A runner-up to the top ten best open-ended toys of all time would have to be marbles and ramps. Watching marbles rolling down ramps and around and around in circles down a drain-like disk can be quite relaxing. My kids have always loved our marbles and ramps sets, rearranging them in different configurations. Sometimes their ramps were taller than my kids! Even Grandpa enjoyed watching the marbles rolling down the ramps!
Archive for the ‘Seasonal Activities’ Category
Marbles and Ramps
Sunday, November 27th, 2011Top 10 Best Open-Ended Toys
Saturday, November 26th, 2011
What are the best open-ended toys? Which toys are worth getting for your children? If you’re shopping for Christmas presents for your children, and you just don’t know what to get them, here are some ideas. These toys cause children to expand their imagination and creativity. They also keep children occupied longer, so they are a better investment of money. If you would like to see pictures of my kids playing with these toys, click on each number. To be honest, the top three toys of all time tied. I had to think long and hard to actually pull Legos to 3rd place. My husband would have placed Legos in first place as his favorite childhood toy, and to the credit of Legos, my husband STILL plays with them!
So here they are, the Top 10 Best Open-Ended Toys Ever:
Art supplies made it into the top 5 until I realized they weren’t toys, but they are always worth buying for your children. Marbles and Ramps and Nerf Guns were two runners up. We have also enjoyed walkie-talkies and spy equipment. What other open-ended toys have you enjoyed?
Make Your Own Twig Frame
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011
Last summer I came across a book entitled Nature’s Art Box. While at a park one day, my kids and I picked up a large number of twigs of all sizes. When we got home, I asked my children to look through the book to see what art projects we could do with twigs. We found two simple twig art projects that looked really fun and relatively easy.
The first one was a twig frame. All we had to do was get a frame, plug in the hot glue gun, and glue the twigs onto the frame. My 6-year-old daughter enjoyed doing this activity, and the frame came out looking rustic and beautiful enough for a gift. (Click on the picture of the twig frame to look at it close-up.)
The second art activity we chose was a twig basket. We made a square of twigs and glued it together with hot glue. Then we continued putting twig squares until the basket was as high as we wanted it (or until we almost ran out of twigs; save enough twigs for the bottom of the basket). Then we hot glued twigs along the bottom of the basket. The twig basket was cute.
Splashing in Puddles
Monday, November 7th, 2011
Instead of staying indoors when it’s raining, why not have some fun splashing in puddles with your kids? If you don’t have rubber boots, snow boots are insulated and waterproof if it’s cold outside. If it’s warm, flip flops are just right. Some of my kids wore regular tennis shoes, and we just let them dry out overnight.
You can wear regular jackets or raincoats. Umbrellas are also optional. Make sure to take off your watch or anything else that isn’t waterproof.
Go on a walk in your neighborhood, making a game out of trying to find the largest puddles. Now splash in them as hard as you can. See who can make the biggest splash!
Your kids will holler and laugh with delight. Who knew splashing in puddles could be so fun?
