I am going to babysitting two children (one boy-2nd grade, one girl-preschool/kindergarten) in two hours and also next Friday. I have been asking them what they would like to do next time every time that I babysit. They are getting sick of ALL of the CLASSIC games. They have played just about every game they have, and just about every game I have(that I have brought over).

Does anybody know of any good crafts I can do with them? They are really happy that it is Christmas-time..and would love to do a Christmas Craft. Any simple crafts that use materials most house-holds have? I can’t go out and buy anything new. What about activities or games?

I am unable to take them outside to play in the snow, or really outside at all because it has a “feel-like” temperature of -22. Anything indoors. This doesn’t necassarily have to be winter-y. I am unable to drive, so we are just stuck inside their house.

Thanks for all the advice you are able to give me. Remember, we have played all the classic games, so I’m looking for a game that you made up or your babysitter from when you were little played that kids love and most likely hasn’t played before. I hate sitting them down in front of the couch for video games or a movie.

What fun ages! controlled messes are going to be a dead winner ) cut paper to fit the bottom of a disposable box or Tupperware container. gather small, washable balls, like marbles, and dip them in different colors of paint. and drop them into the containers. then let the kids roll them around and make crazy designs. you can help them cut holiday shapes out of their fancy papers or fold them in half and put holiday shapes on the front to make cards. you can make paper chains for holiday decorations.

You can let them build robots or animals or people using things like empty milk boxes/jugs, paper, pipe cleaners, cotton, yarn, really just w/e they have around the house. you could ask them to draw a picture of what they dream about on christmas eve or what they want for christmas and write down what they say for their parents to keep- you should encourage them to do their best to write it down on their drawing themselves too. have you tried hop scotch?

That’s been a hit for me, even inside- just masking tape the squares and numbers and toss some small, soft toy. make paper hats. parade and clang on pots and pans. get two boxes large enough for them to sit in- have them hold on to each other and you pull the boxes around onto different flooring and have them decide why sometimes it’s hard for you to pull and sometimes it’s easy- encourage whatever they say.

Play supermarket from the cupboards or pantry- cut up some paper and card board to make bills and coins. make a fort in the living room. make lists of animals with them and draw simple pictures and the animal names on cards then sort them out together. like cats, dogs and cows live on land, fish, octopus and whales live in water. feathers vs fur, big to small, color etc. make animal noises too. when i was little my grandpa used to draw a simple squiggle and i had to turn it into something- for example, a bent line could be a nose on a face or part of a mountain range…

Kids looooove having their picture taken- if the parents are ok with you having pictures of them you could have them make goofy faces, another fav, and you could even get the pics printed and have them make popsicle stick frames to give their parents for christmas. you could bake with them, you could make ornaments with them…. help them stand on their hands. siiiiiigh i miss my day care job.

Just have fun, and be silly and loud and messy… let them be kids )

Technorati Tags: christmas, Christmas crafts, Craft, crafts, Holiday