beeusablebeeusablehttps://www.beeusable.co.nz/blogRAINY DAYS: Prevent Fighting and Boredom while ACTUALLY using toys AND getting your work done]]>Tumarahttps://www.beeusable.co.nz/single-post/2017/08/13/RAINY-DAYS-Prevent-Fighting-and-Boredom-while-ACTUALLY-using-toys-AND-getting-your-work-donehttps://www.beeusable.co.nz/single-post/2017/08/13/RAINY-DAYS-Prevent-Fighting-and-Boredom-while-ACTUALLY-using-toys-AND-getting-your-work-doneSun, 13 Aug 2017 04:01:02 +0000
Like all mothers, every birthday my children are bought toys that for some reason or another don’t get used as much as they should. As a mother I’m busy and have a multitude of things to complete on any given day, especially those I have off work, so while I’m pottering around preparing meals, studying or just getting things done, this is where The Station Game comes in.
After 5 minutes of prep time, I have a good window of time to get things done while the kids are both entertained and free from the bound of TVs, tablets and other such devices.
These are entirely customisable to your own toys and you can let your imagination run wild on ideas.
The Station Game
Step 1: Prepare a snack platter – I place this in the middle of the stations.
Station 1: Drawing – Required: an assortment of colouring in books, scrapbooks, stickers and colouring in pencils
Station 2: Reading – Grab an assortment their favourite books – particularly interactive ones if possible.
Station 3: Cars, trucks, tracks and in my case Tractors. Any fun sort of Garages that they can park in as well
Station 4: Musical Instruments. Anything musical so they can make noises (if you desire) to their hearts content
Station 5: Building and throwing. Balloons or Balls, and building materials
Station 6: Dressing dolls. I just strip the clothes of whatever dolls/Barbies I find and let them use their imagination
Mess Free
If you are like me, born without eyes in the back of your head – the first thing I always do is replace felts with Coloured pencils, much less damage can be done (hopefully) with these!
Containment – contain each station with a mat, hula hoop or simply a box, less mess and way less clean up time
Teaching independence
If they are hungry, they can head to the snack table but otherwise they have the choices between which activity they will start on next.
This is the sort of game that requires little supervision, I have it set up in “overseeing” distance, usually in my lounge but usually the minimal amount of supervision means that you can become way more efficient at the tasks you are attempting to complete
The Vital Rule:
The tagging rule – If another person enters your station you must move immediately to another station; with the hope of being able to come back at a later stage.
You are done – the tagging rule might need to be implemented a few times but it is the sort of thing that becomes second nature very shortly!
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