Make Your Own Toys & Games

Summer Fun for Kids - Lets get messy! Summer is a time to let loose. This summer really shock your kids and get knee deep in dirt! Don't forget to keep a garden hose handy for easy clean up.

Summer fun for children and ideas for kids activities for summer vacation. Leave the proper croquet games to your older relatives ... this game will keep your kids giggling all summer! A unique addition to outdoor birthday parties, barbeques or any gathering.

You'll need:
lawn care stakes or garden stakes
permanent markers in a variety of colors
croquet mallets and balls or lawn bowling balls

Travel Games, Road Trip Games, Car Games for kids, Travel Tips.

Garden Stones - Gardening Craft for Kids Easy to make decorations add a personal touch to your child' s garden. Easy to make decorations add a personal touch to your child's garden.

You'll need:
Smooth stones - any size will do
Acrylic paint
Paint brushes
Stencils (optional)
Clear acrylic sealer

Travel Games, Road Trip Games, Car Games for kids. Time flies when you’re having fun - The miles fly by too! You can make a long family car trip seem a lot shorter if you have fun with your kids along the way. Plan ahead with a few car activities, and making the journey can be as much fun as the destination. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Its pumpkin time, have fun exploring a pumpkin with your kids! Most of us have carved pumpkins, decorated with pumpkins and baked with pumpkins. But, have you ever spent time exploring this seasonal favorite? This family pumpkin discovery activity will do just that. As well as strengthening your child's language arts skills and developing science awareness.

Kids craft idea from Highlights magazine, making a puzzle.

What you need:
scissors
cardboard
glue
construction paper or paint
pencil
ruler
tape

The Importance of Play - children learn from playing. While most children are born healthy and fit, not all of them remain that way. Doing so depends in great part on four factors: environment, attitude, knowledge, and lifestyle. All of these elements are within your control.

Fun ideas, activities, crafts and games for families.

Make a homemade craft the way your Grandfather would have made one. A great outside play craft for Kids

You Will Need:

# Newspaper
# 22" Stick and 18" Stick (see below)
# Kite String
# Old Sheet or Other Fabric for Tail
# Glue Stick
# Scissors
# Yard Stick
# Pencil
# Paper Clip
# Pocket Knife

A Slam Book Craft for Kids When They are Bored. Great for Preteen & Girl Slumber Parties. Here's a idea that's making a nicer comeback. Design your own slam book to find out what your friends a really like. There's nothing mean about this slam book. Just lots of fun!

You need:

* SLAM BOOK Pattern
*
* Slam Book Inside Pages Two Sheets of Black Craft Foam
* Scraps of Yellow, Orange,
and Hot Pink
* Craft Foam R
* etro Foamie Stickers
* Feather Boa
* Tacky Glue Scissors
* Stapler
* Plain Paper

This is a kids craft to make Mini Fabric Backpacks. These Children's mini backpacks. Only 2" big, you can wear these back packs with a pin or hang them around your neck. You can even hang them from your back pack or key chain. Great for keeping spare change.

You Need:

* Backpack Pattern
* 9" x 12" Fabric Scrap
* 9" x 12" piece of Medium Weight Fusible Interfacing (Pelon)
* Iron
* Inkjet Printer
* Scissors
* Fabric Glue
* 1/4" Velcro Scrap
* Beads, Craft Foam or Fabric Markers for Decorating

Yucky
Totem Poles
Recommended for ages 6-13.

You need:

--Several Large Cardboard Boxes
--Scissors
--Glue
--Crayons or Markers
Yucky Tongue
Yucky Mouth or
Another Yucky Mouth
Yucky Ears or
More Yucky Ears
Yucky Nose or
Another Yucky Nose
Yucky Eyes, More Yucky Eyes or Even More Yucky Eyes
--Construction Paper (optional)

This is a Wallpaper Situpon Craft for Kids - I think it is to bring along with you to sit on the grass or floor. These will last and last. Easy to clean also.

Materials You need:

* Wallpaper Samples
* Scissors
* Tacky Glue
* Low Temp Glue Gun
* Clear Contact Paper
* Newspaper
* Rope (we used paper twist pieces)

This arts and craft project ideas is a craft for kids to make Greeting Card Puzzles for a great game for little kids. These simple-to-make puzzles will delight your little ones.

You need:

* Greeting Cards
* Tacky Glue
* Jumbo Craft Sticks
* Scissors
* Exacto-Knife with Sharp Blade
* Tape

"IT" holds a balloon and calls out a number while dropping
the balloon to the floor. The holder of that number then
tries to catch the balloon before it touches the floor.
If the player is successful 'it' tries another number.
If the balloon touches the floor then that player is "it".

The players release their balloons in the direction of the target.
If you are having a theme party, use a picture from the theme as
the target center. Score 5 points for the closest balloon and 15 points
for a direct hit.

Have the pairs stand in a line or circle back to back, with a balloon held between their backs. On the leader's signal, the players press together, trying to burst their balloon.

Arrange the group in a circle with a blindfolded player in the center. Then have the players move around the circle very quietly. The blindfolded player should approach the circle in any direction and secure a victim who, in a disguised voice, says 'poor kitty' and then imitates the 'meow' of a cat.

'It' is blindfolded and stands in the center of a seated circle while the players change seats. 'It' now sits on a player's lap. No words are spoken. He must guess whose lap he is sitting on. If he's correct, the two change places.

One player is "It" and leaves the group while the other players choose an object in the room. "It" returns and tries to guess the object. He can ask 20 questions of the group members, all of which must be answered by yes or no.

Players are divided into two teams. Line up facing each other, about 25 to 50 feet apart.
Each side takes turns calling

"Red Rover, Red Rover, send (name) come over."

All of the children will sit down in a circle facing each other They are now the "Ducks". Pick one child to be the Fox. The Fox slowly walks around the outside of the circle, gently tapping the other players heads while saying "Duck" each time he/she taps. After one or so times around the circle, the Fox selects a "Goose" by tapping a players head and calling "Goose!".

The children sit in a circle. One player leaves the room, while she is away the others decide what she should be when she returns.

Players form a circle with the parent or helper. Starting with the child on the parent's left each player has to say in turn...

Each person is given a cut-out piece of
construction paper with the name of an animal (e.g. Kangaroo ) Then pairs are selected so that, for example, a Kangaroo and a giraffe are together.

One player is the leader and orders the other players to make motions by saying "Simon says thumbs up" or "Simon says hands on your head." The leader also makes all of these motions.

Players form a circle. A bean bag is passed from player to player while one player sings, whistles or claps. When the music or clapping stops, the player who has the bean bag is out and sits in the center.

Two lines are established at opposite ends of the playing area. One line is the goal line; the other is the starting line. One player is "It" and stands on the goal line.

There is a goal line and a starting line. The player who is "Captain" stands at the goal line. The "Captain" addresses one player at a time to "Take one giant step" or "Take 5 baby steps" or "Skip three steps", etc. That player must remember to say "Captain, May I?"

Games for family reunions, company picnics or family fun! On your way to the beach or park? Add some silly races to your family outing for lasting summer memories! These games can easily be added to company picnics and family reunions.

Leave the proper croquet games to your older relatives ... this game will keep your kids giggling all summer! A unique addition to outdoor birthday parties, barbeques or any gathering.

My kids and I made this project over the holidays using a Christmas theme for decorating. It can be just as easily made with a snowman, snowflake or a Valentine's Day image.

Turn an ordinary board game into a silly adventure in play. Have your children gather pieces to a variety of games.

No time for a family trip? Planetarium too expensive? Try this activity instead. Make it educational by having your child research the planets and constellations first.

You'll need:
Frozen juice can, tape or rubber band, flashlight & paper.

Create an Imaginary Zoo to play with your friends or alone with these silly mix and match animal creation game.

Static electricity at it's best!

You'll need:
An inflated balloon
and your child.

Most of us depend on sight and sound to make our way through this world. So much so, we ignore we ignore the gift of touch. Share with your child the rich textures of the world in which we live.

Are you bored and stuck inside, but you want to play sports? Well, get off of your tush and play Basketball inside!

You’ll need:
a wastebasket
paper from the recycle bin
and masking tape (optional)

It's a Secret...Code...Ask your child to take the challenge of creating a symbol or number code for each letter in the alphabet and write it down. It can be your child's own secret language shared with only a select few family members or friends.

You’ll need:
pencil
paper