| There seems to be more and more pressure on | | | | takes them. |
| parents these days to enrol their pre school children | | | | 3. Music- Children love a chance to dance and jump |
| in all sorts of innovative learning programs. There are | | | | around. By the age of three they will already have |
| music and swimming classes, craft centres and | | | | some favorites which will probably have actions to |
| activities to promote movement, motor skills or | | | | match. Given the opportunity to march, stomp, clap |
| sporting ability. | | | | or any other loud action will be happily accompanied |
| Did you know some of the best learning tools for | | | | by any musical instruments that you have around the |
| your kids are right at your fingertips, literally! We as | | | | house. If you don't have any, a pot and wooden |
| parents are the primary carers and therefore the | | | | spoon will do just fine! |
| first teachers of our children before they start | | | | 4. Craft- By using recycled materials you just need |
| school. Without all the classes and activities that we | | | | some glue, a little inspiration, and your child's creativity |
| could pay for them to do, just playing simple free | | | | will do the rest. Materials can be used to create |
| child games, your kids will get all the stimulation and | | | | collages, space rockets, animals and a whole lot more. |
| encouragement that they need to get the best start. | | | | Keep a ready supply of recyclables by keeping cereal |
| By providing them with an enriched environment with | | | | boxes, toilet rolls, candy wrappers, magazines and |
| free activities based around your home and | | | | yoghurt containers. Other crafty ideas can involve |
| neighbourhood you will get more quality time with | | | | play dough, paint, crayons, chalk and modelling clay! |
| your children while enhancing their imagination and | | | | The ideas are endless. |
| creativity. | | | | 5. Board Games and Card Games- Fun for the whole |
| Top 5 Free Child Games / Activities- Indoors | | | | family or just two bored kids looking for something |
| 1. Storytelling- Telling stories to children promotes | | | | to do on a rainy day. For younger children these |
| language, listening skills and imagination. Don't feel | | | | games help them with numerical skills, taking turns |
| confined to reading from books, tell your children a | | | | and gamesmanship, as well as the concept of chance |
| special family story that helps them to know their | | | | and that anyone can win the game. Super for |
| place in the world. How mum and dad met, how | | | | holidays as they are easy to set up and can last for |
| great grandpa sailed in a tall-ship to start a new life in | | | | hours. There are many card games to learn from |
| a new country, or the story of their birth. These | | | | easy kids games right up complicated ones for |
| tales will delight them time and time again, perhaps | | | | teenagers and adults. Best of all, the only equipment |
| you have photos to help them put faces to names. | | | | needed is a deck of cards. Board games like Scrabble |
| 2. Dressing Up- As children the dress-ups box was | | | | and Monopoly have been played for generations and |
| always our favorite treasure trove for creating | | | | will continue to be, unless everything becomes |
| characters for a play or story. Pretending to be | | | | computerised! |
| dinosaurs, truck drivers, doctors, zoo keepers or | | | | Most of these activities will be known to you, but |
| even mum can keep children entertained for hours. | | | | have you played them all? If not, then get out there |
| The more props the better so always have a store | | | | and enjoy some free child games with your tribe, |
| of blankets for cubbies or tents and assorted boxes | | | | they'll love you all the more for spending some one |
| for cars, dolls beds or wherever their imagination | | | | on one time with them. |