We’re tired.
They’re tired.
We’re trying to get a lot of things done.
They seem to need us at the same time.
The afternoon to evening transition is typically one of the most stressful times in most of our homes.
With a little bit of preparation you can add these activities into your evening schedule. Some supervised and some totally hands- free.
Let’s discover some ways we can buck this trend and make for calmer, happier little ones and big ones.
- Make a lace board book
- Bust some moves let them learn some hand clapping games
- Burn off energy and creativity with DIY Sidewalk chalk spray
- Use a collection of Craft stick puzzles on a theme
- Create Playdough mats
- Use a Ziplock bag book
- Baby jar lids come in really handy for this Baby Food Jar Lid Game
- Using the hole punch for strength work and creativity
- Encourage stillness and concentration with matching pipecleaner and bead work
- Blue, dark blue, really dark blue? Try the shades game activity to spark discussion
- Colour matching and keeping active via a scavenger hunt
- Using everyday seasonal objects to be creative
- Pasta dyeing and then sorting and making necklaces
- Pom pom play– simple dropping into a prepared bottle gives such a sense of achievement
- Reuse those plastic egg containers into a sorting sequencing activity
- Drive, learn and play with playdough, cars and letters with 4 activities in one
- Before you toss out that broken pool noodle what about some threading?
- Measuring and comparing sizes using whatever you can find in this Measure it activity
I love how these activities keep them busy and engaged. It’s a chance to get other things done with a little prep from us. It’s especially good if you’re looking for some alternatives to TV time or new ideas for a usually difficult time.
If you’ve caught the bug and want to find, make or be inspired to create your own you must stop by these places for more busy bag ideas
Thanks for stopping by and reading. If you enjoyed this post you’ll probably like the other crafts and play activities I pin on Pinterest.
Now it’s your turn, tell us what evening activities do your children do while you’re doing something else
Great ideas for those days when you need something quick and fun. Pinning this list. Vicky from http://www.messforless.net
Sometimes you need a quick fix and or a new idea. Thanks for pinning.
Love this! here are some of my favorites 🙂 https://www.sippycupcocktails.com/p/kid-crafts.html
That’s a fantastic list. I love the bubble snake.
I am going to try some of these. I have stated having a planed activity for the kids most nights and it make life much better.
Totally agree. Something about having it ready and choosing to do it or not makes all the difference than having nothing and trying to find something in the moment.
What a great resource of activities to keep kids busy and parents happy during the evening. Much better than what we do most evenings while I prepare dinner – watch TV.
We so need to try these. Thank you for this list.
This evening while i was cooking for dinner, i gave my 2 1/2 yo son a big sheet of paper divided into 26 boxes + a glu pen + letters that i previously cut in magazines. He never did this activity but quickly understood that he has to glu each letter on the correct letter box, and it kept him busy for at least 1 hour – incredible cause he is hypertonic !