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SaraP
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| Posted: April 30 2009 at 8:40am | IP Logged
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again. 
What you would *you* do to keep a bunch of active little kids entertained and out of trouble without completely wearing yourself out?
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Mama to six on earth, two in heaven and two waiting in Russia. Foxberry Farm Almanac
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amyable
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| Posted: April 30 2009 at 9:14am | IP Logged
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*Last week I let my kids draw on each other with colored pens. "Tattoos"  It kept them busy a LONG time and came off (sort of  ) with babywipes. I know, not your typical activity, but that's what made it fun.
*Play "beauty salon" with girls where they brush your hair, rub your feet, put pretend nail polish and make up on you with brushes
*My littlest always love playing "baby birds" when I'm big and pregnant - I lie on my side on the couch with my legs drawn up a bit so they can sit in the space between my legs and the couch...then they pretend to hatch and I lie there and feed them bugs and worms and watch them learn to fly.
*scavenger hunts - I sit and call out a category and everyone runs and finds something of that category - "curly things!" "flat things!" "something round and smaller than my hand" "brown" etc etc You can do it for points or not. Of course you have to get them to agree before hand that THEY will put the stuff back when they are done (maybe give extra points for that!)
OK, I've got to run and help with a snack, if I can think of other fun things we've done I'll be right back.
ETA: what ages and genders?
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Amy
mom of 5, ages 6-16, and happy wife of 
The Highly Sensitive Homeschooler
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: April 30 2009 at 9:32am | IP Logged
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amyable wrote:
*My littlest always love playing "baby birds" when I'm big and pregnant - I lie on my side on the couch with my legs drawn up a bit so they can sit in the space between my legs and the couch...then they pretend to hatch and I lie there and feed them bugs and worms and watch them learn to fly. |
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ROTFL!!!! The image of this is hysterical!! Almost makes me want to be 10 months pregnant...."almost"
We do the "beauty salon game" too. And, lots of playing "midwife" and doctor/surgery. Those can go on forever!  Any pretend game where you are horizontal.
**drawing games.....similar to the scavenger hunt.....i lie on the couch and call out things for them to draw.
**spelling/letter games for those learning how to read...call out letters/words and they either write or use the moveable alphabet to spell. I think my two oldest learned how to read this way, because we all know what a failure i am with any sort of phonics program
Lots of books on tape.
Playdough....strategically done only at 4:00 pm, though....so that Dad can clean it up
**My kids love it when I lie on their bed in their room, and just "exist".....they'll play forever if I'm in there with them....most of the time i don't have to say anything, or just give a gratuitous grunt occasionally. They don't fight and they're content. So, I do a lot of horizontal existence with them in their room.
OR
**Prop yourself up on the floor with pillows, etc. in a confined area and play with them.
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Suzanne in ID
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Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)
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amyable
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| Posted: April 30 2009 at 9:43am | IP Logged
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My girls just reminded me of a game they love - you have to allow some running in your house though. It's "Freeze Tag Clean Up" - they play freeze tag the normal way ...someone is it and if "it" tags you, you freeze where you are. But with Freeze Tag Clean Up, Mom has to give you something to put away in order for you to be unfrozen. So I'll yell out, "Jane, collect all the Polly Pockets!" and when they have been tossed in the Polly Bin she is free to run around and be chased. I think I waited until everyone was tagged to start the clean up requests, then the last person tagged became "it."
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Amy
mom of 5, ages 6-16, and happy wife of
The Highly Sensitive Homeschooler
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St. Ann
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| Posted: April 30 2009 at 12:04pm | IP Logged
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Oh Amy, I like that game!
Sara, I don't have any brillliant suggestions, but I am thankful to know that you have entered the last stretch, so I will keep you in my prayers.
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Stephanie
Wife and mother to Hannah '96, Maria '99, Dorothea '01, Helena '03
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Waverley
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| Posted: April 30 2009 at 2:44pm | IP Logged
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* Obstacle courses. Have each child take a turn building or creating an obstacle course. That child demonstrates the course and then the rest of the kids run the course. You don't have to have a lot of space for this and it doesn't have to be rowdy. It can be simple like stand on the rug and do 10 jumping jacks, hop into the kitchen and bang on the pot with the wooden spoon 3 times, etc.
* Painters tape on the floor or carpet. Use painters tape to make patterns or lines on the floor. Have the kids use the tape like a balance beam. Have them walk the line forwards, backwards, sideways, hopping, on tip-toe, etc. We have also use tape as a plank when playing pirates (as in walk the plank).
The kids get to be creative, we work on our small and gross motor skills, and it keeps them moving.
Good luck!!
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Waverley
wife to Dh for 19 years, dd (16), dd (11), dd (8), ds (6), dd (4), dd (9-13-1996)
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SaraP
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| Posted: May 01 2009 at 12:11pm | IP Logged
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Thank you! 
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Mama to six on earth, two in heaven and two waiting in Russia. Foxberry Farm Almanac
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