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EmoPrincess · Jul 14, 2010, 10:43 AM

Every week day (with the exception of yesterday) I babysit my six year old brother. I am running out of fun ideas! Any suggestions?

redhed35 · Jul 14, 2010, 10:51 AM

Face painting,

Finger painting.

Build a fort.

Storm the fort.

Dress up as warrior and storm the castle.

Wet newspaper and cover blown up ballons,allow to dry and paint.

Set up an assault course in the yard and time him to run it.

Bake something.

Make mud pies.

Wash the dog.

Make up stories and act them out.

EmoPrincess · Jul 14, 2010, 10:55 AM

Originally Posted by redhed35

face painting,

finger painting.

build a fort.

storm the fort.

dress up as warrior and storm the castle.

wet newspaper and cover blown up ballons,allow to dry and paint.

set up an assualt course in the yard and time him to run it.

bake something.

make mud pies.

wash the dog.

make up stories and act them out.

Thank you very much Red, only problem is we aren't allowed to make much mess
And my brother is also kind of a clean freak... He won't touch anything wet, sticky, or dirty. Thank you for the other ideas though, my brother will be grateful

jmjoseph · Jul 14, 2010, 11:03 AM

What kind of things does this boy like to do?

And for the record, ALL little boys have the right to be dirty from time to time. It's in the genes.

Does his father not allow certain types of fun?

EmoPrincess · Jul 14, 2010, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by jmjoseph

What kind of things does this boy like to do?

And for the record, ALL little boys have the right to be dirty from time to time. It's in the genes.

Does his father not allow certain types of fun?

Our dad doesn't like mess and my little brother honestly HATES getting muddy or covered in anything wet or sticky (he's more on the picky and neat side)

He likes to play video games, bake, and destroy things.

jmjoseph · Jul 14, 2010, 04:48 PM

Baking is cool for kids. Find some good cookie recipes. How about board games? Drawing? Reading?

justcurious55 · Jul 14, 2010, 05:15 PM

I always liked to make chores into a game. I convinced my little brother that doing the dishes after I made dinner was really fun. :)

What about dominoes? He can help you set them up. Then get to knock them over and watch them all fall down. That might keep him entertained for a little bit. Or scrabble. I love scrabble, I got the super scrabble board. That version takes at least 2 hours

Wondergirl · Jul 14, 2010, 05:25 PM

Read books to each other.

Make a book out of printer paper cut in half the long way -- first write a story elsewhere, then print it on the printer page. Add illustrations and color them. Or use full sheets of paper and staple them together into a book form (or punch holes and use yarn to hold the pages together).

Jigsaw puzzles

Easy crossword puzzles

Go to the library and get a kids' cookbook to try out recipes from

Play Concentration. Use playing cards face down or tiles that have matched pairs or make your own out of posterboard

Fr_Chuck · Jul 14, 2010, 05:53 PM

Most would rather sit and play video games all day.

And also "kids not allowed to get dirty" some parent needs to wake up to real life

DoulaLC · Jul 14, 2010, 06:59 PM

Play some video games together
Card games
Get a book on magic tricks and practice some together
Build with legos
Bike ride
Go to the park
Read
Puzzles/brain teasers
Childrens' museum
Finger paint with chocolate pudding... tastes good and might ease him into being more comfortable with a bit of mess

I always said, if my kids didn't get dirty sometimes they didn't have enough fun!

YeloDasy · Jul 14, 2010, 10:44 PM

You can paint with marbles. Get paint in a cardbaord box with marbles. Drop them on paper and roll them around. Kids love it. You can do have him cut collage stuff out of magazines and create fun things. Have a theme day and do things that are all about that theme. Paint a bird house and get seeds to put in it. MAke funny rules for the day and laugh at each other. I will think of more and let you know. :) Oh, make masks. That's fun.

kp2171 · Jul 14, 2010, 11:00 PM

Will he explore? Follow maps? Solve puzzles?

My son, 6.5, is different in that hed stick his face in mud if given the OK...

But any time I add "explore" or "discover" to any task... it engages him.

The day we went on the bike trail, but then stopped and went off "exploring" a side trail that could only be followed on foot... he still talks about our "secret tree" that was fallen over the creek.

Kids that age love to learn, love to explore, love to imagine and make up stories.

Make a time capsule to bury and dig up sometime in the future... even if its one year...

Have him grow a plant and tend to it... a flower or a veggie plant... doesn't matter... something he can "own"... my son has several plants in my gardens... he planted them... he must weed them... must water them... I help remind him... but he takes great pleasure in knowing they are "his"... and it teaches him how to take care of something...

etc...

We spent a month once just measuring and documenting the height of a sunflower plant, recorded in pages in a binder. It was an "experiment"... it didn't fill the whole day, but it was a part of every day.

A kid that age just wants to imagine and learn.

rstella · Jul 15, 2010, 06:03 AM

Have you tried crafts? I recommend mosaics - not the crazy complicated ones, but using large shards of pottery (not sharp!). Or go to any crafts store and just wander around, you'll come up with a slew of ideas in no time.

rstella · Jul 15, 2010, 06:05 AM

I would recommend going to any crafts store and just wandering the aisles - you'll come up with some great ideas in no time.

Wondergirl · Jul 15, 2010, 07:25 AM

Keep him away from video games while he's in your care. There are plenty of things to do that are fun in other ways, and allow him to be creative, be challenged, etc. Video games and TV are finally starting to get a bad rep. for how they stifle kids and cause them to get dopey, be more comfortable with violence, and gain weight.

EmoPrincess · Jul 16, 2010, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

Keep him away from video games while he's in your care. There are plenty of things to do that are fun in other ways, and allow him to be creative, be challenged, etc. Video games and TV are finally starting to get a bad rep. for how they stifle kids and cause them to get dopey, be more comfortable with violence, and gain weight.

He's only played so far 20 minutes this week. I've been having him go outside and play

EmoPrincess · Jul 16, 2010, 07:57 PM

Thank you all so much!
These ideas are great and my brother will love them

Wondergirl · Jul 16, 2010, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by xXxEmOxXxPrInCeSsxXx

Thank you all so much!
These ideas are great and my brother will love them

How does this thread fit in with your other one? How did you keep your brother off video games all week? What kind of play outside? Were you out there too?

EmoPrincess · Jul 16, 2010, 08:05 PM

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

How does this thread fit in with your other one? How did you keep your brother off video games all week? What kind of play outside? Were you out there too?

He just hasn't suggested video games until today
He plays on the swingset swims, slipnslide, soccer, football, baseball, etc
I play with him outside

I figure if I can get more activities for him,he'll act better, probably a wrong assumption.

DoulaLC · Jul 17, 2010, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by xXxEmOxXxPrInCeSsxXx

He just hasn't suggested video games until today
he plays on the swingset swims, slipnslide, soccer, football, baseball, etc
I play with him outside

I figure if I can get more activities for him,he'll act better, probably a wrong assumption.

Maybe not... you'd be surprised how much plenty of physical activity can do for behavior! Continue with the activities, stand firm with the expectations you have for him, and see what results you get after a few weeks time.