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im a single mother flying with 3 kids, ages 5, 6 and 9. Were flying to Disney World in December.
I want to know what would keep them occupied. we have a 3-hour layover and will be in the air for a total of 5 hours. the 5-year old is into coloring and dollies/animals, the 6-year old is into bakugans and action figures, and the 9-year old is into video games.
we dont have a lot of money to buy a bunch of stuff, so is there any cheap, or homemade toys I could pack? and what about snacks? i want something semi-healthy. what and how much should I pack?
i want this to be an easy, fun trip.
thanks so so much!
Answer
Make sure you don't have any liquids over 3 ounces- including anything in a toy! One of the children I used to babysit had a water-filled bouncy ball, and security at O'Hare confiscated it and threw it away (Wouldn't even let me pick it up on my way out from dropping them off at the gate).
Avoid sugary snacks- this will make them hyper and they will have a hard time sitting still during the flight. Try popping microwave popcorn and putting it in little baggies, granola bars (again, make sure they don't have too much sugar!), and goldfish crackers. Does each child have his own lunchbox? Maybe pack them each their own, or a little brown baggie to put in their carry-on. Having a special thing for themselves will be entertaining.
Does your 9-year-old have a DS or portable game player? This should keep him busy on the plane. Let the 5 and 6 year olds each pick one or two toys each (They don't to lose their favorites!), to play with.
Bring a notebook and play Dots and Tic-Tac-Toe. Do they know any card games? Bring a deck- they are small and travel well. Or, if you have $10 to spare, pick up a travel version of Pass-the-Pigs (but be careful not to lose the pigs!).
When you are on your layover, try taking a long walk through the terminal. Don't go past security, but it will help if they all get up and stretch their legs. Have them do a little exercise routine! Raise their hands, touch their toes, etc. Make it a game of Simon Says, and make them do really silly things. If you can get them to burn off enough energy, they may end up sleeping on the second leg or your journey.
Most of all- prepare them for the trip through the airport. Practice taking off their jackets and shoes, and make a game of finding any hidden change in their pockets. Give each one a special "Airport Assignment," like making sure they all get their shoes off and on, making sure the bags are all on the x-ray belt, etc. Have your youngest count the number of people and bags, and make sure that every person, and every bag, is present and accounted for.
If you can convince them that something boring or mundane is fun, they will be excited and compliant!
Good luck, and have fun!!!
(But again- remember the on-board liquids rule! You may want to purchase a small bottle of water once you are past security).
What are some activities that two 5 year old boys might like?
Gidget
This week I'm helping out in a holiday program that's run for primary school students called Kid's Games, which involves a variety of games and activities and stories that all leads into teaching about God's word. (Don't worry, the children who come to it are Christian, we're not "brainwashing the minds of innocent kids".) Two of the children in my group don't listen to instructions at all and won't participate in any of the games, activities, songs or anything. Which is fair enough, they truly don't want to and I'm not going to force them to. But the problem is that they end up running off and won't listen to me to come back, and they'll play their own games that distracts the rest of the children. My question is, are there any activities I can give to these two boys (in grade one) that won't be distracting to the other groups and that they might be interested in? They did quite enjoy the craft session - that was the only one that sat still for.
If you read the title of this question and thought you could help with some really active games (before reading the description), then that would be appreciated as well as we need some activities for children to play as they're coming in in the morning.
Any help is appreciated!
Answer
Here are some active games to work into your day. With young kids, doing something very active in between quieter activities can help them release some of that excess energy.
Hidden objects - hide something related to your lesson (Noah's animals, or gold plastic coins, or something else) for them to run around and find, sort of like an Easter Egg hunt.
Hula hoop pass - kids hold hands in a circle and attempt to pass a hula hoop all the way around the circle without releasing hands.
Pop-up games with a bed sheet - have the group stretch a flat bed sheet wide and tight, with each child holding on to the edge. Place beach balls, cotton balls, paper doves that the kids have cut, or craft poms on the sheet. Or, use a stuffed animal related to your theme. When you give the signal, everyone shakes the sheet to bounce the pieces up in the air. If you use small items, they'll go everywhere and make a mess, but your two little guys can then get busy picking it all up to play again!
Spray bottle tag - outside on a warm day. Kids use spray bottles as they chase one another.
Create an obstacle course using whatever you have onhand. For example, kids might crawl under a table, jump over a broom balanced on two stacks of books, weave through a row of chairs, balance along a tape line on the floor, and hop across a path of non-slip placemats.
Noah's Animals - each kid gets a scrap of paper with an animal name printed on it. Possibilities include frogs, elephants, lions, snakes, eagles, etc. Be sure there are exactly two of each animal. When you give the signal, kids move around the room acting like their animals. Without using any words, they must try to figure out who in the room is the same animal they are and join their partner.
Consider a creative group activity, such as having the kids collect and bring in clean, cardboard boxes and such to build a city over the course of several days. They could paint or decorate the boxes, add signs and other details with paper and tape, etc.
Most of the activities above could be adapted to fit Christian themes, I think. For example, you could talk about "God's path" while doing the obstacle course, or about unity while passing the hula hoop.
Sometimes very active kids do better at quiet times if they have something in their hands. Make some homemade playdough for the kids to work with as you read to them. Here's an easy recipe: http://www.k-3teacherresources.com/play-dough-recipe.html
If all else fails, consider making an activity box for kids who opt not to play, and a designated place to play with those toys. For example, you might fill a basket with small toys and games, like a Rubik's cube, a pencil bag of Legos, a pencil box with a deck of cards, a Viewmaster, and magnetic travel games. Look for toys without a lot of loose pieces, or place small sets of toys with pieces in pencil bags or boxes to limit the mess. Make a rule that they can take out one choice at a time and must clean up that choice and put it away before they pick something else.
If you can't gather toys, how about a stack of books from the library? The librarian would be happy to help you pick out some picture books and simple readers that appeal to kids this age. Some easy picks are the I Spy books and Dorling Kindersley (DK) photo books of insects, animals, vehicles, and other high-interest topics.
Place the activity box and/or books on the floor next to an area rug and/or some smaller rugs, like bath mats. Any kid who wishes to "take a break" from the structured activities can take ONE thing at at time from the activity box to play with, but must keep it on the rug. (If you can't borrow a rug to use, use painter's tape to mark off a clear area.) This will eliminate the running off, as you make it clear to them that they have two choices: they can join you or go to work quietly in the activity area. Running around is not an option.
Another alternative activity area would be a table with paper and crayons or markers where kids could sit and write or draw if they didn't wish to participate in the scheduled activity. Have plenty of blank paper, as well as theme-related color sheets, word search puzzles, mazes, etc.
One last note about an alternative activities area: at first, ALL of your kids will want to go there. Don't let that hurt your feelings. It is just because it is something new to try. Once they've had a chance to try it, they'll be ready for your your structured activities again!
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