Hobbies And Interests
Box Ball
You can make a box ball game for children by turning a large cardboard box open side up and cutting triangular notches down one side. These 5 to 10 notches should vary in size, but make sure the smallest is still wide enough to pass a golf ball through. Flip the box over so the narrow ends of the triangles point up. Put the box on a hard, flat surface and have children try to roll golf balls through the notches to earn points. Write point values above each notch. Smaller notches should have higher point values and larger notches should have lower point values. Each kid rolls 10 golf balls toward the box and tries to get them in. Have the kids help keep track of points. The child with the highest score after everyone has a turn is the winner.
Salt Painting
Allow your children to have fun with painting using salt, food coloring and glue. Place small mounds of table salt in glass bowls and add several drops of food coloring to each bowl. It is best to use glass bowls as the food coloring may stain ceramic, porcelain or plastic. The children can add more food coloring to color the salt as brightly or deeply as they want. Have the children place a piece of construction paper on a table and squeeze glue in the design or pattern of their choice. Tell them to create a salt painting and shake off any excess salt when they're done.
Panty Hose Game
Give your children several pairs of panty hose and oranges to play the panty hose game. Use tape or string to mark a starting and finish line about 20 feet apart. Each child needs to drop an orange in one leg of a pair of pantyhose and tie the other leg around his waist. The orange should hang right at ground level. Have the kids line up at the starting line and drop another orange in front of each of them. The children should have one orange hanging between their legs in the pantyhose and one on the ground in front of each. When you say, "Go," the children must move their bodies to swing the orange tied around their waist into the orange on the floor. Since they cannot use their hands or feet, tell the children to swing their hips from front to the back to hit the orange. The first player to knock his orange over the finish line wins the game.
Magic Drinks
Kids can make "magic" drinks by mixing colored ice cubes in their glass. Purchase several packets of unsweetened drink mix and have your children mix them with the suggested amount of sugar. If you want the colors to be stronger and brighter, only add about half the water for which the drink mix calls. Help your child pour the different colors into ice cube trays and freeze them overnight. The next day, have each child fill a glass with different colored ice cubes. Pour clear lemon-lime soda over the cubes and watch the drinks change color and taste as the cubes melt. To create the full "magical" effect, help the kids mix primary colors (red, yellow and blue) to make secondary colors (purple, green and orange).