Take time for daily walks and other outdoor activities like:
Raking, shoveling, digging, weeding, planting, gathering leaves and sticks, making sculptures and other types of art with items from nature
Rearrange your home to facilitate more physical play:
Creating mazes, forts and tunnels
Building with blocks, legos, train tracks, etc.
Playing hide and seek
Pretending to be different animals or playing dress-up
Blowing bubbles or inflating balloons to catch (Rocket Balloons at Target)
Jumping and crashing on a mattress, pillows, or trampoline
Have areas to get messy (outside when possible):
Art play with easel and paints or watercolors, or shaving cream
Cook play dough to mold and pound (see Preschool Play Dough recipe)
Fill the sink, tub or a small basin with water and small items to wash
Simple cooking, preparation and mixing of ingredients
Enlist your child’s help:
Sweeping or cleaning anything with a sponge or towel and soapy water
Folding laundry, moving toys around, rearranging furniture or room layout, delivering a note to another family member
Visit local consignment shops and observe items that draw your child’s attention. Trade old toys for some new ones. Childish Things is a real favorite.
Frequent places like Kangaroo Kingdom or the WOW museum (in Lafayette), open play at Pump it Up (in Broomfield) or B& C Bouncetown in Longmont, or Clementine Art Studio (in Boulder), particularly at off hours.
Incorporate wind down time with calming music, books to read, gentle massage, or yoga (Yoga Kids is a very accessible and engaging video).
