Here are some cheap ways to entertain kids that I've found at various places. Most of the ingredients are found around the house or readily availabe. The most important ingredient is the kids! Have Fun!

Play-Doh

YOU WILL NEED 3 Cups flour 3 Cups Water 1 1/2 Cups salt 3 Teaspoons of cream of tarter 3 Tablespoons cooking oil Food coloring DIRECTIONS Mix all of the ingredients together in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat until a ball starts to form. Turn ball out on counter top. Knead ball to make it smooth. You need to store this in the refrigerator in a plastic tub or zip lock bag. This makes about 6 cups of dough, you can divide it before cooking so that you have more than one color to play with.

Bubbles

1/4 cup Liquid Dishwashing Detergent 3/4 Cup Water 1-1/2 Tbsp Light Corn Syrup Mix all ingredients and let bubbles settle. Basic Bubbles 2 1 cup Dishwashing Detergent 1 gallon Water 1 Tbsp Glycerine (makes stronger bubbles) Mix all ingredients and let bubbles settle. No More Tears Bubbles Great for little kids 1/4 cup Baby Shampoo 3/4 cup Water 3 Tbsp Light Corn Syrup Mix all ingredients and let bubbles settle. A great Tip: Use an old skillet to pour bubbles in. Then bend an old hanger into a wand with a circle a little smaller than the pan and make monster bubbles!

Silly-Putty

YOU WILL NEED 1 cup white glue (Elmers) 1 cup liquid starch food coloring DIRECTIONS Put glue and coloring in plastic container. Add starch a little at a time, stirring constantly. Keep stirring until mixture holds together like putty. Test with your fingers, if too sticky add more starch in small amounts until mass is smooth and rubbery. Have fun pulling, stretching, bouncing and taking transfers off of the Sunday comics, etc. Store in a plastic bag or an airtight container.

Face Paint

Cornstarch Food Coloring Cold Cream Water Using a muffin tin, mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon water, 1/2 teaspoon cold cream and a couple drops food coloring. Make different colors in each muffin cup.

Popsicles

3/4 cup sugar 1 pkg jello 1 pkg koolaid same flavor as jello 2 cups hot water 2 cups cold water. Mix all ingredients and stir until disolved. Pour into molds. Makes 18 popsicles.

Fruit Pops

1 cup or 2 med banannas 10 oz frozen berries (any kind) 1 3/4 cup crushed pinapple with juice 2/3 cup evaporated mile Blend ingredients together, pour into mold and freeze. No Molds? Use ice cube trays and toothpicks or paper cups with popsicle sticks.

Rock Candy 1

Stir together: 2 1/2 cups sugar 1 cup water in medium saucepan for 2-3 minutes. Heat until boiling stirring constantly. Stop stirring,and let stand for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool a few minutes. Pour into a glass jar. Cover jar with foil and then insert wooden skewers through the foil. Allow to sit for one week. (this is a great learning project for the children too, watching the liquid crystalize and cling to the skewers.)

Rock Candy 2

2 c. sugar 1 c. hot water 2/3 c. White Karo corn syrup 1 tsp. Lorann flavoring oil Food coloring (if desired) Mix sugar, Karo, and hot water in a 1-1/2 qt. saucepan. Bring to a boil over med-high heat, stirring constantly until disolved. Place candy thermometer in mixture without letting the thermometer touch the bottom of the pan. Boil mixture until it reaches about 290 degrees. Take pan off heat and make sure temperature goes to 300 degrees (hard crack stage). If you let it stay on the heat until 300 deg., when you take it off, the temp. will go too high, therefore burning your candy. Add flavoring oil and color. Stir carefully until mixed well. Then you can pour mixture into sucker molds or make rock candy.

 

 

There's No Place like Home - Especially one on the Range. Click The Cabin to hit the trail! ,

Special Thanks toThe Man In The Moonand Countryside Magazine for these great ideas!