Here’s another activity that I keep in my bag of tricks for when the kids are “booooored” and having “nothing fuuuuuun to doooooo”. And this one is free with no assembly required (although there may be some “re-assembly” required depending on your child’s delicate page turning abilities…)
Drag out the Albums!
As a kid, I can remember how much fun it was to drag out the photo albums and sit on the couch pouring over every photograph. My sister and I used to love looking at old photos of ourselves, our parents and other family members in crazy clothes with crazy hair styles. We would study every picture, look at the house décor, our outfits, what shoes we were wearing—it all created a story in our moldable little minds.
Baby Books Work, Too!
Because kids are born narcissistic (and I mean that in the most endearing way possible), they love to hear about…who else, themselves! Plop them down on the couch with a bunch of photo albums from when they were a baby and have them look through the pictures. You’ll be barraged with 20 questions a minute from “why did I have this rattle in my mouth” to “what was my favorite food” or “why is this beer bottle propped up next to me in my bouncy seat?”. Ah, good times.
Make a Game!
If you’re feeling really creative and plumb out of other activities, turn it into a game of iSpy. Hey kids, find a picture of you wearing sunglasses! Find the Easter Bunny! Find a picture of us in a pool! Photo albums aren’t only fun to look at, but they serve as a connection for kids to their own history and memories. Say cheese!
