Montessori Mom

Paper Bag Piñata

This is an easy and fun activity to do outside or in a garage.

Materials: A large paper bag (the largest from the grocery store)
Glue
Tissue, construction or any colorful paper
String
Prizes, such as wrapped candy, plastic toys, small balls, fun erasers, etc.
A plastic bat

Staple the bag on each corner leaving a small space in the middle to drop the prizes in later. Punch a hole in the two top corners leaving an inch of paper on the outside of the paper bag. With scissors, fringe the colored paper into strips leaving one inch uncut at the top of the paper. Glue the uncut top on the paper bag. Don’t glue the fringes. Layer the fringed paper to cover the paper bag. You can cut out eyes, wings fins, what ever your imagination sees and make the bag your favorite animal or object. You can make it look like a flower, insect or a clown. Fill the bag with the prizes. Staple the top and put the string through the holes. Hang the piñata up high. Each player wears a blind fold or not depending on the age of the children. Also, I don’t spin young children. Let each child hit 3 hits each to begin with. When the toys and candy spill out, let the children each have a certain number of treats so that all the children have the same opportunity to share in the joy of the goodies. Kids love making this piñata.

Dancing Contest

Materials: A big watercolor marking pen
An old broomstick
Newsprint paper, Manila or white paper (You sometimes can get an end roll of unused newsprint from a local newspaper for free)
Tape-strong like duct
A large sheet of paper or several taped together.

With duct tape attach the marking pen to one end of the broomstick leaving about two inches of the pen sticking out. Lay paper on the floor and tape securely. Hum a tune or turn on the music. Standing up, take your long pen and draw a design on the paper while dancing with the long pen. Everyone is a winner in this game.

Peg Drop

Materials: Clean, empty milk bottle-put sand or salt in the bottom to stabilize if it is made out of plastic
Clothes pins (peg) about 10

Put the bottle on the floor and have each child stand over the bottle. Have the child try to drop the peg into the bottle. See who can get the most pegs in the bottle. If standing over the bottle is too difficult, the children can kneel to do the game.

Penny Toss

Materials: A small cardboard box, such as a shoebox
Sharp knife for cutting or small sharp scissors
One or more of the following-plain or colored paper, colored marking pens, paint crayons, etc.
Glue
Pennies

Draw big eyes and a wide mouth on the lid or top of the box. Decorate the box with any art material. You even glue designs or use recycled items to make a collage on the box. Just make a fun and colorful looking face. It can look like a clown, animal, bug, etc. Secure the lid well with tape or glue.

Stand the box against a wall and have each child take turns throw pennies into the openings. If you have young child let them stand close, make it more of a challenge by standing further away.

Comical Portrait

Materials: Drawing Paper
Pencil

Let the children pair off into partners. Give each child paper (with a magazine under it) and a pencil. Have each child draw her or his partner without looking at his or her paper. Look at the person and move your pencil as best as you can. To make this even more difficult have the children put the paper on their laps under the table, it will be impossible to see the paper from this position. Have the children show and tell about their portraits. This will really make everyone laugh!