[Guest]

Have you got any good original ideas for fun things to make?

(personally I'd appreciate any good ones you can do with a 4 yr old, but others are welcome)

Here's a couple of ideas to show you the sort of thing I like:

(must confess I haven't actually made one yet but I will, oh yes, I will)

And one I just remembered from long ago:

You need 6 square mirror tiles of the sort that get used in bathrooms, preferably one with a corner chipped. Stick them together with tape (use transparent tape, not masking tape), to make a cube, with the mirror faces on the inside. Then look inside through the chipped corner (careful not to lacerate your eyes on broken glass, kids) for a glimpse of infinity. I remember doing this as a kid to see if you could trap light in a mirror cube (perhaps to let it out later when you want it?) Slight movement of the cube causes wierd effects.

[peace*out]

It depends on the gender someimtes whether the 4-year-old is a girl or a boy. You could always try to teach the kid to play 'Monopoly Junior', but that might not work...

You could get non-toxic markers and draw a picture, or get foam and sticky foam and enjoy it...

just a couple ideas...

[Izzy]

Teach him/her multiplication! Probably not the most exciting thing for every child, but I was so proud of myself when I learnt it. You probably have to trick him/her into wanting to learn it. When I was 3, I was with some friends in the sand at a park, and this "big kid" came by and asked us what 1*1 was. We all said two. She said we were wrong and made fun of us.. So, I asked my mom what she meant, and the first maths problem I remember solving on my own was 8*8. (That was a lot of counting on my fingers!)

But yeah, play board games (heh, I have like 50 in my closest that take up sooo much space, but my mom won't let me get rid of them), READ, play make-believe, go for walks and stuff, do maths, teach him/her something interesting.

[akaslickster]

Have you got any good original ideas for fun things to make?

(personally I'd appreciate any good ones you can do with a 4 yr old, but others are welcome)

Here's a couple of ideas to show you the sort of thing I like:

(must confess I haven't actually made one yet but I will, oh yes, I will)

And one I just remembered from long ago:

You need 6 square mirror tiles of the sort that get used in bathrooms, preferably one with a corner chipped. Stick them together with tape (use transparent tape, not masking tape), to make a cube, with the mirror faces on the inside. Then look inside through the chipped corner (careful not to lacerate your eyes on broken glass, kids) for a glimpse of infinity. I remember doing this as a kid to see if you could trap light in a mirror cube (perhaps to let it out later when you want it?) Slight movement of the cube causes wierd effects.

I think that most 4 year olds are not up to erecting those items. How about a lego set, or get a bunch of colored construction paper and create chains or masks with just stuff around the house.

Another is model toys that use glue. They may have easier ones for beginners. I was able to build my own boat and take it to the bath tub. Try getting some clay or play-doh. Paint by number, etc.

[peace*out]

I think that most 4 year olds are not up to erecting those items. How about a lego set, or get a bunch of colored construction paper and create chains or masks with just stuff around the house.

Another is model toys that use glue. They may have easier ones for beginners. I was able to build my own boat and take it to the bath tub. Try getting some clay or play-doh. Paint by number, etc.

When i do paint by number, i call it, 'paint on the paper, and watch it turn to a sloppy mess' - and that is coming from a

12-almost-13-year-old!!!

[Guest]

Get some Tinker Toys! They're so much more fun than Legos. You can build lots of cool things with them, like a ferris wheel http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41K7...L500_AA280_.jpg you turn a handle to make it twirl around. Try doing something like that with Legos!

If your kid likes to think and build things then they will like them. If you have a girl though, she probably won't be interested. I was, but I definitely wasn't a normal little girl.

Edit: Shrinky Dinks are really fun too. =)

Edited November 1, 2008 by Jane

[unreality]

Izzy: I don't think he was asking for parenting lessons, just for crafts to make That BristleBot looks pretty cool - I would make it, except where do you get a tiny half-weighted motor? I guess I could take apart an old cell phone...

[akaslickster]

Izzy: I don't think he was asking for parenting lessons, just for crafts to make That BristleBot looks pretty cool - I would make it, except where do you get a tiny half-weighted motor? I guess I could take apart an old cell phone...

That would be a waste of time. Donate the old cell phones to people in need. The homeless can use them for self-protection.

A tiny motor can be purchased at most hobbie stores that sell toys and crafts etc.

[peace*out]

I love wooden blocks and playmoble, but that's just me...

[Guest]

That would be a waste of time. Donate the old cell phones to people in need. The homeless can use them for self-protection.

A tiny motor can be purchased at most hobbie stores that sell toys and crafts etc.

Self Protection? A cell phone?

[unreality]

Haha, remember that Sprint commercial, where he used his phone for self-protection to throw it at a guy? lol

[akaslickster]

Self Protection? A cell phone?

Some poor people have no contacts for police or emergencies. If you have noticed, the amount of pay phones has dwindled. These old cells are better than nothing at all.

Back to the topic, I can suggest origami. Oh and kids like to help with them Chia Pets.

Edited November 3, 2008 by akaslickster

[Guest]

Ummm... just give them markers or crayons, and let them run wild free house decorating!!!!!!!!!!! =D

[akaslickster]

One last idea is to bring the kid to the billiards. The perfect age to start shooting pool.

On the creative side, you can buy some lumber and build a doghouse together and then adopt a dog or cat.

[Izzy]

Izzy: I don't think he was asking for parenting lessons, just for crafts to make That BristleBot looks pretty cool - I would make it, except where do you get a tiny half-weighted motor? I guess I could take apart an old cell phone...

Haha, probably. I was just listing stuff I enjoyed as a kid.

There used to be this show called Out-Of-The-Box on Nickelodeon (Disney Channel? One of those..) and they always did crafty things. Look up some YouTube videos.

[Guest]

Haha, probably. I was just listing stuff I enjoyed as a kid.

There used to be this show called Out-Of-The-Box on Nickelodeon (Disney Channel? One of those..) and they always did crafty things. Look up some YouTube videos.

Oh god i HATE that show >.<

My little sister used to watch it all the time and it drove me crazy!!!!!!

[peace*out]

Ok - so for anyone else who needs this, i found a cool site recently call instructables. http://www.instructables.com/ it has all this fun DIY stuff, and though it may not be for 4 year olds, older children might have fun with it

[Guest]

Thanks, peace out, that's going in my bookmarks! Anyhow he's nearly 6 now so quite capable of just about anything

[EDM]

teach kids to make little crafts.....personally, i like making cards and collages with my siblings & cousins.....

when my bro & I were much younger, we'd take our stuffed toys together & hv picnics and skool playtime.....it was fun 'coz we weren't in school, so we could do all sorts of fun stuff like sit on the ground and make train noises to take us around the world (i should probably do that with my sis...but she's a makeover maniac!!!)

hmm.....how about from 3-6 yr olds, take a soft new cleaning sponge (those square ones with the rough back), remove the rough back and tie the sponge in the middle with a ribbon or cloth. add some features (preferebly with marker pen) and voila! you have your own puppet!!! *the best part is they can chew or bite it, totally wreck it and mess it.....but they stay absorbed in it!!! plus....you can wipe their messy mouth at lunchtime with it....

[Guest]

I love environmental art and site-specific art. Especially Andy Goldsworthy, Patrick Dougherty, and Christo and Jeanne-Claude. A good start is sidewalk art with sidewalk chalk. You don't have to store anything in a box somewhere, however you can still easily display and store digital images of the art.

If you have the means and inclination shooting is very fun. BB guns, pellet guns, and 22lr rifles would be just fine for a 6yo kid.

Edit: grammar

Edited April 9, 2010 by Semper Rideo

[peace*out]

Thanks, peace out, that's going in my bookmarks! Anyhow he's nearly 6 now so quite capable of just about anything

awsome!!

I guess science fairs good for something after all

[Guest]

Lol! I didn't realize this topic had been necromanced.

Recently my son had a star wars themed birthday party. One of the party activities was constructing light sabers. We bought cheap ($2.79USD) light-sabers and used tape, glue, wire, coins, bottle caps, clay, etc to customize the hilts. It was fun making the sample (I'm a geek) and the kids loved it.

Additionally, you save a ton on party favors. A couple things you have to watch out for are: the lights stop working after the kids do battle for a while, and the kids do battle for quite a while. I was thinking about building a much more expensive and durable one with my son. Much of the information I used was from that lovely little site peace*out linked.