Ideas for Entertaining School Age Children

Doing things with school age children can be a lot of fun for both of you. You may have forgotten how much fun some of these activities are.

Inside Activities:

• Board games such as Clue, Monopoly
• Word games such as Hang-Man and Scrabble
• Game show games such as Win, Lose, or Draw
• Reading

Outside Activities:

• Jump rope
• Mother May I; Red light/Green light
• Play catch or basketball, throw Frisbees
• Put on a play or a talent show. Use the children's stuffed animals as your audience.

Yarn Octopus

Materials Needed:

• 2 different colors of yarn
• Small ball of cotton
• Scissors
• Glue
• Googly eyes
• Felt
• Ruler

Procedure 

1. Using a ruler, cut 24 pieces of yarn 12 inches long. (Just use one of the two colors of your yarn.)
2. Using the other color of yarn, cut 9 pieces of yarn 6 inches long
3. Place the 24 pieces of cut yarn on a flat surface so that it looks like the spokes of a wheel. Be sure the yarn pieces intersect with each other in the center of the wheel.
4. Put a ball of cotton - a little bigger than a ping-pong ball - in the center of the "wheel" of yarn.
5. Gather up the pieces of yarn around the cotton ball and tie them together with a piece of the other color of yarn to make the head. Trim the ends of the yarn that you tied the head of the octopus together with.
6. Separate the 24 yarn pieces into groups of 8 and braid them.  (Each should have 3 strands of yarn.) Tie each braid at the end with a piece of the other color of yarn to make 8 legs. Trim the ends of the yarn that you used to tie the ends of the legs.
7. Glue 2 googly eyes on head (the yarn surrounding the cotton ball).
8. Use either yarn or felt to make a mouth and glue it on the head of your octopus.
9. Have fun playing with your octopus! 

Bookmark

Materials Needed:

• Old magazines, stickers, colored paper to make shapes
• Pencil, markers, colored pencils, or crayons
• Scissors
• Glue stick or paste
• Used file folders
• Ruler
• Clear tape - optional  
• Hole punch
• Ribbon - about 6 inches long 

Procedure:

1. Ask your parent or the parent of the children you are babysitting for used file folders.  Using a ruler and pencil, have a school age child measure 1 ½ to 2 inches wide on the file folder and about 6 inches long to mark the folder to make a rectangular-shaped bookmark.  You will need to help the child do this.
2. Cut along the measured lines to make the bookmark.  An older child can cut out the bookmark with your supervision.  You will need to do this for a younger child.
3. Have the child decorate the bookmark by drawing pictures with the markers, colored pencils, or crayons.  The child can also decorate her bookmark with stickers or by cutting out shapes from old magazines and gluing them on to the bookmark.  If you are using old magazines, be sure it's OK with either your parent or the parent of the children you are babysitting to cut them up. 
4. To protect the bookmark, you can cover it with clear tape.
5. Punch a hole at the top of the bookmark.  An older child can use the hole punch to make the hole but you will need to do this for a younger child.
6. Put the ribbon through the hole and double-tie a knot.  You will need to help a younger child tie the knot. 
7. Read a book to a younger child and use the bookmark to keep your place.  Let an older child use her bookmark to keep her place when she is reading by herself.  Or suggest the child give the bookmark as a gift to a parent, grandparent, or sibling. 
8. Have fun!

 

Name Mosaic

Materials Needed:

• Old magazines
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Glue stick or paste
• Piece of solid-colored paper
• Ruler - optional

Procedure:

1. Look through old magazines to find several pages with brightly-colored pictures.  You can bring the magazines from home (with your parent's permission) or ask the parent of the children you are babysitting.  Be sure it's OK with either your parent or the parent of the children you are babysitting to cut up the old magazines. 
2. Outline each letter of the child's name on the different brightly-colored magazine pages.  You could use a ruler to keep the letters the same height and width or just freehand draw the letters with a pencil 
3. Cut the letters out.  A school age child can cut the letters out with your supervision.  However, you will need to cut the letters out for a preschool child. 
4. Glue or paste the letters (in order to spell the child's name) on a solid-colored piece of paper.  You will need to help a preschool child do this.
5. Have fun!

Pretend

Materials Needed:

• Pieces of brightly-colored paper
• Scissors
• Markers or crayons
• Bowl to put papers in

Procedure:

1. Have an older child cut brightly-colored paper into small squares about 2 inches by 2 inches. Or trace the bottom of a 2 inch plastic cup and cut out circles. You will need to cut the paper for a preschooler.
2. Think of activities the child can pantomime or act out, such as play basketball, play the drums, play soccer, write a letter, play a guitar, play the piano, do a ballet dance, etc. Using a marker or crayon, write an activity on each piece of paper. 
3. Put the papers in a bowl. Have the child draw out a piece of paper and act out what it says to do on the paper. Have another child guess what the child is doing.  
4. You can play by also drawing a piece of paper from the bowl and acting it out.
5. Have fun!

Puppy Puppet

Materials Needed:

• Lunch sack or paper bag
• Scissors
• Nontoxic glue stick or paste
• Crayons
• A piece of colored paper

Procedure:

1. Using a lunch sack or paper bag, have the child draw a dog's face (eyes, nose, and whiskers) on the folded part of the lunch sack or paper bag. 
2. Using crayons, have the child color in a mouth for the puppy under the flap.
3. Have the child cut triangular-shaped ears out of a piece of colored paper.  You will need to cut the ears out if you are babysitting a younger child.
4. Have the child glue or paste the ears on the top of the paper bag.
5. Show the child how to put his/her hand in the bag and move their fingers to make the dog "talk". 
6. It's fun for you and the child to make 2 puppy puppets so they can talk to each other.
7. Have fun!

Summer Flower

Materials Needed:

• 6 inch paper plate or sheet of paper with 6 inch circle cut out    
• Permanent marker if making your circle on paper
• Glue, glue stick, or paste
• Small pieces of colored tissue papers cut into squares approximately 1½" by 1½"
• Scissors
• Green piece of paper to make stem and a leaf or white piece of paper and green-colored crayon

Procedure:

1. Use a 6-inch paper plate or 6-inch circle cut out from a piece of paper to make a round flower.  You will need to help draw and cut the circle for a preschooler.
2. Cut brightly-colored pieces of tissue paper into squares 1½" by 1½". (Be sure you cut the squares for a preschooler.) 
3. Show the child how to "wad" up the middle of the tissue paper squares.
4. Using glue, a glue stick, or paste, attach the wadded-up tissue paper squares to the paper plate or circle.
5. Using a piece of green paper or white paper colored with a green crayon, make a stem and leaf for your flower.  Glue the stem to the flower and the leaf to the stem.
6. An older child can create her own flower design, such as a tulip or daisy, rather than using a circle. 
7. Have fun!

Jigsaw Puzzle

Materials Needed:

• Photograph or picture cut from an old magazine
• Scissors
• Glue stick or paste
• Pencil
• Ruler - optional
• Piece of thin cardboard the same size as the photo or picture
• Re-sealable storage bag

Procedure:

1. Find a photograph or look through old magazines to find a picture the child you are babysitting wants to make into a puzzle. (Be sure it's OK with the parent to cut the photo or magazine picture up.) 
2. Glue or paste the photo or picture onto the thin piece of cardboard, such as a cereal box. (You will need to help a preschool child do this.)
3. Have a school age child cut around the edges so the photo or picture is the same size as the cardboard. You will need to cut the cardboard if you are babysitting a younger child.
4. Have the child turn the photo or picture over so the cardboard side is up.  Have the child draw puzzle piece shapes on the cardboard. An older child can use a ruler to make the puzzle pieces have straight lines. Any age child can just draw curvy lines. A younger child should make fewer pieces and make the puzzle pieces bigger.  An older child can make more pieces by making the puzzle pieces a little smaller. The more puzzle pieces you have, the more challenging the puzzle is.
5. Have a school age child cut along the lines drawn. You will need to cut along the lines to make the puzzle pieces for a younger child.
6. Have the child turn the puzzle pieces back over to the picture side.
7. An older child can reassemble the picture. You may need to help a younger child put the puzzle pieces back together. Separate the pieces and have the child reassemble the puzzle again.
8. You can use a storage bag to keep the puzzle pieces to show the parent or until the next time you babysit.
9. Have fun!

Shell

Materials Needed:

• Paper (white or colored) with simple outline, such as bird, shell, tree, flower, animal, etc.
• Permanent marker if making your own shape.
• Glue, glue stick, or paste
• Small pieces of colored tissue papers cut into squares approximately 1½" by 1½"

Procedure:

1. Using a white or colored piece of paper, draw a simple outline (using a permanent marker) such as a bird, shell, tree, flower, animal, etc. You can also print a shape from the computer using a free graphic design. 
2. Cut different colors of tissue paper into squares 1½" by 1½". (Be sure you cut the squares for a preschooler.) 
3. Show the child how to "wad" up the middle of the tissue paper squares.
4. Using glue, a glue stick, or paste, attach the wadded-up tissue paper squares to the shape. Let the child be creative with color and design.
5. You can help a younger child with this craft or create your own design along side an older child. Have fun!

Cereal Necklace

Materials Needed:

• Paper (white or colored) with simple outline, such as bird, shell, tree, flower, animal, etc.
• Permanent marker if making your own shape.
• Glue, glue stick, or paste
• Small pieces of colored tissue papers cut into squares approximately 1½" by 1½"

Procedure:

1. Using a white or colored piece of paper, draw a simple outline (using a permanent marker) such as a bird, shell, tree, flower, animal, etc. You can also print a shape from the computer using a free graphic design. 
2. Cut different colors of tissue paper into squares 1½" by 1½". (Be sure you cut the squares for a preschooler.) 
3. Show the child how to "wad" up the middle of the tissue paper squares.
4. Using glue, a glue stick, or paste, attach the wadded-up tissue paper squares to the shape. Let the child be creative with color and design.
5. You can help a younger child with this craft or create your own design along side an older child. Have fun!

What's Missing

Materials Needed:

• 6 to12 safe objects (large enough not to be a choking hazard), such as spoon, deck of cards, measuring cup, etc.
• Tray or table surface

Procedure:

1. Put the objects out on a tray or table.  Let the child study the items. 
2. Ask the child to cover her eyes. 
3. Remove the tray and take away one of the objects.
4. Return the tray.
5. When the child opens her eyes, ask "What's missing?"
6. Play the game again but you cover your eyes and let the child remove an object.
7. Then when you open your eyes, try to guess what she has removed.
8. You can also play this game by removing one object the first time, 2 objects the 2^nd time, etc., depending on the child's age and ability to understand the game.
9. Have fun!

Puppet Show

Materials Needed:

• Paper bag, crayons, etc. to make puppets
• Puppet-making craft with yarn, felt, etc.

Procedure:

1. Make puppets with the children using materials available or you can bring appropriate and safe materials. Be sure the ability level of the puppet you are making matches the ability level and age of the child.
2. Do a puppet show. Act out a story from a book or make up the story. 
3. If possible, perform the puppet show for the child's parent when the parent comes home. Have fun!

Mystery Walk

Materials Needed:

• Game, book, craft supplies, or homemade play dough
• Paper and crayon (or marker)

Procedure:

1. Hide a fun activity, such as a game, book, craft supplies or homemade play dough, in the house.
2. Tell the children you are going on a mystery walk - only you know the destination.
3. Write down clues, such as "Look under the kitchen table" on several pieces of paper. Hide the clues in order around the house.
4. Go with the children on the mystery walk and help them solve the clues. They'll find the something special waiting for them at the end of the walk.
5. Play the game, read the book, make the craft, or make things out of the play dough. Have fun!

Stencil Drawings

Materials Needed:

• Black (or dark-colored) construction paper
• Heavy paper to make stencil
• White chalk, white colored pencils, or white crayons

Procedure:

1. Have the child trace (or draw) a shape, such as a heart, tree, star, animal, etc. on a piece of heavy paper to make a stencil.
2. Then help the child cut the shape out leaving the heavy paper.  (You'll have to cut a line to the shape to cut it out.)  Be sure you cut the shape out yourself with younger kids.
3. Using white chalk, white colored pencils, or white crayons, color in the cut out shape on the black construction paper.
4. If the child is old enough, have the child write his name or message on the construction paper with the white chalk, white colored pencil, or white crayon.

Windowpane Picture 

Materials Needed:

• Black construction paper
• White paper
• Crayons
• Glue

Procedure:

1. Have the child trace his or her hand on a piece of black construction paper.
2. Then help the child cut his or her hand out of the black paper.  (Cut the hand out yourself with younger kids.)  Turn the hand with the four fingers down to make the 4 legs of the sheep.
3. Cover the body of the sheep with the white hole-punch protectors.
4. Glue one google eye on the sheep's head (the thumb of the hand).
5. Glue 3 red sequences or one half-inch piece red ribbon on the sheep's neck.

Sand Painting

Materials Needed:

• Construction paper or cardstock
• Glue
• Sand - white or colored

Procedure:

1. Have the child draw a picture or write words with glue on a piece of construction paper or cardstock.  (It works best if the child doesn't put globs of glue on the paper.)
2. Pour sand on the glue on the paper before the glue dries.
3. After a few minutes, shake off any extra sand from the paper.
4. Depending on how much glue the child used, let the glue dry flat for at least one half hour.
5. Be sure you have the child wash her hands after using the sand. 

Hidden Pictures

Materials Needed:

• Drawing paper - 8 x 11 standard size works well
• Crayons - lots of them and especially black
• Pencil, lollipop stick, or popsicle stick
• Newspaper - to cover work surface

Procedure:

1. This project can be messy. Protect the child's clothing and cover your work area with newspaper or work outside.
2. Use a fun array of brightly colored crayons to cover the entire paper. Encourage the child to make the colors vibrant and to press fairly hard to give rich colors.
3. Now take a black crayon and color the ENTIRE colored piece of paper with the black crayon. Make sure it is completely black.
4. The magic begins - using the pencil, lollipop stick, or popsicle stick you can etch out a drawing from the now blackened paper. The etching will cause the buried colors to magically appear.

Crayon Rubbings

Materials Needed:

• White paper
• Peeled crayons
• Various objects - leaves, pine needles, shapes, sandpaper, coin, etc.

Procedure:

1. Peel the paper wrapper off several crayons.
2. Give each child a sheet of white paper.
3. Have various objects for the child to choose as a print. (Leaves, shapes, sandpaper, feathers, etc.)
4. Let the child select some of these objects and put them under the paper.
5. The child then rubs with the side of the crayon onto the paper and the object shows through as a print.

Chalk and Wet Paper

Materials Needed:

• Paper
• Wet sponge
• Chalk

Procedure:

1. Each child should wet paper slightly with wrung out sponge.
2. Draw freely with colored chalk. Show the children how to use side and ends of chalk.
3. Allow paper to dry. 

Colored Play Dough

Ingredients:

• 4 cups flour
• 1 cup salt
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups cold water
• food coloring

Mix flour, salt, oil. Add food coloring to water. Gradually add water to flour mixture. Knead. Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Playing with Play Dough

Keeping children busy indoors on rainy days can be a challenge for babysitters. Playing with play dough is always a favorite activity and it's even educational! Children enjoy pushing, rolling, squeezing, molding, and pounding gooey play dough. Here are some play dough tips:

• Allow the child to just play with it without necessarily making something.
• Children enjoy making "play food" out of play dough, but be sure they really don't eat it!
• Hard plastic toys, such as action figures and dinosaurs, are fun to hide in the play dough or to press to make an imprint. Be sure the toys ar at least as big as the child's fist.
• Be creative, have fun, and those showers will be over before you know it.

Yarn Octopus

Supplies:

• Two different colors of yarn
• Small ball of cotton
• Glue
• Googly eyes,
• Felt (optional)
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Glue

Project how to:

1. Cut twenty-four 12 inch long pieces of yarn (yarn color number 1).
2. Lie the yarn on a flat surface so that it looks like the spokes of a wheel, and so that the yarn pieces intersect with each other in the center of the wheel.
3. Put a small ball of cotton, a little bigger than the size of a ping-pong ball in the center of the wheel.
4. Gather up the pieces of yarn around the cotton and tie them with a piece of an other color of yarn (yarn color number 2).
5. Separate the yarn into groups of three, and braid them. Tie each braid at the end with a piece of yarn (yarn color number 2).
6. Glue two googly eyes onto the yarn surrounding the ball of cotton.
7. Use either yarn or felt to make a mouth for your octopus and glue it on.
8. Now enjoy your yarn octopus!

Bookmarks

Supplies:

• Clear Contact Paper
• Old artwork or magazine pictures
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Pencil

Project how to:

1. Measure artwork into rectangle(s) of bookmark size (1 1/2 inches by 5 inches is a good size.)
2. Cut out bookmark carefully.
3. Cut out 2 rectangles of Contact Paper for each bookmark that are 1/2 inch wider and longer. (2 inches by 5 1/2 inches)
4. Remove backing from one piece of Contact Paper and carefully center artwork rectangle on sticky side. Press down.
5. Remove backing from the other piece of Contact Paper and carefully place on other side of artwork, making a sandwich.
6. Air bubbles can be smoothed out using the edge of the ruler.
7. If the edges of the Contact Paper are not even, they can be trimmed slightly after first drawing a new straight line as a guide.

Make a Tent

Materials Needed:

• Table or 2 pieces of furniture, such as chairs
• Blanket or sheet  

Procedure:

1. Use a table or put 2 pieces of furniture next to each other, such as kitchen chairs.
2. Drape a blanket or sheet over the table or 2 pieces of furniture to make a tent.
3. Get under the tent with the child and pretend you are camping!