Things to do with a 5 year old

vulpix

make playdough with her and then play with it.Use kitchen baking equipment and buttons dry pasta or whatever to stick in the creations made.

meritaten

rice krispy cakes are really easy - 5 year olds love making them. just melt a large bar of chocolate in the microwave pour in the rice krispies and let her stir! (its the stirring part kids love). you can add things like glace cherries or raisins - if you cant be bothered putting them in little cake cases then line a container with cling film and make one big cake that can be cut into slices.


another messy craft is making paint 'butterflies'. all you need is poster or acrylic paint and paper - put splodges of paint on one side of the paper - fold the other side over and 'smoosh it'. open it out and 'butterflies'!

barbarawright

Most libraries will have free half-term actiivities - story-reading/crafts that sort of thing

meritaten

can I also suggest you purchase a couple of her favourite DVDs? I have found with the grandkids that watching a favourite movie often comforts them. especially before bedtime. which in my house the hour before bed and after supper is 'quiet time', they can watch a dvd or read or colour - but no 'action or exciting activities' -ask her parents to send them with her or buy copies. I almost hate to say it - but 'Frozen' is very very popular with 5 to 9 year olds.

Rambosmum

meritaten wrote: »

can I also suggest you purchase a couple of her favourite DVDs? I have found with the grandkids that watching a favourite movie often comforts them. especially before bedtime. which in my house the hour before bed and after supper is 'quiet time', they can watch a dvd or read or colour - but no 'action or exciting activities' -ask her parents to send them with her or buy copies. I almost hate to say it - but 'Frozen' is very very popular with 5 to 9 year olds.

husband is a primary school teacher so has a great stock of kids films,I must remind him to bring them home though. He's away next week so won't be much help to me!

meritaten

well, good luck rambosmum - I just hope she isn't a tomboy and wants to go 'paintballing'! I am sure you will both have a wonderful time! and if all else fails - there is always CBeebies!

meritaten

Just had a thought - I had the grandtwins and their little sister last weekend and they requested 'going up the duckpond to feed the ducks'. They have loved doing that since they were about two or three. please don't supply bread or cakes - its not 'good' food for them. here is a link with some suggestions.


http://birding.about.com/od/birdfeeders/a/whatduckseat.htm
The grandkids raided my cupboards and took a tin of sweetcorn, some porridge oats and most of my muesli! my OH took them.
they were gone about two hours and came back bubbling over with excitement as they had fed ducks and ducklings and geese and goslings and even some swans! (the first time they had seen swans there - its a 'new' pond on a reclaimed old coalpit site).

BigAunty

Make or buy a giant bubble wand and bubble mixture and play in the park. Otherwise you may be able to buy smaller bubble toys in poundland.

Kids go nuts over the larger bubble wands - one that make bubbles at least 3 feet across.

meritaten

been racking my brain as I know how difficult it can be keeping a five year old entertained!
the grandkids, although they hate supermarket shopping love 'Barney Shopping' (Barnes is my cat), so we go to Pets at Home and they can spend a good hour or two in there looking at the baby bunnies, guinea pigs, birds, snakes and fish! and choosing a new toy for him. the staff don't seem to mind you just 'browsing' either.
and for girly girls - a good browse (and strict purchase limit) in Clares Accessories is their idea of a treat! I am lucky in that we have a discount outlet near us.
talking of girly girls - manicure and pedicure sessions go down well - and that can be funded in the poundshop, if you don't have a good 'stash' yourself.
obviously you have the internet - youtube and funny videos keep them entertained too.
also on the internet - free colouring pages of anything their heart desires!
plus load of ideas for 'crafting'.

[Deleted User]

You could take her out and play hide and seek, most kids just can't get enough of things like that. The baking ideas are birlliant. To add to the arts and crafts ideas.., collect magazines, material etc and make a collage if she has the patience. I looked after some children who loved that sort of thing, scrunching up bits of coloured paper and material to make flowers etc and stick them down.

Swimming is a good idea too.

It looks like Heaton Park has an animal centre and soft play areas.., most kids love to pet small animals.