Fun (and cheap) Learning Activities to Raise Smart Kids.

I've had a lot of people ask me for really fun, easy learning activities for their toddlers and children since my last blog post. So, I've compiled a list of activities that help your kids think, practice skills, work on fine motor coordination, increase their communication/vocabulary, and express themselves artistically. I don't have many pictures of the activities being done, but I've done all of them. These are the kind of activities even the ADULTS and teenagers will have fun with. All of the things I used can be found at the dollar store or grocery store! I also tried to reuse items in each activity, so that it STAYS a cheap idea. :)

1. Conditioner Playdough
What you'll need: a bowl, newspaper, dollar store conditioner (or shaving cream), corn starch. (Food coloring is optional. And I'd add in aprons if you want to stay clean).

This is a science based activity, we will have another next with corn starch later called "Oobleck". This makes playdough that is super silky, and smells delicious. It does dry out a bit as you play with it though. There's NO COOKING. Which makes this ideal for summer. It's messy so you can do it outside too!

What to do: Mix 1 part conditioner to 2 parts cornstarch in a bowl, add food coloring if you'd like. Mix with your hands. If it's too goopy add more corn starch, if it's too dry add a little more conditioner. You will end up with a handful of playdough that moisturizes your hands, and doesn't have that weird salt play dough residue.


2. Oobleck! 
What you'll need: 1 small container or bowl per child, water, food coloring, corn starch

If you haven't done this already, you're really missing out! This is a great way to teach your child about liquids and solids. When you squeeze the concoction it is solid, but as you relax your hand, it runs like liquid. There is a Dr. Suess book called "Bartholomew and the Oobleck" about a king that makes oobleck fall from the sky. Not only is this a good introduction to Oobleck, but it teaches kids about saying I'm sorry.

What to do: You put 1 part water to 3 parts corn starch in a bowl with a drop of food coloring. If it's too runny, add a bit more cornstarch, if it's too stiff and powdery, add more water.

3. Water Marbles
What you need: A big plastic container, water, water beads (can be found at craft stores)

Most craft stores carry water beads... which look tiny and deceiving at first. BUT, if you put them in a plastic container full of water they expand over night. You can incorporate vocabulary expansion with your young children by talking about what they observe. Use words like, "slippery" or "bouncy". Practice counting the balls, you can even use addition by saying things like, "If I have 10 of these, how many more do I need to make 15?" If you get the clear kind they become invisible in the water, but you can reach in and feel them. They're fun to dump and pour too! Make sure to keep an eye on children under 3 while playing to make sure they aren't eaten.

What to do: Prepare water marbles. PLAY!

4. Box Coloring 
What you need: A big box, crayons or markers.

This is self explanatory. Put your child in a box with washable markers or crayons and let their creativity go. This has been shown to reduce wall coloring because they learn that they can be creative inside the box.

5. Glowing Bath Tub or Pool 
What you need: Dollar store glow sticks, wading pool or bathtub.

This is fun because children usually associate bath time as play time. This gives them a different experience because they get to swim around in the dark and play with their toys in a brightly colored tub. You can also do this in the summer if it's a warm night.

What to do: Break glow sticks, throw them in a pool or bath tub, turn the lights off, let them PLAY!

6. Edible Finger Paints 

What you need: Vanilla pudding mix (prepared), food coloring, cookie sheets, clean up supplies!

This one is particularly fun with babies and toddlers because everything they touch goes in their mouths. This way, they can make a big, artistic, colorful, mess while being able to eat it too. By using a cookie sheet, you are able to control the mess. This also works best if the child is nakie or in their swimsuits. (Something easy to wash.)

What to do: Put a few drops of food coloring into portioned out vanilla pudding, and mix it in.

7. Shaving Cream Alphabet/Spelling/Art
What you need: Shaving cream, table.

This is great for all children. This allows emergent readers to practice writing the alphabet and saying letter names and sounds, but it's a fun way for older kids to practice their spelling lists. (Oh, and it cleans whatever surface you're using.)

What to do: Squirt shaving cream onto table, have your child spread it out (but not TOO thin). Have them use their finger to write letters, words, their name, OR just let them make pictures!

8. Foam Portrait
What you need: very dull pencil, cheap paint roller, paint, paper, foam take out containers

This is SO fun. Make sure you tell your child not to press too hard with the pencil when drawing their designs, or else it'll poke through the take out container. Great way to teach about recycling, make pieces of art, and strengthen fine motor coordination.

What to do: Use the pencil to make a design on your canvas which is the foam take out container. You press just hard enough to make an indentation. When your denting is done, paint over top of the container, but don't press too hard. Press a piece of paper on top and the design will come up onto the paper.


9. Tiny Volcanos

What you need: Eye dropper, food coloring, vinegar, baking soda, cookie sheet, plastic cups (one for each color).

I love this! This incorporates: science (chemistry and the scientific method) communication, and fine motor skills. You can talk to your child about making a prediction about what might happen when you combine the two substances. Talk about why they think it happened.

What to do: Pour 1/4 cup of vinegar into 3-5 plastic cups.  Mix a couple drops of food coloring into each cup to make different colors to use. Make tiny piles of baking soda on the cookie sheet. Use eye dropper to suck up vinegar solution and dibble it on the piles of baking soda.

10. Edible Bread Art
What you need: Light colored bread, milk, plastic cups, eye droppers, food coloring. (Toasting it after is optional) :)

This is an art activity for SNACK TIME. Art can be fun, and tasty. :) Not only is it art based, but you can work on patterns or making shapes with your child. AB patterns with color are always fun. For example: "If I have a yellow, blue, yellow, blue... what do you think will be next?" SO, your child is doing geometry without knowing it.

What to do: Pour 1/8 cup milk into each bowl or plastic cup. Add food coloring to make different colored "paint". Use the eye dropper to make designs on the bread. Toast, top with peanut butter or whatever your heart desires, and EAT.

11. Balloon Tennis
What you need: A balloon, paper plates, glue, tongue depressors/craft sticks

This is for those kids who can't sit still! Plus, exercise gets blood pumping, and endorphins flowing, which equals better thinking and processing. Be careful doing this indoors though, because things can get broken with really competitive kiddos. If you want to incorporate math or letters, have each one count how many times it gets hit before it touches the floor, OR you can try to make it through the ABCs before it touches to floor. Say a letter with each hit. I've also had them spell words as they toss it around.

What to do: Blow up the balloon and tie it off. Glue a single tongue depressor to the bottom of each paper plate (you'll need one paddle for each player). Let the paddles dry. Then play! Toss the balloon in the air, and hit it with the paddles. (I always make back up paddles, because they tend to get ruined quickly.)

13. Experimenting with Soap
What you need: a microwave, Ivory soap (chopped into 1-2 inch bits), another brand (or brands) of soap (chopped into 1-2 inch bits), paper plates.

This is so fun! Once again, this is a science experiment the kids can do with very little parental guidance. Have your kids make predictions about what will happen to each soap as it's put in the microwave. After the experiment discuss why they think one reacted the way it did, and why the other one did not. :)

What to do: Put one piece of soap on a place. Put in the microwave for no more than 20 seconds. The Ivory soap will puff up in a wonderful way! Other soap doesn't react the same way. Try as many different kids of soap as you'd like. I've found that this is a good way to use those little hotel soaps that you don't ever use. After the ivory soap is puffy and a bit cool, the kids can play in it, or play with it outside (as it is kind of messy and crumbly).

14. Bathtub Paint
What you need: paintbrush, food coloring, muffin pan, shaving cream (or whipped cream)

I have found that this makes bath time EXTRA long. Make sure to never leave the child unattended. If your child put it in his or her mouth adjust the recipe to use canned whipped cream. :)

What to do: Squirt a pile of cream in each section of the muffin tin. Add 1-2 drops food coloring, and mix with the paint brush. Let your little one paint the mixture on the inside of the bath tub! :)