10 Tips for Incorporating Fun and Play into Your Child's Daily Activities

Playing is probably the one thing that kids enjoy the most. If they're eating, they're playing with their food. If they're taking a bath, they're playing with bath toys. If they find a stick on the ground, it suddenly turns into a fishing pole, a sword, or any number of other imaginary items. It's great when we as moms are able to take the every day things kids do and allow them to have that play time that they enjoy so much. Here are ten tips for incorporating play into their daily activities:

• 1. Make mealtime fun. Use cookie cutters to cut sandwiches into fun shapes. Make smiley faces with the syrup on their waffles. Don't discourage them from using their imagination. (My son's hot dog bun was a boat today.) As long as they're not getting too distracted from eating or making a huge mess, I don't think there is anything wrong with letting kids use their imagination with their food.
• 2. Have fun while dressing your children. Frequent are the tickle-fests we have while I'm getting my son dressed in the mornings. We play peek-a-boo through the head-hole of his shirt. We do "This Little Piggy" before I put his socks on.
  
• 3. Take time to read. Reading to your children is so important. There are so many things they can learn. You don't have to stick to the exact words of the book. Make it fun - use sound effects and use different voices for different characters. Point out objects in the book or teach them the color or shape of various objects.
  
• 4. Have fun with chores. Teach your children to help make the bed, but have a little fun playing hide and seek under the covers first. Make them pick up their toys, but let them race you to see who can pick up the fastest.
  
• 5. Sing action songs. Not only will your child learn to sing, but it will get him active and work out some of his energy.
• 6. Let children help with cooking and baking. Children love to be grown-up, and cooking and baking definitely satisfy that desire. If you are unable to let them help (you're pressed for time, you're cooking for company and need your food to be just right, etc.) give them a mixing bowl and some spoons and let them sit on the floor and pretend.
  
• 7. Bath time? Let them play with traditional bath toys or any of their toys that will dry off easily. My son likes to play with plastic containers and pretend he is cooking.
  
• 8. Do you have yard work to do? That's perfect for the kids because they love to be outside anyway. Let them help you or play on their own. (Just make sure you're able to keep a good on them!) Kids like to play with balls, ride bikes, look for flowers, or dig in the dirt. Let them do whatever they think is fun!
  
• 9. Make mundane moments playful. Did you just wash your hands? How about giving your child a little splash before you dry your hands? My little guy gets a big kick out of things like that.
  
• 10. Just play! Take some time out of your day to give your children your undivided attention and just play with them. Let them choose whatever activity they want and do it with them. Children will know they are loved when you give them your attention.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and The Hub blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.