The Pooh Cup

When Sheaff and I were first married, boredom was different. Less scrolling, less checking things. iPhones weren't around. Netflix was just a thing, and the streaming options for shows and movies were fairly terrible. Therefore, we got a dvd via snail mail, watched it, and then mailed it back and waited for the next one. (Except for one we lost for at least 8 months.)  We both had blackberries, but you really only checked your email on that, and occasionally Facebook. At risk of playing the good-ole-days card, sometimes I wish those were still the days. Back then, we played a lot of Yahtzee and cards and with energy that was not yet depleted on a daily basis by children, we often would say “What should we do tonight?” (The answer for me now typically must involve either ice cream or vegging out in bed, usually accompanied by grading papers during the semester #lavidaloca). Funnily enough, when we wanted to do something fun, we could never come up with something spontaneously, on the spot, so we ended up putting easy ideas for entertainment into an old mug of mine (Winnie the Pooh, because I'm a grown up), and we’d draw something out of there whenever we were bored. Sometimes it was as goofy as a dance party in the kitchen; sometimes it was bowling; trying a new restaurant; making ice cream; a mega board game tournament, mini golf, etc.

Well when I found myself a parent, I found the same thing happening with Adalyn some days. “What should we do?”  Days are long with a toddler or two.... am I right? We had fun places to go in Lynchburg like the library, Amazement Square, playgrounds galore. But for home time, I wanted a routine, but wasn’t sure how to structure ideas for entertainment and activities for Addie (and then Bria once she joined the party). The idea of a "home curriculum" wasn’t exactly my speed; I wanted structure, but not too much.

Enter, my old Winnie the Pooh mug that Sheaff and I used to draw ideas out of. I came up with as many ideas as I could for kiddo activities, folded them up on little pieces of paper, and put them in the mug. Every day we’d draw one and see what we got. Addie called them “Pooh cup,” which when said out loud without context is pretty funny. “We’re going to do a pooh cup this afternoon!” After we got through the whole thing, I looked up more that sounded fun and added. Some are winners; some are a bust. But if you’re like me and want easy, low maintenance, 5 ingredient or less recipes for potential fun, here is our comprehensive pooh cup list, most of which we’ve enjoyed! They are in no particular order, and mostly make sense for toddler-preschooler. There are probably way more exciting and intricate ideas out there, but hey, it's a start for a mama who pinterestfails regularly! :) 

Pooh Cup Activities

For parents who suck at on-the-spot-thinking-up-of-good-activities

·      Make bookmarks

·      Galaxy in a bottle http://onelittleproject.com/galaxy-in-a-bottle/2/

·      Bingo (with cheerios or chocolate chips if feeling brave)

·      Bow tie butterflies (use bow tie noodles; paint and glue on paper/whatever)

·      Letter scavenger hunt; find 5 things that begin with ___

·      Hand/foot art – pick an animal or just google and find what your fam loves

·      Matching upper-case to lower-case letters (I put upper case on the wall; we shuffle lower case and then tape over the corresponding letter)

·      Build something (wood glue is also your friend). I give Addie like 4-6 pieces of wood and she designs stuff. Mostly chairs and beds for her animals. I help with guide holes. She usually likes to paint the project after. Bria just likes to hammer the wood; no nail or anything. You can also put a screw in a hole and let them work on it with a screw driver.

·      Feelings chart – make one that works for your kiddo. Talk about what to do for the tough ones

·      Lava lamp: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/36451078215383357/

·      Make sock puppets and put on a show

·      Mama Nature Love: Grab a bag, some gloves, and go pick up trash somewhere.

·      Lava game (don’t step on the lava; or find a color that is “lava “that they can’t touch)

·      Rainbow toy hunt – find a toy for each color; can also do in another language

·      Patterns: make them with household items or pick up stuff in nature and make a pattern with it…i.e. pinecone, rock, flower, leaf, pinecone, rock, flower, leaf etc)

·      Science experiments – we have kits that Jordan/Tia/Granny get for them for Christmas, but google will give you 1,000+ for kids with simple household items

·      Magazine cut-out – get old magazine and have them pick out their favorite pictures, cut them out, and glue a picture/collage

·      Make play snow https://www.pinterest.com/pin/36451078214742079/ https://www.nobiggie.net/25-indoor-winter-activities-for-kids/

·      Make up and costume day  (usually needs a parade afterwards, or a dance party at the least)

·      5 square math fun on computer https://www.nctm.org/Classroom-Resources/Illuminations/Interactives/Five-Frame/

·      Do a puzzle

·      “I love you” scavenger hunt: cut out hearts, write a reason you love them and where to find the next heart

·      Number Fun – Write #’s 1-5 on their own pieces of paper; then glue corresponding # of buttons, puff balls, whatever on that number (example: 5 would have 5 buttons, etc)

·      Shape jump – cut out shapes, hang from door high enough that when shape is called, they have to run and jump to hit the shape

·      Family names game- write Mom, Dad, kids names on labels; then divide a paper into parts, with a name at the top of each. They put the label in the corresponding square. Could also do with any word combos

·      Make a pencil holder from recycling containers. Wrap paper around and decorate. Great gift or marker-holder, etc.  

·      Word Hunt – hide words (can be w/ simple pictures) around house. Give picture, and they have to find the word. Example: give picture of cat; they go and find CAT. I usually write everything on an index card and just tape in random places.

·      Kids yoga

·      Paint a sign on a scrap piece of wood

·      Rhyming game – build a block on tower for every word that rhymes, till it falls

·      Egg carton flowers – paint cartons to look like flowers. Can put on pipe cleaners.

·      Bird feeders for outside – then can watch which birds like the most. Try to identify https://www.pinterest.com/pin/36451078210310121/ https://kidscraftroom.com/diy-bird-feeder-craft-kids/

·      Lego math (easy to do halves, etc). We also do just plain ole lego contests

·      Macaroni art

·      Color mixing – food coloring, water, and clear containers of any sort. Entertainment for a shocking amount of time

·      Cook something – anything. Sweets are our go-to because Mama.

·      Make a chain with construction paper strips – can write on them to make them meaningful: ways to be kind; family memories; things you’re thankful for; dreams, etc.  

·      Make an airplane https://handsonaswegrow.com/cardboard-airplane-craft/

·      Gravity: what falls faster ; can also do density/what sinks. Have to collect things around house or outside. Need a test place. Make it a science experiment. Can draw what falls the fastest, etc.

·      Write a letter to a grandparent, relative or friend!

·      Fun cards – write a silly thing to do on each card. Each person draws does that thing. Like a super easy charades. (save cards for next time you do this one).

·      Magic milk – so fun https://happyhooligans.ca/magic-milk-experiment-explosion-colour/

·      Act out a book/scene

·      Make a windchime – pintrest has 1,000 ideas depending on what stuff you have around

·      Paint in salt (spread it out on a tray; make different designs. This was not long-lasting for my kids, but others may have longer attention spans)

·      Body part boogie – basically variations of hokey pokey

·      Glue together a monster out of nature stuff

·      Sew something. May I suggest a bag or pillow. Those are easy enough that even I can do it.

·      Shine a penny – take old coins and clean them https://frugalfun4boys.com/2011/06/06/simple-chemistry-experiment-clean-pennies-with-vinegar/

·      Plant something

·      Dance party in kitchen (at least 5 songs)

·      Find something to donate and do it…can be clothes, toys, animals/blankets (humane society), book (little free library) or food (little free pantry)