A to Z - 26 Activities for You and Your Child (Part 2)
By Kimie Bringle

Oo…Open a savings account with your child.  Many banks offer children a no fee account.  Usually, there is only a one dollar opener required.  When the statement comes each month, teach your child how the interest works.  Go to the library and learn about it with your child if you are not sure or make an appointment to speak with a bank representative.  Bank representatives will sit down with you and your child to explain the whole savings account process.  Your child will learn about saving and money management.  Let your child do odd jobs around the house to earn a little to put into their account.  Let them do the transaction, if they are old enough to write.

Pp…Pretend that you are the child and that the child is the parent.  Don’t be a perfect child though.  Let your child make disciplinary decisions for something done wrong.  You can learn a lot about your child when the roles are reversed.

Qq…Quiet time is wonderful!  Lay down with your child and share a story or a special event from the day.  Children love to talk and always want someone to listen.

Rr…Relive your childhood by telling your child stories about when you were young.  Maybe you tried to dig a hole to the other side of the earth…Or maybe you thought that penguins lived in the fridge to turn out the light when you closed the door.  Children love to hear stories about when their parents were young.  Something you thought was devastating as a child may be hilarious to your child.  Shared laughter is a special kind of love.

Ss…Silly day is a favorite with children.  Start the day off by putting on clean pajamas.  Do only silly things for the whole day!  Have dinner for breakfast and breakfast for dinner.  Have dessert for lunch.  Put on your regular clothes for bedtime.  Let your child come up with some silly ideas too.

Tt…Teach your child a trick.  Can you pull a quarter out of someone’s ear?  Maybe you can touch your feet to your head.  Anything that a child might be able to do is a wonderful and often funny experience.  Then, let your child teach you how to do something that they know how to do.  Even if you already know how to do it, let them instruct you because it will help build confidence and leadership in your child.

Uu…Use spoons to eat with all day.  No matter what it is, use a spoon.  A spoonful of spaghetti is a riot!  Try not to serve things that are normally eaten with a spoon though.  Also, make sure all items are cooled down because they are more than likely going to be dropped and spilled.

Vv…Vegetables are a great art medium.  What can you make out of veggies?  Carrot and celery sticks with peanut butter glue can be put together to create wonderful designs.  What else can you think of to use?  Ask your child what vegetables they would like to create with.

Ww…Water is great!  Let your child take a plastic fireman’s helmet into the shower.  It’s like playing in the rain.  During the summer, a little bubble bath in a plastic wading pool makes for a great outdoor bath.  Bubbles will be all over everything, much to the child’s delight.

Xx…X-ray drawings are easy to do.  Some call them ‘shadow’ or ‘silhouette’ drawings.  Tape a piece of paper to a wall.  Then, face a lamp so that it shines on the paper.  Sit in a position that puts your shadow onto the paper.  Have your child trace your shadow.  When the tracing is finished, have your child remove the paper from the wall and color it in.  It will always be a perfect portrait when it’s done with the love and creativity of a child.

Yy…Yelling contests are a great way to let off steam and relieve stress.  Stand in the back yard with your child and just scream about all the things that are really bugging you.  “I don’t like having to clean my room!” can make a child feel great.  “I don’t like having to pay bills!” will take the edge off of this tedious chore.  This is also a way of opening up the lines of communication.  Listen to what your child is yelling.  Don’t lecture during a yelling contest.  This is just a way of expression.

Zz…Zippers, shoelaces, snaps and buttons all help your child to develop fine motor skills.  It will take practice, but your child will learn and know the feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction in the end.  Do not let your child get to the point of frustration.  If your child starts to get aggravated, take a break!  You could suggest doing something else or tell your child a story about how it took you a long time to learn a certain skill.  Let your child know that you’re not perfect either and that most things take a lot of practice.  Make sure you point something out that they have learned because they didn’t give up.

There are so many things that we can do with our children if we make the time.  A lot of parents time is spent on important things, but five minutes here and there isn’t going to break anyone’s schedule.

Until next time…

Stay busy and hug your precious little one!

Bio: Kimie can be reached at FourPoint Moms http://kimie.fourpointmoms.com

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