Comments on: The Frugal Rainy Day Box

By: Lenetta

Lenetta — Mon, 11 May 2009 20:51:31 +0000

Just wanted to let you know I linked to this post, the make your own deal finding web page post, and your 25 fave sites post on Sunday. All good stuff!

By: kelly

kelly — Tue, 05 May 2009 23:37:27 +0000

Great ideas. I always try to keep a couple of cheap cans of shaving cream in our kids fun box. Squirt a huge pile on a paper plate and they will play for hours!

By: Nathan

Nathan — Tue, 05 May 2009 14:25:37 +0000

Another fun idea is Corn Starch. My kids love to play with ‘Goop’. It has very interesting physical properties: under preasure it is solid, when released it is liquid. Try it out, you’ll play for hours!

By: lori

lori — Mon, 04 May 2009 17:01:37 +0000

My parents always had this stuff on hand for me and my three siblings when we were younger, and I think it was key to developing our creativity (and hopefully keeping us out of a little trouble). My mom still has some of the stuff I made.

We don’t have kids, but I might make a mini rainy-day box so that we can reciprocate dinner invitations without our friends’ kids getting bored.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Sat, 02 May 2009 20:54:58 +0000

My grandmother used to keep all kinds of stuff like this to entertain me and I remember we always had a lot of fun making crafts and art projects. Great ideas

By: tammy

tammy — Sat, 02 May 2009 18:22:50 +0000

Comment #4 said: “The Mister Rogers recipe, if I recall him singsonging properly, is “One part salt, one part flour, MIX with water ’til it’s READY for modeling.” : )

You’re almost right- I believe the actual lyric is “’til it’s RIGHT for modeling.” Sheesh, how do I remember this stuff? I haven’t even seen that show in 20 years!

By: joan

joan — Sat, 02 May 2009 17:33:08 +0000

You can use plain kool-aid (no sugar) instead of food coloring. The packages of kool-aid are less apt to spill.

By: Sandy

Sandy — Sat, 02 May 2009 15:03:42 +0000

I’ll echo the painting with water. Buy a couple cheap paintbrushes at the beginning of the summer…a soapy bucket and an area to “clean” will keep them busy for hours!
Also, check out your local library…some have boxes of toys you can borrow..new toys to your kids, and toys that you (and they!) know belong to the library and will have to go back, like library books. And you don’t have to keep forever!
Also, rainy days are great times for baking and cooking fun stuff w/ kids. Muffins are perfect for this…everyone can take turns measuring pouring and stirring. What fun!

By: Alternative Livings

Alternative Livings — Sat, 02 May 2009 14:44:57 +0000

My grandpa was an avid garage sale hunter, and he always found the most incredible things. Often they were toys, but other times they would be curiosities of various sorts. He and my Dad were always on the look out for discount costumes. Those are perfect for a rainy day box!

By: lurker carl

lurker carl — Sat, 02 May 2009 13:40:10 +0000

Add a liberal portion of salt to that paint recipe. Salt will deter vermin (mice, ants, cockroaches) and Fido from devouring the finished product.

Unless they are coated with paint or shellac, beans and Cheerios crafts should be disposed of after a few days to discourage a pest infestation. Even with a protective coating, an enterprising critter may still make a meal or home with the project.

By: MB

MB — Sat, 02 May 2009 13:23:12 +0000

This is great timing as it rained all day yesterday here and looks like it’s settled in for the weekend. We will definitely be doing some crafts! My son also loves playing make-believe, so I’m sure I will be playing “house”, “police”, “fireman”, and yes even, “Cinderella”. :)

By: Laura

Laura — Sat, 02 May 2009 13:03:44 +0000

My children used to like to “paint” the walls- inside or out- with water! This kept even the shortest attention span occupied.

By: PRASHANT SOZE

PRASHANT SOZE — Sat, 02 May 2009 10:22:02 +0000

Alonwith these things, one also needs loads of patience and desire to enjoy the moment with kids.. I can tell out of my own experience that its really fulfilling to be able to get a smile on childs face and this box will definately help. I am going to have mine ready.

By: RAjeev Singh

RAjeev Singh — Sat, 02 May 2009 10:19:38 +0000

Nice post.. very well written and informative.. Now I know exactly what to do in similar situation…thanks ,.. keep them coming.

By: Mo

Mo — Sat, 02 May 2009 04:40:51 +0000

Add felt to the box. Great for making faces on pine cones!

My mom saved extra buttons in a big old coffee can. My brother and I loved playing with the can of buttons and now my nieces and nephews do. My mom thinks it’s so funny because she never imagined generations would ever have so much fun with a can of buttons.

By: Jica

Jica — Sat, 02 May 2009 04:30:43 +0000

Another fun children’s album is “Snacktime” by Barenaked Ladies.

By: Hogan

Hogan — Sat, 02 May 2009 03:51:23 +0000

I know why you are writing this, it has been cold and rainy in Iowa for 4 days. Good stuff to keep a parent and child busy in a constructive way.

By: Leah

Leah — Sat, 02 May 2009 03:07:51 +0000

I love this! I do stuff like this when babysitting, as it makes kids want me to come over more.

another fun one: keep some aluminum foil, and play “will it sink?” Make different boat shapes and see which shape can hold the most of different kinds of objects (pennies, beans, bottle caps, etc). you can also make foil hats and all sorts of fake “metal” stuff.

By: Shevy

Shevy — Sat, 02 May 2009 02:41:41 +0000

Lots of good ideas but just a couple of cautions. First of all, you shouldn’t keep food items in a box like this because they might attract mice or bugs. Either keep them in the kitchen with your other food or put them in glass containers in the box. And be very careful with supervising beans and similar objects that young children may stick up their noses or choke on.

By: Bob's Occasional Musings

Bob's Occasional Musings — Sat, 02 May 2009 02:13:23 +0000

My daughter use to babysit as a teenager. She would always bring a large bag full of many of the items you mentioned above. The kids would just love going through the bag to see what she had for them to do. Of course, the parents loved her as well. She had more work then she knew what to do with. Great Post!