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Cabin Fever Activities

January 14, 2020

Day after day of quarantine [this used to say rain or snow…who would’ve thunk?!?!] have you going MAD stuck indoors with your littles? Head to your kitchen – the possibilities for engagement are endless! Here are just a few ideas below.

1. Sponge transfer: have two bowls side by side & one sponge (I cut a rectangular sponge in half to be more manageable for little hands). Put about 1/2 cup of water in one bowl & demonstrate how to soak sponge in water bowl & squeeze into empty bowl. Continue doing until opposite bowl is full/empty.

2. Sensory bins (variation: spoon transfer): open up that pantry & use ANYTHING you have: baking soda, flour, rice, oats, lentils, dry beans, etc. In a sensory bin, they may just want to dig in with their hands, but the key to a successful sensory bin is offering things to DO with the sensory material such as cups and spoons for scooping/pouring. To increase/prolong interest, you can hide small toys & have the child use tongs to search & remove items. For more difficult sensory play, again get two small bowls side by side with one spoon. Put 1/2 cup of chosen pantry item in one bowl & have them transfer with spoon.

3. Rain bath! Get in the tub for some contained water play!! Bring your colander with you & pour water into colander so it rains over your child’s head – then hand it over to them so they can wash their toy of choice as well (ex. Baby doll, car/ truck, horse, etc).

4. More colander play (dry)! Turn colander upside down & have a small cup of straws, toothpicks, pipe cleaners, or spaghetti noodles for child to put through holes in the colander. Pick it up, gather pieces & do it all over again (& again…& again!).

5. Sit down in the kitchen together & smell the spices/extracts that you have. Pick favorites & look up recipes to cook with them. This is such a fun morning activity because then they have an afternoon snack that they helped make! 🙂

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