We are in the thick of no-school November and the days have been rainy and cool, so we’ve had a lot of time to spend indoor on school days off. It’s hard to find activities that my kids ages 13, 10, and 7 can enjoy together (that do not involve staring at a screen). Since we are approaching the holiday gift giving season I wanted to share a few toys that have been keeping my kids and their playdates entertained lately.
Plasticine Modeling Clay & Movie Maker Studio
One toy I would absolutely put on my list this holiday season is plasticine modeling clay and the movie maker studio. My kids were entertained for hours on a recent school day off creating clay figures that they plan to use to make a stop-motion animated movie. The plasticine clay is fantastic because it never dries out or shrinks so when they are done with this movie project they can re-use the clay to create characters for another movie. The movie maker studio comes with clay modeling tools, a stage, and cardboard props. All you need to do is download the free movie studio app to a device and your kids can begin producing their own stop-motion animated movies (like the kind some of us grew up with). And, let’s be honest, because there is a device involved they are even more excited to actually do it.
Waterfuls
A toy like this one is a good reminder that kids really don’t need to be in front of a screen to be entertained. Though my thirteen year old would rather not admit it, he and my youngest were equally entertained by Waterfuls, a throw-back handheld water game. There are six different game panels to choose from that attach to one side of the toy. Then you swirl, twist, and turn to shoot and score!
Latch Kits
My daughter and her friends are not typically into quieter pursuits so I was really surprised to see how entertained they were by this latch kit. I remember doing those as a kid too and feeling a sense of accomplishment when I was finally able to complete the project. This could also be a great toy to keep kids entertained during long car rides too — like a long drive to Grandma’s house for Thanksgiving.
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This post was created in partnership with Kahootz Toys
Photography by Nicole Chandler
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Latch hooks are back?! I only just disposed of the Daffy Duck pillow top I made a couple of decades ago. It was buried in a closet back home. I will be shopping that link for my kids! Thanks!
Elaine, it sounds like you might be carrying latch hooks with you for a little while longer. They are back. What’s old is new again!