Preschool Fun from the Kitchen

The weather outside is frightful! Your preschooler is bored and begging for something fun to do. Break out of the t.v. -video game rut with some fun from your kitchen. You can try some of these ideas, or let them spark your creativity and come up with your own. Most importantly, enjoy the time together.

Make dirt. Kids love to play in the dirt. You can create your own dirt and clean out your pantry at the same time! Just look through the pantry for things that are expired or stale -but still safe to eat. Use a cookie sheet or a large cake pan, and fill the bottom with a little flour, sugar, or an old cake mix. I suggest using things that would still be safe enough to eat but that seem a little stale or past their prime. You don't want to take the chance of making your child sick! You could sprinkle on some jimmies, colored sugar (mix sugar and food coloring if you don't have colored sugar on hand), or even powdered cocoa. Stale marshmallows make great rocks and old pretzels make great sticks. Oatmeal flakes add great texture, as do old spices, cereal, or just about anything dry that you can find. Allow your child to dig with spoons, toy construction vehicles, etc. Lay an old beach towel down underneath to catch any mishaps. Be creative when adding things that have different colors, smells, and textures. This is a great way, non-threatening way to introduce new foods and allow your child to get messy play time. If you are feeling brave, add a little water to the mix to create 'mud'!

Fingerpaint. You don't have to have real fingerpaints to fingerpaint. Puddings, ketchup, mustard, and other condiments make great 'paints.' You could even add food coloring to your left over mashed potatos! Have your child fingerpaint on paper or even on paper plates or an old cookie sheet - then you can just wash the paint away! If they are squeamish about touching things that are 'icky,' give them spoons, q-tips, or paintbrushes to use.

Potato Stamps! If your child likes stamping, try making stamps from a few leftover, uncooked potatoes. Cut them in half, and then trim the cut end into a shape - ovals, triangles, and squares are probably the easiest. Your child can dip the potato into real - or the condiment variety- paint and stamp away! If you don't have any potatoes on hand, you could cut old sponges into shapes or even try some other types of fruit. Just remember to have an adult do the cutting!

Make 'pizza.' Lunch is a great time to experiment with food and learn about healthy eating, snacks, or just try something new. A great way to make lunch fun is to help your child design his or her own 'pizza.' If you don't have any pizza dough, just pick something flat and round - a waffle, a tortilla, a pita, or a Thomas English muffin. In a pinch, make square pizza out of slices of bread or toast. Allow your child to pick his or her favorite 'toppings' - ketchup and cheese, fruit and whip cream, etc. to decorate their pizza. Use different shapes and colors to make the pizza fun and exciting. It may not look appetizing to you, but it might look like a feast to your little one. Don't worry if they try some wacky combinations- they just might come up with something really delicious!

Have an indoor picnic. Spread out a blanket in the living room, and set up your own little picnic area. Serve picnic foods - potato salad, sandwiches, or even cold macaroni and cheese. Serve your picnic on paper or plastic plates and drink out of a thermos. Help your child pretend that you are outside at a park, and imagine what kinds of things are going on around you. Or build a fort and pretend you are in a secret hideout eating special secret food. Your child will 'eat up' the experience!

Bake something together. Have your child help you mix up a batch of cookies, a cake mix, or even cupcakes. After you've baked and cooled them, he or she can help decorate them. Use icing as a base, and add sprinkles, candies, or even Teddy Grahams. Be as creative as you can, making the cookies into bugs, people, or animals. Let your child get messy, and don't worry if what they create doesn't look like something you would want to eat. The experience - and the time you spend together - are the important part. Getting to eat what you create is just the icing on the cake!