swimming pool....or if you want a cover, use one of those large but very shallow plastic bins that have wheels and slide under the bed for storage...

dawn

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Have you been to Paula's Archives? The are several ideas there including bags of activities for preschoolers. Your 5yo would probably enjoy some of them, too.

http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/preschool_activities.htm