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Indoor Activities for Preschoolers

It's always good to have some indoor activities for preschoolers planned so if the weather isn't cooperating outside, things will still be nice inside.




Home-made Modeling Dough

There's no need to pay for store-bought modeling dough. This recipe makes a colorful, pliable modeling dough that can be used for a couple of months if stored properly in a sealed container.

  • 2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon food coloring
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup salt
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Mix water and food coloring in a saucepan. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until dough leaves side of pan.

Remove from pan. When cool to the touch, knead for a few minutes.

Supply kids with cookie cutters, miniature rolling pins, plastic knives, etc. to mold and play with dough.



Magic Putty

Magic Putty is a slippery, slimy material. Kids enjoy making shapes that "melt" into a pancake shape. Or they can hold it in their hand to watch it "melt" through their fingers.

Mix the following together in a large bowl. Add food color if you'd like:

  • 1-1/2 cups water
  • 2 cups Elmers Glue

Mix together in a separate bowl:

  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon Borax laundry detergent

Add the Borax mixture to the glue mixture. As you stir, a slimy putty will form. Place the putty mixture in another bowl.

There will be leftover glue/water mixture. If you want to make more magic putty, make another water/borax mixture and repeat the process. You can do this about four times for one batch.

After the finished product sits for a minute in a bowl, pour off extra liquid. It's now ready for the kids to play with. Supply them with clay toys.

Store Magic Putty in a plastic jar. It can be stored and reused for approximately one month.

Note:
Borax is a powered laundry detergent. Children should be monitored constantly while playing with Magic Putty.

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Post Office

Do you get a lot of credit card applications in the mail that you just throw in the trash can?

Before you throw them away, remove the return envelope and save a stack of them. You then have a fun, inexpensive activity for your children. Kids LOVE to play post office.


Supplies:

  • Junk mail envelopes
  • Shoe box
  • Stickers, markers, pre-cut shapes
  • Glue
  • Photo of each child
  • Exacto knife
  • Velcro strips
Give each child an old shoe box to decorate anyway they'd like. It could be with stickers or markers or pre-cut shapes that can be glued on.

Write each child's name on their mailbox. For children not old enough to read, use photos on each mailbox so they know who they're sending letters to.

Adult: Cut a slit on one end of the shoe box that allows mail to be inserted into the box. On the other end, make a flap and use a velcro strip to secure it to create an opening that allows the recipient to collect their mail. Click on the photo for more details.

Supply the children with junk mail envelopes and recycled paper to create mail to each other. They can send mail and receive mail as they wish throughout the day.


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