Pumpkin Drawing and Cleaning

Builds on: creativity, life skills

What you'll need:

Small pumpkins

Washable markers

Wet wash cloth

What to do:

Set out the materials onto your activity table. Let your kids know that it's ok to use the markers to color on the pumpkins; show them how to do it if they seem unsure. After the pumpkins are completely covered you can show them how to use the wash cloth to wipe off all of the marks. 

Let them repeat this for as long as they seem interested and aren't wandering off to color on everything else in the house. 

Farm Shapes Sewing
Builds on : hand eye coordination, fine motor skills, life skills

This is the perfect activity when you need a little quiet time to talk on the phone or want to make dinner in peace after an active day. 

What you'll need:

Plastic canvas sheet
Printed farm shape outlines
Scissors
Marker
Basket
1.5 foot piece of yarn for each shape
Yarn needle


What to do:

 To make your own shapes you place your plastic canvas on top of your farm shape outlines and trace the shapes using your marker. Cut them out as best as you can with the scissors. Don't get too wrapped up in making it perfect because the sheets are grid based and you will drive yourself batty trying. If you aren't overly crafty you can purchase some from the Hoot 'n' Roo's Closet tab under "activity supplies" (coming soon).


Tie one end of the yarn to a corner of your cut out shape and string the other end through the eye of the yarn needle. Do this for each shape. If you only have Roos to worry about then place your finished product into a basket on the activities table for them to find on their own and figure out. Offer help if they ask.

Q-tip Painting With Homemade Watercolors

Builds on: fine motor skills, color identification, life skills and creativity

This activity is so easy with very little mess and the kids get excited because they get to help by making the paint.Great for both Hoots and Roos!

 

What you'll need:

Neon and black food coloring
2 cups cold water

4 empty yogurt cups
thick rag towel

straws for mixing

10 large Q-tips

Jumbo Halloween coloring sheets 

What to do: 

Have the kids pour the water into the 4 empty yogurt cups as evenly as they can. Place the cups onto a thick towel that can get stained and hand over the food coloring. We chose electric green, purple, red and black because they are halloween colors. You can also choose primary colors (red, blue, and yellow) to mix together to make custom colors. Let the kids place between 4-10 drops into the water and stir with the straws. Make picture choices. Then place the pictures, q-tips and your newly made watercolors on to the activities table. Use the q-tip ends as the brush by dipping one end into a color and then making strokes on the picture to transfer the paint. Then just let the kids have fun!

*The more drops of food coloring you use the quicker it will stain surfaces making it less washable.