quick evening kids 'to do' suggestions

iammumtoone

I am working long hours all over the half term

Looking for some indoor quick things we can do each night so at least son does something different over the holidays.

So far I have
making slime - anyone any tried and tested recipes (I have ordered the borax)
some quick no bake cooking probably rice crispy cakes


I know everyone will have some great suggestions. He is 9 so anything science related would be ideal.

Note on the borax before I get slated :eek: I have researched this and come to the conclusion as he is not a young child and I will be with him all the time, I am happy to use it (plus I can use the rest up as a cleaning agent )

trailingspouse

From my days as a childminder - these were wonderful 'fill-ins' for those moments when nothing else was happening and I didn't want them to watch the TV all the time.

Graph paper and felt tip pens - colour in the squares (the smaller the better for a 9 year old)
Making anything with papier mache (make a volcano and then add bicarb and vinegar and watch it erupt)
'Real' jobs - cleaning the car, cleaning the blocks on the patio, weeding the garden - all great for summer evenings.
Try out some origami

helcat26

Lots of science based suggestions here
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-activities


Personally I think cooking is great for that age- and you need to make dinner!


Make pizzas (ideally make the dough, but if not buy the wet ready made dough not pre made bases) much fun in rolling etc.


Make sausages- you can buy skins and a big syringe like thingy on ebay it is a good laugh


Make cinder toffee (you can explain the bicarb science bit!)


If you do not fancy cooking get some pink playdough and mix up some fake blood and have an impromptu first aid class. Kids like making really gory wounds but you can also teach some bandaging etc. Ten get out a make up kit go mad with the green and purple and have a zombie night.


Do you have a back garden? Camp in it for a night (or a couple of hours. Tent (borrow one) or make a shelter, camp fire or Barbie and hotdogs, ghost stories


good luck

kingfisherblue

I'm a guider and this pack is great - it has lots of different science and engineering activities to choose from. Although guiding is aimed at girls, the activities are suitable for both genders.

http://www.girlguidingnwe.org.uk/leaders-area/region-resources-and-challenge-badges/the-clever-cogs-engineering-challenge/

kingfisherblue

Just thinking about this - if your son likes Lego and science, how about this challenge that I set my Guides (from a Girlguiding publication).

Using six sheets of A4 paper and sellotape, balance a brick 5cm from the floor for at least twenty seconds.

Three groups came up with three different ways, and I came up with a fourth way.

Other ideas:

Plant some seeds - cress grows within a week. Wilkinson's had lots of 'grow your own veg' kits (long dates) for 25p a couple of days ago. I bought cress, kale, tomatoes, peppers and spring onions. This was the Widnes branch.

Get your son to design a mini garden and then make it. You can use all sorts of bits and bobs.

Try to get hold of Brainbox games - well worth the money. Educational, fun and very informative.

Decorate a plain mug or plate with Sharpies and bake in the oven to set.

Make a monster corner bookmark (lots on Google for ideas).

Read together.

Get some different size and shape containers from your cupboards and set them out in the order of the planets, Try to use the smallest container for Mercury, the smallest planet, up to the largest container for Jupiter (the biggest planet) - maybe your son could research both the order of the planets and their sizes in comparison to each other. Get some ping pong balls and have a contest to see if you can get a ball into each container in order. It's good for hand eye coordination, estimating distances, and learning a few basics of astronomy.

Try invisible writing with lemon juice.

Challenge him to build things from Lego - a flower, a pair of trousers, a chair big enough to sit a small toy on, etc.

Look at this website for papercraft - but some is quite difficult:
http://cp.c-ij.com/en/categories/CAT-ST01-0071/top.html

Make shrinkies from plastic punnet boxes with the 'three arrows in a triangle' symbol. Lots of ideas on Google, including a few YouTube videos. If you want to make a keyring, remember to make the hole in a corner before shrinking.

Make a scrapbook of the different experiments that he does - he can include instructions, photos, hand drawn pictures, and results.

Zeni

I second the volcano - can just use a water bottle and then wrap a cone of paper around it and tape to a base like a cereal packet and decorate. Then fill the bottle with warm water and a little fairy liquid (Gives some nice bubbles) a few drops of red food colouring (to make it red) and some bicarb of soda. F9inally pouint in the vinegar for your explosion. (I've done this with my class lots of time and they always loved it)
Other science activities
- adding mentos to a bottle of coke.. lovely fountain interruption!
- get some spaghetti and mini marshmellows and challenge them to build a tower be amazed how much fun this can be for children.
- Lollipops sticks to build a bridge between two tables/side boards and then see how much weight you can add till it breaks or make a boat out of tinfoil/sitcks and see how much weight it holds till it sinks.
- make your own quicksand http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/0/22880407 nice n messy and cheap.

maman

:T on thinking of spending time with your son over half term. Many wouldn't be bothered.

You don't say how old he is but as he doesn't have to go to school in the morning and evenings are light, I'd say get out and get some fresh air. It'll be good for both of you.

Go for a walk or a bike ride to the park or whatever open spaces you have locally. Have a picnic tea if the weather's good enough or buy a bag of chips (always taste better out of doors).

Marvel1

Any board games about from Xmas and touched once?

maman wrote: »

You don't say how old he is but as he doesn't have to go to school in the morning and evenings are light, I'd say get out and get some fresh air. It'll be good for both of you.

iammumtoone wrote: »

He is 9 so anything science related would be ideal.

pinkshoes

My suggestions would be:

Making chocolate truffles.

Playing with cornflower and water.

Making slime is great fun!!!

Make some elephant toothpaste:
http://www.easyscienceexperiments.co.uk/how-to-make-elephant-toothpaste/
(Very messy but hilarious! Watch the youtube video!)

Build a Wind up/balloon powered car.

Pixie5740

Mr Pixie made some Prince Rupert Drops with his 9 year old although I accept that not everyone will be comfortable mixing 9 year olds and blowtorches.

Fireflyaway

Slime is great and I'm not telling you off but...... Yes borax is really nasty stuff. I've seen kids with burns to the hands from playing with it. Its acid (and a caseinogen). You can make it without. Glue, shaving foam etc much safer. Or make play dough from flour, salt , oil etc
How about paper mache? Can put it round a balloon then paint it? Baking, colouring, car spotting if you can see cars from the window! Different points for spotting different vehicles. Sounds weird but we used to go on band hunts! Walk about collecting the bands the postman drops then make a ball. Make a video on 'video star' on your phone / tablet - its free. Make an assault course - lay out cushions and do different things at different points - 10 star jumps or balance on one leg etc. Make a fort out of blankets / sheets and eat dinner in it! I think its great you want to spend time together I know so many mums who can't be bothered after a long day.