Arts and Crafts
One way to keep young children active around your home is to have a treasure hunt. Decide if you want to hide the treasure in a single room, throughout the house or outside. Provide clues that lead children through a series of steps to get to the treasure. A treasure hunt can last for an hour or an entire day. Choose a theme for the treasure hunt when possible. A pasta treasure hunt, a jelly treasure hunt and a puzzle treasure hunt are all examples.
Local Museum
Visit a local museum that offers free entrance for adults and kids. Choices range from performing arts museums to anthropology museums, children's museums and maritime museums. To increase your child's interest, have your child write a few questions about a topic he wants to learn more about by exploring a museum. Work together with your child to find the answers at the museum. Find exhibits and activities that reveal the answer. Choose a museum that allows your child to engage with the environment around him and participate in free learning activities. Interactive games, display models and audio recordings are available at many museums.
Local Hike or Nature Walk
Encourage your children to participate in outdoor activities, such as local hikes or nature walks. For example, hike a half-mile trail at a local park. Keep your children interested by researching fun facts about trees or flowers that are local to your area and then searching for them along the trail. Take photographs and create a scrapbook that includes a short story about the birds, butterflies, trees and flowers that you encountered along the way. When hiking any trail with kids, always bring water, a first aid kit, food and a change of clothes. Also, start with a short walk and then increase your distance over time. Check with your local parks to see if they offer free activities for children.
