5 Inexpensive buys to keep the kids busy
I love finding cheap activities that I can count on to keep my kids busy. Especially on those days you are stuck inside! Here’s a few we are enjoying lately.
1. Magic Pattern Paper & Markers
My 3 year old isn’t really interested in coloring books but this pattern paper is a whole different story. It adds excitement and layers! They have different ones to choose from but my daughter likes the Princesses, Ponies, Parties and More theme. The pattern paper works best with bigger markers like these. The paper will get the side of your hand a bit marker-y but nothing a little soap and water can’t fix!
2. Wikki Stix!
Wikki Stix are great for so many things, especially fine motor! Roll them into spirals, use them to create Twig Stars or braid or twist them! Easy, no mess fun to keep their hands busy! You can form them into monsters or trace shapes, letters and numbers. Try these Wikki Stix Alphabet Cards that I made for you and check out this post for more tools to teach the alphabet!
3. Print outs
At home we have a reward chart. See Why I Love Reward Charts here! When Ahria gets a certain amount of stickers, she gets a small toy or special outing. Worksheets are one way she gets to earn stickers. There are tons of them available for you here!
My mom bought these for my daughter and she spent a good 2 hours on one. I bought a bunch and use them for quiet time. They are color coded by number and have gems (her favorite part!) When she finishes a picture, she gets a sticker for her reward chart. These are fine motor FUN and a great tool for sensory learning.
5. Build and Paint Wood crafts
For these I like to go to the craft section in Wal-Mart. They have a spot with a bunch of these from around $2-$4. I let Ahria pick out which one she likes. Some of them are build your own and others are already put together – like the treasure chest. After she makes them, she uses them during adventure time with Daddy.
All of these help keep the peace and they don’t break the bank. If I feel the kids getting wound-up or “punchy”, these are great redirections. She feels good about herself when she completes them, too!
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