7 weeks feels like a very long time, to keep my 5, 4 and 2 year old entertained for! As both our boys have a speech and language delay I wanted to come up with some fun activities which will work on their understanding, of letter sounds, writing and reading.
Here's a few of them:
Chalk
Chalks, a big pack was only a pound! They have come in so handly. Am going to get another pack to take on holiday in the caravan with us. They are fun and wash off really easily, so I would be happy to use them on our drive etc. Theres not many places to use them in our back garden but the trampoline was perfect! It kept them all entertained for ages, drawing and then running around the lines. I joined them to draw some number for them to copy. Pops 5, loved it, copying the numbers and talking about them. Bear 4, was more interested in drawing lines to run round. Our youngest Dot at 2, loved it running around and drawing. It washes off our trampoline really easy with some water or rain. It brushes off while your playing on it too, so they can just keep drawing! Great fun! It's kept them entertained the longest so far.
Second day of chalk on the trampoline and they are still loving it! (Don't mind Bear he's going through a naked faze!)
We have made spaceships, numbers and words. I write a word and then Pops copies! We are all covered in chalk!
Sometimes I just hand them the chalk and let their imagination run riot! It's great to see their spaceships and tracks.
To help Pop with his reading and writing. I like to grab some chalk, and write out a few words and sounds to learn. It's quite relaxing, spending a few mintues setting up the trampoline with a few words. I try and do themes, so 'home' then draw a house and a few words for home, like house, flat etc.
I try and stick to things they would know, so draw a car and talk about our car. Pops drew a hat, so I wrote it and sounded it out and he copied. It's such a fun away of getting them drawing and writing, while learning about sounds.
They don't have to be good drawings, just the letters work so well.
Pegs
Bubble Wrap:
There is so much you can do with a sheet of bubble wrap! Here's one, very loud, fun thing!
We had some post this morning and there was some bubble wrap. Being a hoarder, I was going to put this with the wrapping paper. But the boys where 'playing' races, with the push alongs (I say playing, loud crashing...)
So just using a very small amount of Sellotape, I put this in their path. They love it!
Salt Dough:
I love this stuff! Hours of fun and useful too, we always make things for Christmas. From little hanging gift tags too Christmas tree ornaments! So much fun for the kids and useful. Cheap and easy to make as well.
1x cup of SALT
1x cup of FLOUR
1/2 cup of WATER
Salt, flour and water! Easy! Loads of ideas on Pinintrest of the huge amount of things you can do with Salt Dough. I mostly make it in the run up to Christmas, for hand prints of our babies or little stars for labels on gifts. So much fun.
I've found that leaving them to air dry works best for me. When I've tried in the oven they have just grown and not fully dried. If you have an airing cupboard that's the perfect place!
Left over salt dough:
Little food bag, paint-
No mess fun!
