Top 10 Tuesday: 10 Ways To Make Each Day Fun & Exciting For Children!

In our house, we love making the most of our day! With a 1 and 3 year old, we often make messes, but we sure do have a great time doing so. I used to do a Top 10 Tuesday list each week so, here's the first Top 10 Tuesday List I've made in quite a while dedicated to having fun with the kids! Here's a list of the Top 10 Ways to Incorporate Fun & Play Into Your Child's Daily Activities! You can easily break out of the monotony of the day to create some easy and fun activities for the kiddos and yourself.

10. Rise & Shine, It's Breakfast Time! It's time to eat so, why not have the kids help out? Kids usually love to be in the kitchen so, get them to lend a hand. Let them help you stir the grits, pancake batter, or eggs (yes, we live in the south!). Also, you can easily make pancakes into fun shapes with cookie cutters or your own imagination! The kids will love it.

9. Arts & Crafts Time! Speaking of making a mess, kids love arts and crafts. Paints, Play-Doh, markers, and stamps are a must. We make a monthly trip to Michael's for art supplies. You can have fun on a budget, with many $1 projects to choose between. Or recycle your newspaper or printer paper for projects. Our most recent projects include making Thank You cards and Halloween Paper Bag Hand Puppets! Let their imaginations soar.

8. Clean Up = Fun? Without taking time to clean up after art time and other activities, your house or apartment will be a complete mess by nightfall. During art time, make a schedule chart with daily chores and duties. With toddlers who can't read, draw the pictures of each task (brushing teeth, cleaning up crayons and toys, etc.). Each time a task is completed, they get to put a sticker on the chart!

7. The Bakery Is Open! All kids love baked goods! From cookies and cupcakes to brownies and cake, they will eat it all. Let those future bakers help out. Teach them cooking basics (like stirring, mixing, and cleaning up). They will have a ball cooking and then enjoying their new creations. Josiah and I just made all the cupcakes for Liam's 1st Birthday party. He had a great time and got to tell everyone about his hard work.
Then we all got to enjoy them!

6. Picnic Time - As long as it's not storming or raining, take the kiddos outside for lunch. Have a picnic, in your yard or at the park. Spread a blanket, read a book, count the birds, and have fun. They'll even have fun packing up the picnic basket. My kids love being outdoors so, a little time outside each day is just what they need, especially before nap time!

5. Slowing Things Down - Nap time is nearing so, it's time to slow down a little and get the kids ready for bed. What better time is there for reading a book? Each day we get Liam's bottle ready, pick out 2 books, and head for the bed. It's our snuggle time and the kids love it.

4. Rise & Shine! - After napping, it may take the kids a little time to wake up so, first thing we do is head outside to check the mail and the garden! The fresh air wakes them up immediately and puts them in a great mood. Then they are ready for the rest of their day. In the meantime, I get the mail and veggies so, I've gotten some tasks done (and so have the kids so, don't forget those stickers!).

3. Taking a Trip! After a long day of being at home, take a trip in the car somewhere, anywhere! I don't know if it's just my silly kids, but they love going to the grocery store. They have to talk to every person they see, smiling and laughing along the way. So, kids can have a good time and you can get some work done, too. If you haven't had snack time, you can always take them by the deli for a delicious treat, too. Ours often has fruits, cheeses, and cookies! Yum!

2. Papa's Home! It could be said that we do have a little routine in our home. Every day when Papa gets home, we hide from him. He seeks us out and tickles the boys as his greeting. This marks the beginning of fun time with Papa! While Mama gets some work done, fixes dinner, takes a shower, the boys and Papa play. Most of the time they either go on a walk, play baseball, or play a board game. It honestly doesn't matter to them as long as they are with Papa!

1. Where are You Hiding? As parents know, clothing seems to pile up beyond imaginable in very little time. Cleaning and folding them can be nearly impossible so, let the kids join in. Kids love the warmth of the freshly cleaned clothes from the dryer. Josiah usually piles them all together and jumps in or hides inside his "cave" while I fold away. Have a baby? Just put him/her in a baby carrier or sling. They will love being so close and as they get older and face outward, they will love being right in the middle of things.

There are so many ways to make each and every day fun with the kids. You don't have to do the same thing every day and it doesn't have to be monotonous! Just use a little creativity and let your kids use theirs. They will have a ball doing so and, believe me, it will make the day much easier and more fun for all.

What do you and your kiddos do to make each day fun?

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