What simple things have provided hours of enjoyment and entertainment in your home?
Yesterday, J brought home a huge box from work and with a few adjustemtns and some tape, we made a neat little playhouse. It's been a store, a home, a library and post office so far, and the girls have played with it non-stop since last night (besides while they were sleeping, of course!)
The girls have this long cardboard tube that came rolled up in an area rug that has been kicking around for over a year. They love to roll balls down it, set it in two chairs and play horsey with it, set it across their laps on the couch for a pretend seatbelt...
Also, the birdfeeders outside with windows are continually being observed. We get lots of birds, of various species and we all love to just sit and watch. The chickadees will come right up to us when we are outside, which is so sweet.
Also, Nico and Kaya can entertain themselves for hours outside, Summer or snow...
What simple things keep your kiddos entertained?
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Tree hugging, vegetarian, breastfeeding, cloth-diapering, home schooling, drum playing Step-Mama to my sweet Nico Sage and Mama to my curly Kaya Jade and wee Luna Blue. Lovin my hottie ~ J. Blogging From the Boonies
Boxes are a big hit around here. The other day Zoey and roman dragged their booster seats from the kitchen table to the floor, set them in the box and played pirates in a boat for about 2 hours
wrapping paper tubes are pirate scopes
i have a smaller box that came home with us the other day - it has become the pretend oven for baking
a bowl, spoon and dirt makes for hours of fun outside - "planting"
our birdhouse broke, so we made peanutbutter birdseed pinecone feeders again and hung them so we have birds again
but my favorite is putting on music and they have performances for the dolls
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Barb
mama to Chelsey 20, Zoey 9, Roman 6 , gramma to Miss Alea, 10 mos and sorta mama to Nienie 19.5
We really don't get out much. Welcome to my world.
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A box of rocks. Seriously, Samantha got this for Yule 2003 and it has been endless fun. It is just a box or smooth river rocks you buy at wally world. They are eggs, dinosaurs, babies, you name it. Boxes and playsilks get a lot of use.
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Michelle
-- Mom to Beth, 11 and Sam, 8
Elijah has a lamb he carries around..lambchop..he says "a baby sheep, a baby sheep, baaaa" and will do this endlessly and hug and love the lamb.
Books provide constant entertainment for Elijah..he is 2 and has like every one of his books memorized now. He makes us read to him several times a day, too.
The other thing he loves to play with all day long is a little people pig from the farm set that I really didn't want for xmas (was a gift from SIL who doesn't get I hate plastic noisy things) but somehow he loves the pig.
and always...boxes..!
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Meg
Mama to Alexis, 22; Jacob, 19; and Elijah 11/20/02 and Sophia Jane, 11/20/04
Boxes are big here, too. The little box in my sigline is a playscape for dinosaurs, pirates, playmobil people, just about anything. We used a little packing tape and some construction paper. We also have a box with holes cut for arms and eyes, Sam decorated it and now it is his robot outfit.
Paper & pencil. Elizabeth will draw and write letters for hours
I totally forgot to mention this...Elijah is the same..he fills up drawing books like they are going out of style..I buy a new one at least once a week..someday I hope to take these out for him and let him see his development from a baby artist to a big one, naturally he's not doing letters yet, though! He's only 2
Markers or crayons and paper - DD *LOVES* to draw!
Boxes and laundry baskets.
The dirt outside our back door - the kids will make mudpies for hours! We are trying to get the grass to grow but the kids keep digging in the dirt, LOL.
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Melanie
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jer. 29:13
PM me to find out how I make $100+ per month online - Fast, Free, and Easy! http://www.picturetrail.com/rumrunnergirl --> TONS of kids clothes and more!
Boxes are huge here too! Katie has her eye on one that I'll drag in and tape together this afternoon (it is supposed to be for decluttering, LOL). She will cut out a window and door and it's a playhouse.
Our play tunnel is another huge hit.
We have had some rigid cardboard tubes from polarfleece that have been everything from a tunnel/ramp, to a measuring stick.
Sidewalk chalk can keep them occupied for hours. As can painting the house with water.
Katie and her little neighbor friend Natalie will play with sticks, rocks, pieces of brick and mortar, outside for hours. Last year she made fairy homes in every nook and crevice of a tree trunk/roots. This year they play pioneers, and build pretend fires, gathering wood in the form of sticks (we live on a piece of woods), and use logs to make benches and outline their "home."
Katie is now reading fluently, and books occupy a lot of her time, too.
boxes, playsilks, and washing dishes. lol. a little water in the sink and a few cups and bowls, sarah can "wash dishes" for an hour. they all LOVE boxes and laundry baskets.
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Tanya
Wife to Keith (16 yrs.)
SAHM to Brooke (13), Sarah (8), Taylor (6) and Sydney (20 mos.)
Aren't they a happy bunch?? Trying to get a group picture is like torture.
Empty egg cartons and empty toilet paper cardboard rolls. Our youngest plays with these two things in so many ways. We cut a toilet paper cardboard roll into fourths the other day and he painted them and has been using them for various pieces of furniture for his various little flocked animals....as well as a spaceship for them.
Empty egg carton was yesterdays favorite toy. He sorted out his marbles in the sections.
When we can get a hold of a big box like you mentioned Meeshi, that has always been all time favorite here. If we could get a hold of one of those tubes (I may call the carpet store now that you sparked my interest) that carpet is rolled around, I KNOW our children would love it. Especially our two youngest sons. I can see them driving cars down it, taking it outside to the swingset/playhouse, rolling marbles down it etc...etc...
Rocks are also a favorite. *lol* We are moving a bunch of rocks from one part of our yard to the other and I was having children help me pick up, load and move the rocks and I think they are keeping more rocks as "treasures" than moving them.
water water, water! Set her up at the sink with warm soapy water, some measuring cups and a whisk and turkey baster and she will play for hours... eventually stripping down and climbing into the kitchen sink. she is quite the prune once she is done!
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Love... All Ways,
Misty and Zia
"......there is no single effort more radical in its potential for saving the world than a transformation of the way we raise our children."
-- Marianne Williamson
and Sam, 8 
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