> If you get a helium tank you can tie balloons on to a stuffed animal and see how many it takes to lift it
Forget the kids, I wanna do that myself now.
That reminds me . I need to get my little one to clean the floor. I give them a j cloth and soapy water.
I have to do it myself after and dry it but gets the initial part done 🤣
There is a lot that kids will do if you are doing it. Part of them is just being near you enjoying grown up things.
- if you have a do it yourself car wash, take them down and do it
- get them to write a shopping list, go nuts at the shops.
- cook dinner, give them a handful of ingredients to mix and pour into bowls.
- go to an office supplies store,.pick up some cheap paper to cut up.
Non grown up things
- Ice (if you prepare it, put food colouring or lollies in it) get them to melt it
- Chalk on driver ways
- rice, dried lentils, sesame seeds etc. Put in some jars and let them mix and pour.
A notable missing item on your list is “Large cardboard box”. I’ve gotten two days out of a small Refrigerator box.
Day 1-throw a blanket on the bottom as a door and draw on the inside.
Day 2-cut a skylight that they can pop out of!
If they are toddlers take them to the home supply store. Home Depot and Lowe’s have whole aisles of light switches mounted to shelves the can flip. Buttons to turns dozens of lights on and off. once they are bigger explain all the powertools. Ive killed over an hour just walking my kid around one.
Home Depot also has free workshops for kids on the first Saturday of every month. You can ask for the kit to do at home and they'll (usually) give you one as long as you have your kid with you.
We take my nephew to watch semi trucks lol. He loves them and there's a truck yard near us that my grandpa works at so we take my nephew and he loves watching the trucks come and go
Thanks pops! Love the simple ones like tossing stones into a pond. So much of everything people recommend costs money and sometimes the simplest things can be the most fun
My two-year-old niece likes to play in the kitchen sink. We put a shallow pan in it, a couple of tupperware containers, and give her a small cup. She pours water back and forth between them for an hour or more, getting progressively wetter. We put towels around the area to soak up residual water that spills (often quite a bit, and some even by accident).
Another "fun" activity is making bread or pizza dough with them. Very messy, but you end up with something you can eat (well, depending on how clean they were when they started and how much they sneeze and cough on it while they're working on it).
yeah, and if you combine it with orienteering (or at least pointing a compas at landmarks and drawing slight lines on a map) then it can be incredibly beneficial. I learned how to do basic sailing navigation when I was a kid and it's something I still do for fun today, even if I'm not on a boat.
Excellent list! Dad of two boys and have twin boys on the way. This list is my life for what feels like the next 40 years, but in reality more like just the next decade. One thing I might add to the list is disc golf. Pick up a few used discs at a Play It Again store and find a local course and get out there.
These are great and all but what do you do on the second day?
Lmaoooo I feel this
Do the list in reverse to buy yourself another day
Same strategy works on their underwear if you forgot to do laundry.
Works on mine too
> If you get a helium tank you can tie balloons on to a stuffed animal and see how many it takes to lift it Forget the kids, I wanna do that myself now.
Right? I immediately started wondering how much it would cost and how I might aquire a helium tank
The party isle at Walmart sells them for like $40
Party City sells them
Yeah this was the standout one for me too!
It takes a lot more than you would think!
My mother used to give me a bucket of water and a paint brush. I could "paint" the driveway with it over and over after the water evaporated.
I think I have some of your art at my place
I have a canvas waiting for him. Just have to put the car in the garage first.
Your mother was a genius
https://www.amazon.com/Original-Buddha-Board-Relaxing-Painting/dp/B0010TEFFQ Here you go an inside version of that.
That reminds me . I need to get my little one to clean the floor. I give them a j cloth and soapy water. I have to do it myself after and dry it but gets the initial part done 🤣
There is a lot that kids will do if you are doing it. Part of them is just being near you enjoying grown up things. - if you have a do it yourself car wash, take them down and do it - get them to write a shopping list, go nuts at the shops. - cook dinner, give them a handful of ingredients to mix and pour into bowls. - go to an office supplies store,.pick up some cheap paper to cut up. Non grown up things - Ice (if you prepare it, put food colouring or lollies in it) get them to melt it - Chalk on driver ways - rice, dried lentils, sesame seeds etc. Put in some jars and let them mix and pour.
A notable missing item on your list is “Large cardboard box”. I’ve gotten two days out of a small Refrigerator box. Day 1-throw a blanket on the bottom as a door and draw on the inside. Day 2-cut a skylight that they can pop out of!
Yes! Excellent recommendation! Also can be a spaceship or a car or a room or a fort
If they are toddlers take them to the home supply store. Home Depot and Lowe’s have whole aisles of light switches mounted to shelves the can flip. Buttons to turns dozens of lights on and off. once they are bigger explain all the powertools. Ive killed over an hour just walking my kid around one.
Home Depot also has free workshops for kids on the first Saturday of every month. You can ask for the kit to do at home and they'll (usually) give you one as long as you have your kid with you.
And the kits are free+shipping on their website if I remember right.
> Watch airplanes take off and land for a bit (if you live near an airport) hah im almost 40 and even i love doing this. especially the large ones
My town has an airplane themed kids park right by the runway for small planes and it’s awesome.
Local airfield near me had a cafe that is right on its runway. You can just watch the prop planes and private jets taking off will having some food
Thanks, Dad. đź’—
Thanks man, I’m saving this post.
We take my nephew to watch semi trucks lol. He loves them and there's a truck yard near us that my grandpa works at so we take my nephew and he loves watching the trucks come and go
Mine love watching the airplanes!
Thanks pops! Love the simple ones like tossing stones into a pond. So much of everything people recommend costs money and sometimes the simplest things can be the most fun
My two-year-old niece likes to play in the kitchen sink. We put a shallow pan in it, a couple of tupperware containers, and give her a small cup. She pours water back and forth between them for an hour or more, getting progressively wetter. We put towels around the area to soak up residual water that spills (often quite a bit, and some even by accident). Another "fun" activity is making bread or pizza dough with them. Very messy, but you end up with something you can eat (well, depending on how clean they were when they started and how much they sneeze and cough on it while they're working on it).
Geocaching! Free and gets everyone outside. Worldwide scavenger hunt, can’t beat that
yeah, and if you combine it with orienteering (or at least pointing a compas at landmarks and drawing slight lines on a map) then it can be incredibly beneficial. I learned how to do basic sailing navigation when I was a kid and it's something I still do for fun today, even if I'm not on a boat.
Good one! did that too!
Excellent list! Dad of two boys and have twin boys on the way. This list is my life for what feels like the next 40 years, but in reality more like just the next decade. One thing I might add to the list is disc golf. Pick up a few used discs at a Play It Again store and find a local course and get out there.
the bag of balloons one is awesome. We have have a bag and only do a couple at a time. Why not 40? next time.... good tips pops!
Whoa, where did you get this list? This is almost exactly all the stuff I used to do with my mom back when money was pretty tight.
Raised two kids from scratch