Written by Kara Fleck, Simple Kids editor and Rockin’ Granola mama.
Today’s unplugged play idea is a good one for the bigger kids: we’re going to play games with paper and pencils.
Supplies and materials
- paper
- pencils
31 days of unplugged play: games with paper and pencil
31 days of unplugged play: cardboard castle
Written by Kara Fleck, Simple Kids editor and Rockin’ Granola mama.
Welcome to day seven of unplugged play ideas. How has your week of unplugged play been going for you and your kids? Are you having fun? We sure are! And we’ve got more ideas to share with you.
For today’s unplugged play we’re going to be raiding the recycling bins and building cardboard castles. I saved this one for a weekend because I knew it would be a good project for the whole family to do together and have fun playing with for days to come.
Supplies and materials
- cardboard tubes in all sizes (paper towel, toilet paper, etc)
- cardboard from the recycling (cereal boxes, package boxes, etc)
- tape or glue to hold it all together
- markers, crayons, and/or washi tape to decorate your castles
- foil, paint chips, painters tape are fun for decorating, too
Turn the family loose with these supplies and see what kind of castles they can come up with!
31 days of unplugged play: apple painting (and more)
Written by Kara Fleck, Simple Kids editor and Rockin’ Granola mama.
Today’s unplugged play idea involves playing with our food: we’re going to paint with apples.
Supplies and materials
- apples
- clothes your child can get messy in and/or aprons
- paint brushes
- fabric paint and tees or bags to apple stamp
- OR craft paint and heavy paper (recycled paper grocery bags would work) to make some apple designs
- some newspapers to protect your works surface might be a good idea, too
- corn on the cob stickers (we’ve discovered these help little hands when apple stamping)
Push a corn-sticker into an apple sliced in half and you’ve got your very own apple stamp, perfect for making prints. Slice it in half, there’s a pretty star. Slice the apple length-wise, you’ve got an apple shaped stamp.
31 days of unplugged play: take the baby dolls for a walk
Written by Kara Fleck, Simple Kids editor and Rockin’ Granola mama.
Today’s unplugged play idea is to take the baby dolls (or teddy bears or dinosaurs) on a walk.
Let your child get a chance to practice some of their nurturing skills, explore your neighborhood, and have some family time while take the baby dolls for a walk.
Supplies and materials
- favorite dolly, bear, or other lovie
- time together to linger and be present and enjoy the October air
- optional: dolly stroller, sling, or basket
Get outside, once again, and take a nice, slow walk around the neighborhood, bringing your child’s favorite doll along.
31 days of unplugged play: may I take your order?
Written by Kara Fleck, Simple Kids editor and Rockin’ Granola mama.
Welcome to day four of 31 Days of Unplugged Play. Today’s unplugged play idea is to play restaurant.
May I take your order?
Supplies and materials
- play food (felt, wood, etc. – you could even draw some food on paper to pretend with)
- paper to write or draw a menu for your child’s restaurant
- a small box or other object to act as a table (we used our laundry baskets)
- optional but fun: chef’s hat, apron, kitchen towel, small notepad for taking orders, pretend money, play silks for tablecloths, etc.
