Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've got a friend that's in a really bad situation staying with me. I picked her and her four year old boy up from the airport tonight. The little boy has never been in school, never left with a sitter, etc. He's pretty unsocialized, for lack of a better 'human' term.
With hubby's medical issues, this is going to be a challenge. She has no where else to go and is in a dangerous situation, so we have to make it work until she can get some legal things settled and then, hopefully, move back to her country with her son. So there is a chance this could last a few weeks.
So, what do you do to keep a four year old entertained? He's watching cartoons right now, wide awake. Mom just got off a 20 hour flight and is beat. I slept until 10 so I'm fine. He seems okay as long as mom is right there next to him. But if she leaves, even to go to their room, he totally freaks out and thinks she's leaving him.
I don't want to keep him planted in front of the TV all day every day. But it's been nearly 20 years since I've had kids his age. I don't remember what I did. Actually, they probably were bouncing off the walls, but I was young and it didn't bother me. Huge change since then.
Outside is not an option by the way. Anything he does he has to do in the house. Doors closed, curtains closed. So he's stuck in the house. Any ideas?
Here are a few ideas - depending on the boy's interests and skill levels you might find some of them will work for you (and for him)!
Activity packs (from Walmart type stores) - usually contain colouring books, a few crayons, maybe some stickers. 4-year olds generally don't have the span of attention to work with these for long, but often return to them several times during the day.
Making stuff out of things you have around the house - such as old shoe boxes, empty toilet roll/paper towel holders, sticky-tape and child appropriate glue. If he takes to this, you could get him a few water-based paints so he can decorate his works of art.
I see you work in a vet's office. Is there any chance you could borrow a cat or a dog (or perhaps a guinea pig or other small critter) that he could 'help' take care of and play with.
Making a cubby house - cover the dining table with a big sheet or blanket and let him pick out a few child-safe things from around the house to decorate his cave.
If they have yard sales in your area you can probably pick up some really cheap toys - trucks, building blocks, books.
And don't feel bad about sticking him in front of the TV from time to time. If he likes to do that, maybe you can use it as a reward for good behaviour!
Yes, I second the computer games. PBS kids is great, pbskids.org, and seussville.com is wonderful with lots of Dr Seuss stuff.
Also, you could go to the Dollar Tree. They have tons and tons of inexpensive - well a dollar, actually - toys and activity books and things. Lots of cheap entertainment there.
Perhaps you could find a show on tv that has a lot of dancing in it - to try and get some of his energy out. Turn on some music and get him going that way. Might be less destructive than having him run around aimlessly.
Oh, and fill up the sink and give him bubbles and a bunch of plastic containers to 'wash'. My daughter would do this for hours. They love water and jugs and containers. Just put a couple of towels on the floor and let him have at it.
I hope everything goes OK for your friend and her son. If there is abuse in the background, no wonder he doesn't want to be without his mom.
You have great suggestions so far, but I'll add:
Legos if you can find some for cheap...they can turn into anything.
Dress up (even boys like this).
Get some books from the library....most 4 year olds love to be read to.
Soft balls you can use indoors.
Washable markers and big sheets of paper.
HOT WHEELS, HOT WHEELS, HOT WHEELS
Play Kitchen with your own pots and pans
Games you can play like Ring Around the Rosy, Mother May I, Hopscotch (?), Simon Says, etc.
You can always take items that would normally to toward recycling and make it into a craft...toilet paper cartons and paper towel tubes can be used to start a "telescope" - paint and decorate with washable paint.
Go to a $1 store and get some new toys he would like to have in the new place.
Local parks/playgrounds for a picnic with you...sell it as something special for you two to do while mom is away. Of course, knowing that it may be a stressfull situation, make sure you're well organized and also be prepared to leave if you have to.
G-movies at the theater. There are some theaters that show KidToons ($2 tickets) at the movies. This month I think Babar & the Adventures of Badou (the elephant).
Any of your neighbors have a toddler that can come over for a play date?
My 4yo loved doing artwork, particularly painting with watercolors, but also crayons and stickers. Also blocks, activity books, and computer/video games.
Here are a few ideas - depending on the boy's interests and skill levels you might find some of them will work for you (and for him)!
Activity packs (from Walmart type stores) - usually contain colouring books, a few crayons, maybe some stickers. 4-year olds generally don't have the span of attention to work with these for long, but often return to them several times during the day.
Making stuff out of things you have around the house - such as old shoe boxes, empty toilet roll/paper towel holders, sticky-tape and child appropriate glue. If he takes to this, you could get him a few water-based paints so he can decorate his works of art.
I see you work in a vet's office. Is there any chance you could borrow a cat or a dog (or perhaps a guinea pig or other small critter) that he could 'help' take care of and play with.
Making a cubby house - cover the dining table with a big sheet or blanket and let him pick out a few child-safe things from around the house to decorate his cave.
If they have yard sales in your area you can probably pick up some really cheap toys - trucks, building blocks, books.
And don't feel bad about sticking him in front of the TV from time to time. If he likes to do that, maybe you can use it as a reward for good behaviour!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zimbochick
Make flubber or playdough together, there are lots of recipes on line.
Get him to help you cooking or baking.
Thrift stores have great toys and books.
Computer games. Websites such as Nick Jr, Discovery, Scholastic, or Disney.
My kids would spend hours playing in the tub. There are bathtub crayons, and of course boys love boats.
Thank you everyone for the ideas!
So far............
I don't work in a vet's office but do rescue, so we have a house FULL of dogs and a yard with large land tortoises. He's had a blast playing ball with the dogs in the house. When I walked the dogs out back this morning I brought him and a bag of carrots and let him feed the tortoises and he thought that was the most wonderful thing ever. We had a tree hit by lightning a while back and there were still some sticks laying around. He noticed the pile we had in the side yard for burning and asked if he could put the sticks from the trees there so we did that a bit. Then hubby walked him down to the garden and let him pick lettuce and cucumbers and corn and stuff for dinner tonight. He's very excited that he gets to help make dinner because he helped pick the veggies!
He apparently plays balloon games on line a lot so I logged into a website that had them and he's been playing a few games. And of course he's watching TV on and off. He saw the boxes of games I've got on the bottom shelf of the bookcases and he played Sorry with his mom for a bit.
I love the cave idea! I think after dinner tonight we'll give that a try!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
- toys and activity books and things. Lots of cheap entertainment there.
