What to do with visiting kids?

[CrazyHomemaker]

We sometimes have visiting kids to our house. DH will have a friend or relative come over and the kids gravitate toward me...don't know why 'cause I'm a meanie! LOL!

Anyhow, we had some yesterday. They are VERY active kids and the only way I can keep them busy is shut off the TV and teach them to cook something from scratch.

Well...yesterday was really cool! We made lunch.

The oldest girl made homemade soup. I gave this to her because of the knives and she can see into the pot. I gave her options to choose from after she made the base for the soup and it turned out to be a minestrone.

The littlest one made banana bread. She read out the ingredients and I handed them to her. She read, measured and beat it up all by herself.

Then we made sandwiches from coldcuts and put them on a plate.

I'll tell you what! They did all of the cooking, tasting and spicing. Lunch was fantastic! DH and their dad was impressed. I was so pleased I couldn't stop talking about it all day. DH was probably annoyed with me and my rambling. I couldn't believe they actually concentrated for that long of a time and enjoyed it!

I gave them the leftovers to take home.

What do you do to keep children busy when they come to visit?

[Gibs]

I do that with my own kids sometimes to keep them busy. Yesterday my Daughter (7) and I made 2 partridge berry cakes and some rice krispie squares. She actually picked the berries with her nan a few days ago, and the cakes turned out great. They love measuring, and reading the instructions and helping to create something. Its great to keep their mind off things, and great because it helps them learn.

[shoiji]

I haven't had kids over in a long time.

But when I did,

Let them walk the cat outside. Always fun to watch.
Made masks out of paperplates
Let them pick out an age appropriate movie to watch
Let them run around outside or at the playground

The cooking part sounds like a lot of fun. Especially since you enjoy all that. Know what you mean about kids gravitating towards you. I seem to attract the 0-4 year olds. Maybe it is my mentallity. lol

I hope the kids keep up their interest in cooking.

[Contrary Housewife]

When our family gets together mom makes all the grandkids play outside. Period. They are only allowed in to get drinks or pee. But they have several acres in the country off the end of a gravel road, so short of a rattlesnake or a rock fight there's little danger.

[lisaflex]

send em outside!!! JK- not always.

they do love to help in the kitchen. and, that is learning for them at the same time.

[old_lady_in_the_shoe]

I am a firm believer in the out of doors too...if it is nice weather, then out they go, we live out of town and have room to run and play. There is a trampoline, weight bench, pool in the summer, not to mention darts, nerf guns, and such. The boys seem to gravitate to these things but the girls seem to go out and sit under the big tree or play with the rabbits and check out the chickens and such.

Now in winter or rainy days, we like to play wii and we all do it. We love dance, dance revolution, the new beatles rock band, or just bowling is a blast. We even play baseball on the wii.
We love to make cookies too, they are always a big hit here and we always make them. Last winter, all the girls learned to make peanut brittle with my hubby when my mom and I were out shopping. We are definitely a cooking, eating family, lol!

[Mummy2]

Put them to work.
I used to dust the chair and table legs at my Nana's when I was little now I give that job to my son.
My kids like to cook and "LOVE" to peel veggies, bake anything. Baking is also a great way for the kids to practice their math skills, I use metric and regular measuring tools so my kids get lessons on both sides.

Scavenger hunts are also a great time passer, user uper....

If all else fails, Duct tape, works wonders to get the rowdy kids to settle down!! Just kidding......

[cab54]

LOL, Mummy2, duct tape, that's cute!

DH and I have HUGE families, so there are always little ones stopping over.

I keep:

Crayons, markers, paste, consruction paper, drawing pads, etc. in a drawer.

Games, puzzles, story books (that were MY boys' when they were little).

Legos, some Fisher-Price Villages/Farms/Airports sets, etc., Cars, airplanes, helicopters, etc etc....

Some cheap shave cream to let them spray on the kitchen table and do 'finger painting' with. (shines your table like nothing else! LOL!) Kids love it.

I LOVE the cooking idea! I did that with my own kids (some of my best memories), and once with my little niece when I babysat her--she helped me make Christmas cookies.

[Moor]

There are lots of things that I like to do with the kids.

Cooking, cleaning, arts, crafts, playing games, taking care of the animals.

One thing that the kid's friends really like is actually helping out. Most of these kids don't have a parent who takes time with them, so just spending time with them is something they really enjoy!

[geckoace]

well aside from making pizza which kids LOVE to do.

i buy lots of those $1 or cheaper craft sets and i cover the dining room table in paper and let them do whatever they want from my craft box.

i watched a friends kids for a few days this summer and i put a huge cardboard box on the porch supplied them with a step stool, markers and paint and they made that box into everything you could imagine: a rocket, a story box, a puppet show (with file folder puppets lol) and a fort