OT: Suggestions for Indoor Activities to Tire out a Little Kid?

[jerseycow6]

Well, the title is pretty self-explanatory, I guess. But, yeah, my niece is visiting, and it's gotten cooler, but the heat index is still in the 90s, so it's probably best if I don't take her outside. The "dance party" idea may have tired itself out... plus Aunt Katie here is still tired from being at BABW until sometime after 11... I'm busy checking out my old AG magazines for suggestions... Does anyone have any other suggestions for activities to tire out a little kid?

<font color="#33CCCC" size="1">[ July 26, 2006 02:13 PM: Message edited by: jerseycow6 ]</font>

[DaisyDee]

How old is she?

[jerseycow6]

She's 6

[DaisyDee]

If she's young, meaning 6 or under, you could have her take a rest period. It's not a nap, but a "quiet time" for her to do whatever she wants as long as she's quiet. It's easy for them to get overstimulated, and then they are like the energizer bunny and they just keep going. If you make then sit down, they allow themselves to relax, and many times will drift off to sleep. Put her on a bed by herself, or on a blanket on the floor, and she can play with a doll, read a book, or rest. I gave this idea to my BFF who has three kids, and was pulling her hair out trying to find an hour of peace each day, and she now uses it on all three!

[Dancing_Queen]

www.neopets.com
We sit my little cousin down, and she is out of our hair for like 2 hours! lol

[american_girls_4_us]

An hour of quiet time each afternoon is mandatory at our house - sometimes even when friends are over. I have three kids (10, 7 & 4). If I didn't mandate it, I would be crazy by now. My kids don't even question it anymore.

Check out my Printables web site in my signature - there are some fun activities in there you could print out for her. Some are doll related.

[jerseycow6]

Thanks! It's still morning here and I'm trying to figure out how to have her burn off a little energy before I instate quiet time... She's actually pretty good about being quiet when she needs to... she likes the AG Doodle Studio kit and bead kits and stuff. I just know that she'd love to go to the park and run around, but it's too darned hot out.

[only1genevieve]

Let's see, when I was little I used to build forts using chairs, blankets, and couch cushions. Do you have a basement? Maybe you could clear a space down there and she can rollerskate. The other things I used to do as a little kid were jump from my bunk bed onto a pile of pillows, and "slide" down the stairs on a pillow. I don't know how safe that is for someone else's kid though [img]biggrin.gif[/img] .

Do you have a sprinkler for her to play in, or at least a garden hose? You can always have water fights. You might also do an online search and see if there are any community pools you can take her too.

[thepidget]

You could try playing hide-and-seek or throw paper airplanes around the house and try to have her catch them. (I don't think paper airplanes are big or heavy enough to wreck anything, but you know your house better than I do.) Or maybe you could play Simon Says.

Have fun! [img]smile.gif[/img]

[jerseycow6]

Oh, wow. I'd totally forgotten about the city pool! Darn not being able to drive...

Thanks for all your great ideas!

<font color="#33CCCC" size="1">[ July 26, 2006 03:44 PM: Message edited by: jerseycow6 ]</font>