Activities for 2 to 5 yr olds

[mac60]

Do any of you have any ideas for cheap learning activies, or activities in general.

Here is my list:

alphabet/number magnets----purchase cheap cookie sheets and use as a magnet board, purchase magnets of alphabet and numbers and shapes at Dollar Store. For less than $6 you can have 3 magnet boards and magnets for 3 children.

books----we have book time, whether it is sitting at the kids tables, or before nap time, where we place stacks of books to pick from and kids spend time looking at them.

flash cards----shapes, numbers, alphabet....can purchase for $1 box at the Dollar Store. Kids love to play school with these, especially if there is a little older child in the group (age 5 or 6).

Puzzles----pick up cheap age appropriate puzzles and get them out occassionally for table time.

Little chalk boards----I purchased chalk boards at the Dollar Store and the kids love to sit and draw with them.

Legos----probably one of the favorite things here. We do have the bigger safe size since we have a mixed age group.

Various types of building things, like KINEX (I think they are called). Any type of block they can build with.

Dominos....my group loves to build with dominos. They will get the farm animals out and make pens for them.

I also have little crates of farm animals, dinosaurs, misc little toys, and they enjoy playing with those.

Music----love to listen to kids music.

While I no longer have a kitchen set (they kept flipping it over so it is now gone), I did keep a container of kitchen things and they love to play with that. It has a few dishes, aprons, pans, etc., and they will "set" the table and play. One little girl will say "Can we play with the cooker today". Too cute. Just have to wash stuff often.

We also have a Little Tykes Farm Set, and lots of other toys/activities not mentioned. There is never a reason to be bored here.

I have learned that as a provider, you don't need tons of stuff. If you switch your items out regularly, they should stay content.

Outside we have a fenced in yard with a climber, castle, teeter totter, basketball hoop, lots of balls, and water play. No reason to be bored outside either.

[Breezy1217]

I don't have any specific ideas, but I have found some online. Try going to www.familyfun.com. Also try to look for activity books online, there are a ton of them on www.bn.com (Barns and Noble books). Even try your local library for the books. Hope this helps!

[melissa ann]

Mac60, I love your alphabet/number with the cookie sheet idea. I think that would be good for a long car ride too.
The chalk boards sound good too. I used to have a big stand up one, where one side was a chalkboard the other a dry erase board. All the kids would want to the chalkboard side at the same time. So, we no longer have that. I love the individuals ones.
I guess I will have to do some shopping this weekend.

I do have a little kitchen set which all the kids love. I also have a little table/chairs for them to "set" the table while playing.
I have a washer/dryer set but the kids don't seem interested in that anymore. We have a a bookshefl loaded w/books. From picture books, to easy read to some chapter ones.

Toybox filled with care bears, baby dolls, clothes for dress up.

rolling cart: top shelf has legos. 2nd has trucks/cars and bottom has tools.

We have crayons, pencil crayons and coloring books in the kitchen. And puzzles.