Keeping little hands busy

Starting on Wednesday until this evening, I watched my friend's kids. She went out of town and he had to work. It was a houseful! It went pretty well though. I figured today would be rough going and I wasn't wrong. By mid-afternoon I knew I had to come up with something to keep the kids occupied until supper.

Step #1: Tell them that as soon as they get the main floor cleaned up, we'll do something super duper exciting and fun. They fell for it hook, line and sinker and scurried around like squirrels!! (tricky aren't I?)

Step #2: Pull out my paper scraps. Let each kid choose 3 papers and cut them into little rectangles. (I did the cutting. I won't let them near the cutter!)

Step #3: Rummage around in my drawer of rub ons and stickers. Toss down onto the table the ones I haven't touched in a long time.

Step #4: Break out a few stamps and ink pads.

Step #5: Watch their eyes grow wide and twinkle with excitement.

Step #6: Threaten that if I hear one word of fighting, the project comes to a screeching halt! Everyone has to share nicely! (This is a necessary step for my kids. Everyone seems to want the same thing at the same time. Maybe someday we can get rid of this step.)

Step #7: Let them loose on the supplies while I make a mad dash for the mop bucket, rubber gloves and rag. (Less chance of little feet walking across the wet floor if they're all busy at the table!)


Step #8: Once the floor is dry and their done decorating, cut apart the back cardboard of a paper pad to fit each rectangle.

Step #9: Tear off pieces of packaging tape and do a some "poor man's" laminating. Tape over the front of the design and wrapping it around to the back. (This not only adheres it onto the cardboard, it also seals all the stickers and ink on there.)

Step #10: Glue a magnet on the back of each one. (I found the magnets in the craft section of Walmart.)

Step #11: Use the bribe of supper to get them to clean up their mess. That and the fact they get to keep the leftover rub ons and stickers. (Groan...I know I'll probably regret that one. Have I told you that I hate stickers?? At least I come by that honestly...I take after my father.)

Step #12: Enjoy their creativeness hanging on my fridge!!

(These are some of the ones my kids did. The visiting kids took theirs home.)