tmissinne

I need some advice and ideas for my four-year-old boy. He loves to put things together in
interesting ways, and try to invent things. He also loves science experiments, making all
kinds of goop, etc. Lately he has seemed bored (with the winter, and I've been sick, and he
hurt his thumb, we haven't been able to get out as much as we need too), the other day when
I was suggesting things to do he said that they were all 'lame' and he wanted something new
to do. So, I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions of things that he could put
together, etc., that would be inexpensive.

They need to be open ended, without a right way to do them, or he'll get frustrated. His mind
moves very quickly, and his motor skills can't always keep up. If anyone has any suggestions,
I'd really appreciate it!

Thanks,
Trisha

Sandra Dodd

-=- the other day when
I was suggesting things to do he said that they were all 'lame' and he
wanted something new
to do-=-

Instead of "suggesting" things, put some things out. Be doing
something yourself. Nothing set the value on a toy in our house as
much as when the stained hardwood attribute blocks arrived when the
kids weren't home, and when they got home Keith and I had a big
mandala going on the table. They wanted to play but we said wait. It
wasn't a calculated or planned move. It was our natural desire to
finish what we were doing. But the fact that WE were having fun
infused those blocks with the glory of being REAL fun, not "fun for
kids."

http://sandradodd.com/youngchildren
MANY ideas there.

Sandra

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

tmissinne

Sandra,
Thanks for the link. I was actually looking for that on your site, and
couldn't find it! You're right that I just need to start doing things
myself. Maybe the trick is to look for things that I would find
interesting to build with? I'd also love to figure out how to create
things to build with myself, out of found objects, etc. I've always been
more of an in-my-head person, I need a kick in the right direction to
get more active!
Trisha

--- In [email protected], Sandra Dodd <Sandra@...> wrote:
>
> -=- the other day when
> I was suggesting things to do he said that they were all 'lame' and he
> wanted something new
> to do-=-
>
> Instead of "suggesting" things, put some things out. Be doing
> something yourself. Nothing set the value on a toy in our house as
> much as when the stained hardwood attribute blocks arrived when the
> kids weren't home, and when they got home Keith and I had a big
> mandala going on the table. They wanted to play but we said wait. It
> wasn't a calculated or planned move. It was our natural desire to
> finish what we were doing. But the fact that WE were having fun
> infused those blocks with the glory of being REAL fun, not "fun for
> kids."
>
> http://sandradodd.com/youngchildren
> MANY ideas there.
>
> Sandra
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

k

>>>> They wanted to play but we said wait. It
wasn't a calculated or planned move. It was our natural desire to
finish what we were doing. But the fact that WE were having fun
infused those blocks with the glory of being REAL fun, not "fun for
kids." <<<<

You mean you weren't intentionally raising the marginal value of those
blocks by making them scarce?

~Katherine

Sandra Dodd

-=-You mean you weren't intentionally raising the marginal value of
those
blocks by making them scarce?=-

No, but do you think we should have? (Thinking of what I can infuse
with splendor here...)

Kirby (a.k.a. "the experimental model") was made to pay for his own
gasoline when he was first driving. Holly didn't even have to learn
to pump it, although recently she did, and she has even put gasoline
in by herself, with her own debit card, at the ripe old age of 17.
But the car needs gas, she's at work until 10:00 or 11:00, and needs
to work at noon tomorrow, so her dad will willingly and lovingly take
that car when he goes to Costco tomorrow morning, and it will be all
gassed up when she wakes up to go to work. And he won't grump about
it or put it on her bill at interest, as his parents did with him
about money. It was low interest, 5 or 6%, but still...

For Keith that must be healing and empowering, to give his daughter
not just gas money, but a magically refilling tank, with no strings
attached, no shame, no guilt. And she really does appreciate it
too. She thanks him and brags him up.

Sandra

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

John and Amanda Slater

Legos?  Train tracks, blocks, gears for fridge or board, frigits (although I was surprised at how hard they were to set up), mouse trap, dominoes

Amanda
Eli 7, Samuel 6





















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k

Crazy Machines is Karl's new favorite. At first, we opened with "new
game" and it quickly led to burnout because each "problem to solve"
got progressively harder. I wore out on it quicker than Karl. Then
Karl happened upon "my lab" which is where the game operates more like
freestyle and, with all the components available to choose from, Karl
has had a literal blast. Bombs, grenades and rockets that go kapow!
Dominoes, golf and tennis balls, basketballs. All kinds of things to
setup and see what happens. Karl has played for hours at a time.

~Katherine



On 2/27/09, John and Amanda Slater <fourslaterz@...> wrote:
> We have been thinking about buying Crazy Machines for the computer. Maybe someone has it and can say more.
>
> http://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Machines-Wacky-Contraptions-Game/dp/B000B642OI
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> Eli 7, Samuel 6
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> Yahoo! Groups Links
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tmissinne

We have legos, which he loves, and train tracks, which he likes me to
set up, sometimes. He's played with gears alot at the children's museum.
He likes them, but doesn't like that they slide away from each other
(they're magnetized), so he can only turn them a few times before
they'll stop working. He doesn't want to have to fix them again and
again. This is part of the problem I run into, that he has an idea in
his head of how they should work, and when they don't work that way, he
gets very frustrated and doesn't want to play with them anymore. We've
talked about how inventors try things sometimes hundreds of times before
they get it to work, and I can see that his patience expands as he gets
older.
Today he spent about 15 minutes weaving our computer charging cord
through some angled tubes that are part of a build-your-own-saxophone.
It was the perfect activity for him, it didn't have a goal, he didn't
have a picture in his mind of how it should work, he fiddled with it for
awhile and seemed quite happy with how it turned out. Maybe I just need
to go to Home Depot and buy some pieces of things that fit together, and
see what happens?
I looked at Mouse Trap, and might get that. He would definitely enjoy
watching the machine (Club Penguin has a similar machine in the secret
agent headquarters, if anyone plays that), I think he'd probably want me
to set it up, which is fine. I loved that game as a child.
Trisha



--- In [email protected], John and Amanda Slater
<fourslaterz@...> wrote:
>
> Legos?  Train tracks, blocks, gears for fridge or board, frigits
(although I was surprised at how hard they were to set up), mouse trap,
dominoes
>
> Amanda
> Eli 7, Samuel 6
>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

tmissinne

I saw this when I was looking for building stuff, I'd be interested to know if it's fun. We
spent about 20 minutes today looking at Youtube videos of dominoes cascading in all
different configurations. If anyone likes these, look for the one called Celtic Forest, it's
truly amazing.

--- In [email protected], John and Amanda Slater <fourslaterz@...>
wrote:
>
> We have been thinking about buying Crazy Machines for the computer.  Maybe someone
has it and can say more.
>
> http://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Machines-Wacky-Contraptions-Game/dp/B000B642OI
>
> Amanda
> Eli 7, Samuel 6
>
>
>
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Ed Wendell

Our son spent hours and hours building / constructing with sticks, rocks, dirt, mud, things he just found lying around. He built a dam in the middle of a rain shower - there was a channel of rain water in the dirt and he made a dam. He made a waterfall under a faucet. He dug a huge hole in our back yard - big enough to hide in. Cardboard boxes became a boat, a car, a tank - big enough to sit in. He had a lot of detail for example a soda carton became the boat motor off the back. Gift wrap tubes became the tank cannon. He used various sizes of boxes to make forts, stations, etc. for his GI Joe's

The box stuff involved his dad. The rock/stick/dirt creations he did himself.

We had something called Tubers & Zots that are tubes and other shapes made from soft foam - the tubes were bendy - you could bend them and they'd stay in that shape - these were a lot of fun.

He had lots of fun with a hand drill (the old fashioned kind where you rotate the handle and it drills a hole) boards, nails, hammer, small saw, etc.

He enjoyed non-hardening clay for a time - he made battle ships -

CoinStructions - he liked those. They have these little connector pieces that connect the coins together and you use penneys or other coins to build - they have a web site I believe.


The two he still enjoys at 14 almost 15 is Zomes and Lego's -

Lisa W.






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Verna

we have a couple sets of big wooden blocks (the kind you find in a K
classroom). big cardboard blocks. legos in everyroom, gears, magnetix,
and several other kinds of blocks I am not sure the names of.
The regular old wooden blocks get played with everyday for some
activity or another.
around that age my kids like (liked) just cutting for the sake of
cutting. pile of scrap paper and some scissors and they cut.

Verna

tooth picks and marshmellows are fun to build with too.

kim meltzer

Has anyone bought a large loom as an activity for a four year old? I was
trying to think of an activity that would enable my daughter to do something
relaxing while she was unwinding from busy days. Any other extremely
relaxing but fun and not frustrating to do while unwinding?

Thanks,
Kim

On Sat, Feb 28, 2009 at 9:10 AM, Verna <lalow@...> wrote:

> we have a couple sets of big wooden blocks (the kind you find in a K
> classroom). big cardboard blocks. legos in everyroom, gears, magnetix,
> and several other kinds of blocks I am not sure the names of.
> The regular old wooden blocks get played with everyday for some
> activity or another.
> around that age my kids like (liked) just cutting for the sake of
> cutting. pile of scrap paper and some scissors and they cut.
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Sandra Dodd

-=-I looked at Mouse Trap, and might get that.=-

Mouse Trap is kinda fragile for a four-year-old. We used to have a
hard time making it work well when we were 12.

On the young children page is mention and a photo or video of
something Schuyler's kids have that's like a fancy marble run.
http://sandradodd.com/youngchildren

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

k

-=-I looked at Mouse Trap, and might get that.=-

>>>> Mouse Trap is kinda fragile for a four-year-old. We used to have a
hard time making it work well when we were 12. <<<<

>>>> On the young children page is mention and a photo or video of
something Schuyler's kids have that's like a fancy marble run.
http://sandradodd.com/youngchildren <<<<

Karl loved to watch me set it up and then he got to do the fun part of
sending the ball through it's paces. And now he and I set it up
together, and he is gradually figuring how to make the parts go
together. It's made to trip off verrry easily though.

~Katherine

Schuyler

That's a game called Jungle Run. It's similar to Mouse Trap. It's based on a kids show in the UK. We got it at a bring and buy, I think. I can't find it on-line. Today though I spent time looking to see if I could get a hold of a Quadrilla marble run. They are just not easily available in the UK. Those are cool: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=quadrilla&x=0&y=0




________________________________
From: Sandra Dodd <Sandra@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Saturday, 28 February, 2009 3:20:34 PM
Subject: Re: [AlwaysLearning] Re: contraptions for 4-yr-old

-=-I looked at Mouse Trap, and might get that.=-

Mouse Trap is kinda fragile for a four-year-old. We used to have a
hard time making it work well when we were 12.

On the young children page is mention and a photo or video of
something Schuyler's kids have that's like a fancy marble run.
http://sandradodd.com/youngchildren

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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Yahoo! Groups Links



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Sandra Dodd

-=-Any other extremely
relaxing but fun and not frustrating to do while unwinding?-=-

Coloring mandala art (or other coloring, but patterns and mandalas
don't require "right colors."
Felt-tip pens are more soothing for many people than crayons are.
Don't use stinky markers (like Sharpies), though. Water-based felt
tips.

Not cheap newsprint-paper coloring books, but nice paper. At least
the paper from a printer. You could print out some things to color,
or find a book and photocopy some of the good pages so there's nothing
on the back and the book itself isn't a hindrance.

Sandra

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Schuyler

I found a video of the marble run in action: http://www.viddler.com/explore/DailyGrommet/videos/38/




________________________________
From: Schuyler <s.waynforth@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Saturday, 28 February, 2009 4:11:39 PM
Subject: Re: [AlwaysLearning] Re: contraptions for 4-yr-old

That's a game called Jungle Run. It's similar to Mouse Trap. It's based on a kids show in the UK. We got it at a bring and buy, I think. I can't find it on-line. Today though I spent time looking to see if I could get a hold of a Quadrilla marble run. They are just not easily available in the UK. Those are cool: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=quadrilla&x=0&y=0




________________________________
From: Sandra Dodd <Sandra@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Saturday, 28 February, 2009 3:20:34 PM
Subject: Re: [AlwaysLearning] Re: contraptions for 4-yr-old

-=-I looked at Mouse Trap, and might get that.=-

Mouse Trap is kinda fragile for a four-year-old. We used to have a
hard time making it work well when we were 12.

On the young children page is mention and a photo or video of
something Schuyler's kids have that's like a fancy marble run.
http://sandradodd.com/youngchildren

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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Yahoo! Groups Links



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Robyn L. Coburn

Jayn used to enjoy sawing up stryrofoam with a table steak knife at that
age.

There are those corn based foam peanuts that you lick and stick together (or
use a moist sponge if you don't want to lick).

Non- hardening clay or air drying clay which can then be painted. Crayola
has a version, but it might be cheaper just to buy air dry clay from the
craft store. Soon (or maybe already) they will be mature enough to do
polymer clay (it has to do with keeping the fingers out of the mouth while
working).

Dough - like bread dough - can be used as a sculpting medium and then baked
and painted.

American Science and Surplus www.sciplus.com constantly has new odd sets of
constructiony stuff or things like a bag of random prisms or pieces of cut
out wood or the leftover parts from something else being cut out. And school
supplies that can be adapted.

Robyn L. Coburn
www.Iggyjingles.etsy.com
www.iggyjingles.blogspot.com
www.allthingsdoll.blogspot.com

Ed Wendell

AND just in case he/she does not want to dismantle anything they build - we learned that a camera is a very useful tool for soothing and encouraging Zac to be more comfortable with dismantling to reconstruct - though some things are still set aside - one 15 inch battle ship made with non-hardening clay still sits on a piece of wax paper and it's been 5 years. There is also a fleet of Lego aircraft across the entertainment center in the family room and the dresser in the spare bedroom. Make a book of pictures of their constructions. The pictures seemed to help give his projects permanence for him. I know how he feels - I would not want to sew a dress or quilt a quilt and as soon as I finished it I had to rip it all apart to make something else. Zac even told stories/narrations of what he did and why a specific piece was used to go along with a few of his constructions - we typed them out for him - added pictures and made it really nice.

Lisa W.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Sandra Dodd

-=-Jayn used to enjoy sawing up stryrofoam with a table steak knife at
that
age.=-

Marty liked stabbing a taped-shut cardboard box.




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Deborah

--- In [email protected], "Verna" <lalow@...> wrote:
>
> tooth picks and marshmellows are fun to build with too.
>

On a recent browse through the children's department of the library, I
saw Steven Caney's Ultimate Building Book. It would be wonderful for a
parent to have to pull ideas out of, and an older child might enjoy
browsing through it. It has lots of ideas for simple building homemade
building systems, plus history of architecture, the physics of
construction, oh just about everything you might imagine about
building. Big huge book. :)

Deborah in IL

Sandra Dodd

-=-tooth picks and marshmellows are fun to build with too.-=-

Oh yes... Many hours of fun here, especially when we had company.

Get the miniature marshmallows and the flat toothpicks. We've had
some pretty big structures here.

When they're dry and the kids are tired of them, they're WONDERFUL to
put in or next to a hot fire in the fireplace. The toothpicks burn
out like the filament in a lightbulb. The marshmallows puff up slowly
(because they're dry, I guess) and it never really bursts into flame
until it's already gently fallen apart in odd ways.

Sandra

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[email protected]

I think one of the hardest thing for us parents of teens who have loved
building stuff is remembering back to the time before they got a lot of manual
dexterity - back to when they were 4 - and what really held their interest without
terminally frustrating them. :)

Coinstruction sets are great, but even adults have trouble with them. I
wouldn't get them within miles of an easily frustrated four. :) Zome is too fiddly
for nearly all fours as well.

Lego might or might not be fun. One of my 4's got really good with it, the
others not till much older. Kids of any age will appreciate the block separator
tool (adults too!)

We used to have a box full of pvc plumbing parts. Lengths of pipe,
connectors, elbows. Great fun!

Deborah in IL


**************
A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

pebsflower

---My son loved the pvc pipes too! He is too grown up now but , Oh the
things we made with left over pieces! Add a towel and made a tent for
the pets. and learn about angles all at the same play time!

Awesome to hear someone else has the same idea!


Pebs
In [email protected], DACunefare@... wrote:
>
> I think one of the hardest thing for us parents of teens who have loved
> building stuff is remembering back to the time before they got a lot
of manual
> dexterity - back to when they were 4 - and what really held their
interest without
> terminally frustrating them. :)
>
> Coinstruction sets are great, but even adults have trouble with them. I
> wouldn't get them within miles of an easily frustrated four. :) Zome
is too fiddly
> for nearly all fours as well.
>
> Lego might or might not be fun. One of my 4's got really good with
it, the
> others not till much older. Kids of any age will appreciate the
block separator
> tool (adults too!)
>
> We used to have a box full of pvc plumbing parts. Lengths of pipe,
> connectors, elbows. Great fun!
>
> Deborah in IL
>
>
> **************
> A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in
> just 2 easy steps!
>
(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1218822736x1201267884/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fwww.freecreditreport.com%2Fpm%2Fdefault.aspx%3Fsc%3D66
> 8072%26hmpgID%3D62%26bcd%3DfebemailfooterNO62)
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

diana jenner

Don't forget Dots or Jujubees (do they still make those?)
and I like the round toothpicks better, they're sturdier and don't snap in
my hands so quickly ;)
~diana :)
xoxoxoxo
hannahbearski.blogspot.com
hannahsashes.blogspot.com
dianas365.blogspot.com


On Sat, Feb 28, 2009 at 11:43 AM, Sandra Dodd <Sandra@...> wrote:

> -=-tooth picks and marshmellows are fun to build with too.-=-
>
> Oh yes... Many hours of fun here, especially when we had company.
>
> Get the miniature marshmallows and the flat toothpicks. We've had
> some pretty big structures here.
>
> When they're dry and the kids are tired of them, they're WONDERFUL to
> put in or next to a hot fire in the fireplace. The toothpicks burn
> out like the filament in a lightbulb. The marshmallows puff up slowly
> (because they're dry, I guess) and it never really bursts into flame
> until it's already gently fallen apart in odd ways.
>
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Joanna Murphy

We tried the pot holder loom that you do with loops. It wasn't very good for my less-
than-patient daughter, because it was hard to get the loops over the pegs in the last row,
so it was hard to finish.

Some of her favorite things were cutting up papers and magazines into little pieces and
finger knitting, which is really crocheting a long chain with extra bulky yarn and fingers.
It's really easy to do and she did all kinds of things with the "rope" she made--from
making basket contraptions to horse reins, belts and pet leashes.

Joanna

--- In [email protected], kim meltzer <kimcronin.meltzer@...> wrote:
>
> Has anyone bought a large loom as an activity for a four year old? I was
> trying to think of an activity that would enable my daughter to do something
> relaxing while she was unwinding from busy days. Any other extremely
> relaxing but fun and not frustrating to do while unwinding?
>
> Thanks,
> Kim
>

Robyn L. Coburn

> We tried the pot holder loom that you do with loops. It wasn't very good
> for my less-
> than-patient daughter, because it was hard to get the loops over the pegs
> in the last row,
> so it was hard to finish.>>>>>

She may prefer round looms which are a bit easier to do with the L-shaped
hook, and the results are often very visibly fast. You can make hats, bags,
leg warmers, even skirts if the loom is big enough. And there are bar looms
that are very similar also.

Robyn L. Coburn
www.Iggyjingles.etsy.com
www.iggyjingles.blogspot.com
www.allthingsdoll.blogspot.com