Silly is Fun
Be Silly with Your Kids
Tell knock-knock jokes. Even if your children are too young to tell a joke that makes good sense, they will enjoy trying. Knock-knock jokes are a great place to start. Make sure to laugh hard so you encourage them.
Have a dance party. Nothing cures a crabby kid like turning up the music and shaking your bootie. We dance everywhere, in the living room during commercials, in the kitchen while cooking and in the car! No matter what age, everyone loves to dance.
Silly up your vocabulary. There's a language of silliness most kids know. Anything you can say in a silly way, do it, the kids will love it and they will do it too. Our family (all of them) has what we call double talk, such as I'm freeze freeze (for I'm freezing), or sor sor (for sorry) and sil sil (for silly). Not only do we laugh at ourselves, but we add new ones all the time and even our youngest family members have started using the "double talk". It's silly and it's fun!
Be a silly poet. More silly rhyming words will also make your child smile. Maybe you can call your Mollie "Pollie" or something equally silly. Say you'd love to get your kids some milk and tookies, and see how fast they join in. Another way is to ask your child in a serious manner "Did you ask me for a glass of nuice?"
Have a super silly photo shoot. Crowd in together and take a bunch of silly self-portraits. Hold the camera out in front of you and snap away. Your kids will love to see all the funny faces they make, along with mom's.
Snuggle up. Take some time for some snuggle time. Kids love the affection and attention. Kiss eyelids and cheeks and tickle armpits, tummies and toes. Some children may prefer silent snuggling with hugs and whispers. My kids and I have always done this on the couch while watching their favorite movie.
Silly Things to Make
Coffee Can Stilts
What you Need:
2 coffee cans
screwdriver
rope, twine or yarn
What you Do: Turn the 2 coffee cans upside down so that the plastic lids are on the bottom. Poke a hole on each both sides of each can using a screwdriver (mom or dad can do this). Use rope, bailing twine, or several strands of yarn braided together for strength, and thread through one hole. Thread the other end of the rope through the hole on the other side and tie off inside the can. Be sure that the rope is long enough so that when your child stands on the cans, the rope is high enough for them to hold in their hands comfortably without hunching over.
Make Your Own Play Dough
What You Need:
1 cup cold water
1 cup salt
2 teaspoon vegetable oil
3 cups flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Tempera paint or food coloring (adjust amount for color desired)
What You Do: Mix the water, salt, oil and paint together. Gradually work in the flour and cornstarch until you get the consistency of bread dough.