7 Easy Ways to Engage Kids Using Stuff You Probably Already Have in Your Kitchen

Paint it, dye it, glue pom-poms to it, cover it in glitter or anything else you might have in your crafting bin. Then thread it onto strings, attach it to a hanger (or an upturned paper bowl) and call it a mobile, dream catcher or even a wind chime. For younger participants, pop it in an old plastic peanut butter tub (or something similar) and voilà! A rainbow shaker.

No need to get in a knot over being stuck inside all day. Grab some yarn, string (or ribbon, if you’re feeling decadent) and cut it into lengths a little wider than your hallway. Using pins or painters tape, stick 'em high and stick 'em low to create the ultimate Mission: Impossible-style laser maze. To take this theme a step further, get your kids to deck themselves out in their finest spy wear.

Got an abundance of the stuff? (Hi, Amazon addiction.) Pave the way with paper (and perhaps a plastic table cloth for extra protection) and pop your kids in a pair of bubble wrap booties dipped in finger paint. If the very thought of this activity brings on a conniption, wrap it around a roller instead.

Let your kids get their creative fix by trying some of these brilliant paper coffee filter craft ideas. A collection of snowflake cutouts would make a great festive garland, but if you’re not quite ready to think about the holidays, there are plenty of alternatives which are just as fun at any time of the year.

Roll out the old wrap that’s been collecting dust in your closet, grab the cookie cutters (which may or may not be in the same state), and start stenciling. Cut out the shapes and stick them to a card or paper to make a decorative and eye-catching collage.

Hide different letters around the room, beside or behind objects or toys that begin with the same letter, and let the great alphabet hunt begin. (Extra points for finding them in the right order.)

Yep, your workhorse kitchen sponge is great for painting a rainbow in one big wipe, or building a fleet of balloon-powered boat floats. Who says bath-time can’t start at 2 pm?