Children’s Pretend Play Kitchens—Make Their Culinary Dreams Come True

Children's Pretend Play Kitchens

While the strongest associations that play time recalls are such activities as playing ball, riding bikes or utilizing playground equipment, the truth is that this form of play is not the only component to that of normal child development. Children learn by imagining and doing, and pretend play is a critical part of childhood that assists in the development of cognitive and social skills. All too often, adults turn to technological activities as a replacement for classic hands-on, make-believe play, when the advantages for early pretend play are some of the most beneficial experiences of youth.

Pretend play encourages the development for cognitive flexibility, language skills, social skills, problem solving and, of course, creativity. Among these is the opportunity to bond during cooperative play.

One of the most popular dramatic play activities is playing house. Kids love to pretend they are performing the domestic tasks they see their parents do each day such as cooking for their family. A pretend play kitchen provides the perfect canvas for kids to practice their pretend play skills. We feature a large selection of children’s pretend play kitchens from award winning manufacturers that are made from child-safe materials and are large enough for multiple children to play together. Here are a few favorites:

Kidkraft Navy Blue Vintage Kitchen

Kidkraft paid close attention to detail when they designed their vintage-inspired navy blue kitchen. This realistic play kitchen comes with everything little chefs could possibly need to cook up big feats and yummy treats; refrigerator, freezer, microwave, oven, stove, AND the kitchen sink! All doors open and close, the oven knobs really turn, and the sink is removable for easy cleaning. A cordless phone is even included so you can phone your order in to the chef. The attractive navy pairs well with the contrasting white finish handles and silver fixtures. The sturdy wooden construction offers reliable safety for endless hours of playtime fun that encourages a sprinkle of role playing and a dash of imagination!

Hape Gourmet Kitchen - Green

The Hape Gourmet Kitchen presents itself in bold and bright colors that draw the eye and invite you to play. The kitchen's unique and simple design is streamlined for play and opens up a world of endless possibilities for imaginative pretend play. This wooden kitchen invites exploration with fun interactive features such as real working knobs, a towel rack, hutch for storing pots and pans and a preview window on the oven door. Kids will have a blast using their imaginations to cook up tasty pretend meals. This fun creative kitchen in green is a treat when it comes to imaginary and imitative play.

Kidkraft Pink Retro Kitchen and Refrigerator

Make the most out of play time with the Kidkraft Pink Retro Kitchen and Refrigerator. Aspiring chefs will discover this kitchen comes complete with everything they need to get cooking. Youngsters will find a refrigerator, oven, sink and counter to work their culinary magic on. Doors open and close giving access to storage, the oven door offers a preview window and also opens and closes, and knobs turn and click. The sturdy wood construction handles playtime with ease while the retro pastel design is a fun touch that parents and kids alike will love. This fun design also comes in lavender and blue.

Guidecraft Cook’s Nook Kitchen

Girls and boys will become master chefs in this Cook’s Nook Kitchen from Guidecraft that fits into any playroom and adapts well to corners due to its L-shape design. Kids will love the appealing pop of red accenting the kitchen's colorful palette. Styled like a real kitchen, this wooden play set is equipped with microwave, a refrigerator and freezer, an oven and a stove with clicking knobs, a sink with a faucet and a towel rack. Upper and lower shelves and cabinets offer plenty of storage for play food, dishes, and appliances. Serve your guests via the serving window with decorative awning and announce today's special with exterior chalkboard. A write-on/wipe-off board on the side offers endless opportunities to be creative. 

A Kid Place knows the value of pretend play and boasts an inventory that reflects this. Our online emporium is stocked with an endless variety of toys, themed furnishings, educational toys, and more. You'll find we have the best toys for children’s make-believe play!

Guidecraft Dress-up Storage Solutions

Guidecraft Dress-up Storage Solutions

As a child, I enjoyed dressing up for pretend play. I inherited the costumes, and I treasured them as some of my most beloved possessions. I can remember being excited to come home from school where I would find my dolls waiting to have a tea party with me. For me, this type of play was pure magic.

When my daughter was born, I was incredibly excited to share this type of play with her. Whenever I found an interesting dress or costume, I picked it up and added it to her collection of dress-up clothes. Sometimes, I even picked up something for myself so I could join in on the fun. All of these items—her dresses, my dresses, jewelry, fairy wings, feather boas, and more—were stored in a storage container under her bed. The storage container did its job, but there was nothing special or whimsical about it. Plus, the clothes always came out wrinkled and the jewelry tangled.

When I first came across some of Guidecraft’s dress-up storage solutions for children, I was instantly taken back to my childhood, and wished I owned something like their dress-up centers when my daughter was little. Their storage solutions feel like something a movie star would own and easily make dress-up time for kids all the more magical.

The Guidecraft Dress-up Storage Center is just one of their products that helps you keep all of your children’s  pretend play costumes organized. It provides a bar to hang all of your child’s special clothes on and helps avoid wrinkling. The upper storage area is the perfect place for larger accessories while the fabric bins provide a space to organize the smaller items, including jewelry cases and shoes. It even comes with a child-safe mirror for your little one to admire him or herself in. The chocolate version is well suited to a more neutral décor and for those who want to continue to use the item even after their child outgrows the dress-up stage. The white dress-up storage center is perfect if you are trying to complement a princess theme.

The Guidecraft Dress-up Carousel is whimsical enough that it can get any little one excited about dramatic play. In fact, I kind of want one for myself right now. Perfect for smaller spaces, this wooden storage solution spins to allow maximum storage in minimal space. Despite its small footprint, it has everything your little one needs—from jewelry storage, to hanging storage to mirrors. The natural finish easily blends into any bedroom or playroom and is gender neutral, making it perfect for boys or girls. If your little one is a true princess, the pastel version will work well for her.

If you are looking for something that keeps everything clearly visible, yet still organized, the Gudecraft See and Store Dress-up Center is for you. Made from solid wood, this storage center offers open shelving as well as hanging storage to keep all pretend play items organized and accessible. The version in a natural finish is gender neutral and suitable for most décor. The pastel version works well for little girls who simply cannot resist the color pink.

To browse Guidecraft’s large selection of wooden furniture and dress-up storage solutions, visit us at AKidPlace.com. All Guidecraft products sold here are offered at the lowest prices authorized by Guidecraft, and most qualifies for free shipping.

Smart Gear Pretend Play Toys Help Your Kids Live Their Dreams

When children play they often dream about the things they’ll do when they grow up. Things that seem mundane to adults take on an exciting new life when seen through kids’ eyes. Smart Gear Pretend Play Toys are designed with your child’s imagination in mind. These eco-friendly toys are the perfect addition to any game of make-believe.

Complete Your Kitchen

Many girls love the idea of having their own kitchen. Why not give your child everything she needs to cook up a delicious pretend meal? Smart Gear has everything needed to make a kitchen complete, including a child-sized sink, cooker, microwave and refrigerator. If playtime is on the go, the My Portable Cooker is a great choice. Just fold it up and bring it along with you! If space is an issue, the Smart Gear Wonderwold Cooking Center combines an oven, a refrigerator and a sink into one compact play station.

Take Care of the House

One of the oldest and most loved types of dramatic play is playing house. Help your toddlers learn more about what goes into caring for a home with Smart Gear cleaning toys. The Wonderworld Wonder Vacuum is perfectly sized for little hands and is small enough to get into all those nooks and crannies. The Wonderworld Wonder Cleaning Cart comes with everything a kid needs to keep a neat house, including a child-sized broom, mop, dust pan, hand brush, and storage pouch. All of this fits onto the sturdy rolling cart.

Take a Trip to the Store

Any young entrepreneur will love the chance to open a store of their own with Smart Gear pretend play toys. The Wonderworld Wonder Store stand is perfect for a budding shopkeeper, giving him three shelves to display his goods and a cabana-style shade to keep the sun off. This stand is perfect for role-play, especially when paired with the Wonder Shopping Cart. If your young business-man or woman is ready to test their skills on the public, the Wonder Store stand is also ideal for running a lemonade stand.

Commitment to Quality and the Environment


There’s no need to give up environmental responsibility in order to give your kids a fun play experience. Smart Gear is a company devoted to taking care of the environment while delivering quality products.  Their toys are made with renewably grown rubberwood, formaldehyde-free glue, and water-based paints. For every tree that is used to make one of their toys, two more are planted. Even the packaging they use is created from at least 70% recycled materials. These toys prove that a commitment to the environment does not lead to a drop in quality – all of Smart Gear’s products are built to last.

There’s no reason to sacrifice anything when providing playthings for your child. Kids love the creative games they can play with these attractive and sturdy wooden toys. With Smart Gear Pretend Play Toys, it’s easy to entertain your children in an environmentally conscious way. 

Puppet Theaters for Kids - Hours of Fun and Creative Play for Toddlers and Young Children

Even the youngest of children love watching the antics of puppets as they act out a scene from a favorite fairy tale – or just make up a story as they go along. But puppet theaters are not just about drama – they also serve an important educational function. Dramatic play can help young children to develop important social skills and build problem-solving abilities; puppet theatres can even serve a therapeutic purpose for young children to work out difficult issues that they are unable to verbalize for themselves.

Whether you are looking for a puppet theatre for your own kids to use at home, or you need dramatic play equipment for a daycare center or preschool, one of the theaters listed below is sure to suit your needs.

Guidecraft

Guidecraft has always had an outstanding reputation for high-quality educational toys, and with good reason. All of their kids’ products are carefully designed, with plenty of attention to detail. Guidecraft offers a few different options for puppet theaters: a tabletop model with “velvet” curtains that recalls the early days of theatrical production; a colorful modern tabletop theater, and a free-standing setup that allows kids to sit behind the stage, out of sight of viewers. All models are constructed of high-quality wood and fold for easy storage.

Alex

The Alex Floor Standing Puppet Theater is perfect for use with hand or finger puppets. Easy to assemble, it comes with a write-on “marquee” where kids can add the name of the next production and the upcoming show times; while the lightweight but sturdy Alex Play House Puppet Theater comes with a chalkboard front and doubles as both a puppet theatre and a play house.

Lisa LeLeu

The all-in-one Lisa LeLeu Super Star puppet theater has everything your kids will need to put on a hit production. This deluxe theatre is constructed with a lightweight fiberglass frame that is easy to put together and take down for easy storage. The “main stage” comes with a detailed backdrop, a backstage door, a wipe-off marquee, a ticket “window,” and plenty of other extras that make it seem just like the real thing. This theater comes with three hand puppets, admission tickets, and even a script for a play – as well as many other accessories that will help to get their creative juices flowing.

Where to find Puppet Theatres for Kids

A Kid Place online offers a charming selection of puppet theaters that have everything your child needs to put on a fabulous production. And while you are checking out these adorable dramatic play accessories, be sure to look at the rest of the great pretend play toys from the huge inventory of over a thousand items designed for kids of all ages for a one-stop holiday shopping experience. All items sold here meet or exceed government safety standards and come from award-winning manufacturers who specialize in quality products for children.

Guidecraft Pretend Play Kitchens: The Perfect Holiday Gift for Your Little Chef

Guidecraft Pretend Play Kitchens provide hours of fun for your little chef or homemaker; but they can also help to build important social and cognitive skills. Research has shown that pretend play helps kids to develop their problem-solving abilities and to form healthy peer relationships. You can encourage creative role play with educational toys such as play kitchens, dress-up items and other products designed to stimulate your child’s imagination.

Here are just some of the adorable play kitchen sets you can find from Guidecraft, an award-winning manufacturer of educational toys and games.

Guidecraft All In One Modern Kitchen

The Guidecraft modern kitchen play set features a contemporary design with an espresso finish and “chrome” detailing. This play kitchen is large enough for several children to cook up a pretend meal together and includes realistic equipment such as a 4-burner range top with moveable knobs, an oven with a removable rack, a microwave oven, a sink, a dishwasher, and a fridge with a wipe-off marker board.

Guidecraft All In One Play Kitchen

This durable wooden play set has it all, even for the most discriminating little chef. With plenty of room for “helpers,” this lovingly-crafted and colorful kitchen set features a 4-burner range top, refrigerator with storage shelf, sink with faucet, a dishwasher, and so much more.

Guidecraft Hideaway Country Kitchen and Hideaway Playtime Kitchen

These durable and beautifully designed kitchen sets can be easily compacted to about 6” wide when not in use for easy storage. Each model features working knobs, an oven with a pull-out rack, a dishwasher, a sink with a faucet, and a stovetop with four burners.

Guidecraft Toddler Kitchen Island

The brightly-colored toddler kitchen island contains plenty of realistic detailing and is downsized to fit smaller children. The wooden kitchen set features working knobs, oven with rack, microwave, sink with faucet, dishwasher and wipe-off message board and can accommodate two children.

Guidecraft Complete Kitchen Center

The complete kitchen center is perfect for preschool classrooms and daycare centers, as well as multiple-child homes. This play set features five appliances in one kitchen island, including stove, sink, oven, dishwasher and microwave, as well as plenty of shelf space for pretend food items, cookware and dishes. Several children can cook and wash up comfortably together with this ergonomically-designed kitchen set.

Where to find Guidecraft Pretend Play Kitchens

A Kid Place online offers a fantastic selection of play kitchen sets, and so much more! This popular internet retailer is in the process of gearing up for the holiday shopping season with their huge inventory of over a thousand items for kids of all ages. From nursery furnishings to high chairs and strollers to the highest quality educational toys, you will find plenty of unique, well-made products that will make your child’s eyes shine. All items meet or exceed government safety standards and are sourced from award-winning manufacturers who specialize in quality products for children.

Children’s Dress-Up Play - The Real Meanings behind This Childhood Phenomenon

Whether you have young children of your own or you work in an early childhood center, you know that kids love to play dress-up. From putting on Mom or Dad’s shoes to saving the world in a superhero costume, small children spend hours in imaginative play, dressing up as their role models or favorite characters. But there is more to this type of role play than simply pretending to be a favorite cartoon character; here, we explain some of the deeper meanings behind your child’s pretend play.

Mom and Dad’s clothing

One of a child’s favorite places to find dress-up clothes is in mom or dad’s closet. Nearly every baby album has at least one photograph of little ones teetering in high heels, draping themselves with ties or scarves, and donning oversized hats. Kids love to play with the buttons, buckles and laces, and wearing their caregiver’s clothing allows them to feel grown up in a way that they don’t in their own everyday play clothes.

“Fancy” dress

What little girl doesn’t love to put on a costume and pretend to be her favorite Disney princess or deck herself out with all the plastic “bling” she can find? Toddlers use dress-up to sort out gender roles; at this age, it is all about the visual, so girls tend to go for the ultimate in feminine attire. Little boys often dress up in more feminine costumes, as well, and vice versa; small children are able to tell the difference between males and females, but they also believe that changing clothing (or putting on a wig or a fake mustache) changes their identity. Again, this is a perfectly normal way for children to figure out who they are and is not an indication of any lasting behavior.

Superheroes (or just plain regular heroes)

Dressing up and “flying” around the house in a cape or putting on a plastic fire hat and putting out imaginary fires allows little ones to feel powerful and in control, as well as engage in healthy physical activity. This type of imaginative play is important in developing problem-solving skills and learning to cooperate with peers.

Animals or fantasy creatures

Kids love animals, and dressing up as their favorite furry – or slithery- creature is a great way for kids to learn about the animal world. Pretending to be a dinosaur or a lion can also foster a sense of being powerful, at least until they are ready to become themselves again.

The Guidecraft See and Store Dress-Up Center is the perfect place to store all of your child’s favorite dress-up clothes. With its roomy shelves for shoes and other accessories and the wooden dowel for hanging costumes and dresses, you can organize all of your child’s pretend play items for easy access and easy cleanup. The all-natural wood is perfect for any play space and decor. You will find the dress-up center, as well as a wide range of other furnishings and storage items, online at A Kid Place.

New at A Kid Place - Guidecraft All in One Modern Kitchen

The Guidecraft All in One Modern Kitchen is a sleek, new addition to the Guidecraft play kitchen line, featuring a rich espresso finish with silver accents.

This modern pretend play kitchen by Guidecraft combines all the amenities in one space for the ultimate dramatic play experience:

• Range top with 4 burners
• Refrigerator with shelf and write-on, wipe-off marker board
• Sink with faucet
• Microwave
• Oven with pull-out rack
• Dishwasher
• Open and closed storage
• Large enough so multiple kids can play at once
• Wall phone and more

This fabulous kitchen will provide children with hours and hours of imaginative, creative play and the colors are gender-neutral so it's perfect for both boys and girls! Great for the classroom, daycare centers and children's rooms or playrooms at home.

Dimensions:

40" H x 16" W x 50" L

Weight: 97 Lbs

Recommended for ages 3 and up

Why Kids Play Dress-Up

When my daughter was three, she "inherited" a fleecy, hooded dragon costume from a cousin. For weeks, she was obsessed with it - she insisted on wearing it wherever she went and even slept in the thing (I gave up trying to get her out of it except at bath time, when I put my foot down). While the costume was on, she was not only dressed as a dragon - she was the dragon; she would stomp around the house, claws bared and growling, until the cat would run away at the sound of her footsteps. Fortunately, the obsession faded, but was quickly replaced with an equally fierce devotion to a princess costume.

As adults, a child's need to play dress-up can be as puzzling as it is amusing - what is your little one really thinking about when he or she spends days at a time dressed in a ballerina costume or police uniform? In fact, this type of dramatic play helps young children to learn some important life skills.

What kids get out of dramatic play and dress-up

When kids engage in imaginative play, they aren't just having fun - they are developing some vital social, intellectual, and manipulative skills. Dressing up in costumes, or in their parents' clothing, teaches them not only to zip, button, snap and tie, but to empathize with others; dressing up as a fireman, for example, helps a child to put himself in the fireman's shoes - so to speak. Research has shown that kids who engage in dress-up games tend to have a better understanding of other people's feelings and points of view later on.

Role play helps kids to create imaginary scenarios that put their problem-solving skills to the test (how does the fireman rescue the kitten?); kids who play dress-up together also learn to cooperate as they work out their imaginary scenario.

Another important aspect of dramatic play is learning to think symbolically; a child who pretends that her chair is a throne is actually developing the intellectual areas of the brain that will allow her to comprehend writing, reading, and mathematics.

How to encourage your child's creative side

If your child loves dressing up and pretending, you can encourage him by providing old clothes, costumes, plastic "jewelry," hats, last year's Halloween costumes, and anything else you can think of. Create a dress-up space in your child's bedroom or playroom; the Guidecraft Dress-Up Carousel - available at A Kid Place - is the perfect way to store all of your child's dress-up items for easy access and quick clean-up when it is time to move on to a new activity. The Guidecraft Dress-Up Carousel comes in Natural and Pastel.

How Pretend Play Benefits Your Child

From the time they are able to play on their own, small children become engaged in creative play. Whether they prefer caring for a special doll, guiding cars and trucks through imaginary traffic, or whipping up a tasty meal in a pint-sized kitchen, kids of all ages learn and grow through pretend play. Even children who are surrounded by expensive, high-tech video games or have unlimited access to television can be found playing pretend, alone or with their playmates. You can help your child develop his or her creativity with high-quality toys that stimulate the imagination.

What are some of the benefits of pretend play?

Pretend play can help your child grow intellectually and emotionally. Here are just some of the skills that your little ones develop when they engage in creative role play:

* Empathy - When your child pretends to be a mommy, or a doctor, or a construction worker, she is putting herself in the position of another person and allowing herself to see things through the eyes of another. This can help develop a sense of empathy, or understanding how others feel.

* Confidence - By imagining themselves to be the character they are playing, children begin to see that they can be anyone they want to be. This is helpful for developing their confidence and self-esteem.

* Problem-solving skills - As your child imagines himself in a made-up situation, he thinks about how to solve problems and make the game work. In a pretend play kitchen, for example, your little chef may need to think about how to set a table, what he can use for pretend food to cook, or how to work with other children who are "helping."

How can I encourage my child in games of pretend?

Because pretend play is part of your child’s development, it is important to encourage him and his creativity. While you will probably not get very far by trying to start games of pretend yourself, you can urge him on when you see him caught up in make-believe. Act out the part of a customer in a restaurant, be the first in line at the cash register, or offer to help with the dishes in the play kitchen.

Where can I find the best pretend play kitchens and other realistic toys to help my child grow?

Role play does not require hundreds of dollars worth of expensive equipment, electronics, or tiny parts. You can assist with your child’s creativity with well-made, appealing, and realistic toys like pretend play kitchens, complete with appliances, dishes, pots and pans, and more – find everything you need to get her imagination rolling with pretend play toys from A Kid Place.

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Kidkraft Fun Explorers Rocket Ship Wins Kidkraft Another Award

Kidkraft wins again! NAPPA (National Parenting Publications Awards) has awarded Kidkraft's Fun Explorers Rocket Ship an Honors winner in the 2010 NAPPA Children's Products competition.

The deluxe Kidkraft Rocket Ship Set lets kids explore outer space without even leaving the house. Young astronauts will love imagining themselves flying through space, meeting aliens and using the ship’s special computers to do important research with the Kidkraft Rocket Ship Set.

Features include:

• Over 25 colorful pieces, including astronauts, robots and even aliens!
• Two glow-in-the-dark moon craters
• Two space vehicles for exploring uncharted planets
• Removable ramp lets the astronauts drive their vehicles onboard
• Working elevator
• Smart, sturdy construction
• Packaged with detailed, step-by-step assembly instructions
• Made of wood

Dimensions:

23.74" x 15.67" x 29.21", 25 Lbs.

Click on picture to be taken to main site where you can view a video of this awesome rocket ship.

Kidkraft’s Pink Vintage Kitchen Wins the Creative Child 2010 Product of the Year Award

Kidkraft's marvelous Pink Vintage Kitchen has been honored with the Creative Child Creative Toy Awards 2010 Seal of Excellence. Creative Child Magazine's Awards Program is a unique program, being that all products submitted are reviewed by moms, music educators and early education professionals, and not just by any one person. This way you know it is an unbiased review.

The Kidkraft pink vintage kitchen is made of wood and features:

• Sturdy construction


• Doors which open and close


• Oven knobs that click and turn


• Cordless phone


• Removable sink for easy cleanup.

Dimensions: 33" x 11.7" x 35.7", 50 lbs.

This tends to sell out in October for the holidays, so it is highly recommended to order this as early as possible to ensure you will have it in plenty of time for holiday gift giving.

Guidecraft 4 in 1 Dramatic Play Theater awarded 2010 Product of the Year

Guidecraft’s awesome 4 in 1 Dramatic Play Theater has been awarded with the 2010 Kids Product of the Year award by Creative Child Magazine.

4 different play arenas for children in one beautiful package for years of fun pretend play

The Guidecraft 4 in 1 dramatic play theater has a honey-oak stained wood theater frame which holds interchangeable panels that quickly and easily create a different dramatic play world.

Theater comes with two separate panels with different themes on either side to set the stage. Simply slide one of the panels into the grooves in the back of the theater and lock into place, and voila, kids have a brand new setting to inspire great, educational pretend play.

Themes include: Post Office, Puppet Theater, Doctor’s Office and Diner.

Kids will delight in the colorful details of each theme and explore their creative side with hours of constructive dramatic play.

Now available Here at A Kid Place. We strongly recommend ordering this one before the holiday rush starts.

Guidecraft’s All In One Kitchen a Winner

Guidecraft wins again! Creative Child Magazine has presented Guidecraft with the 2010 Preferred Choice Award for the newly released All In One Kitchen.

Guidecraft’s All In One Play Kitchen is the perfect canvas for kids to practice pretend play skills. This sensational kitchen by Guidecraft combines all the amenities in one space for the ultimate dramatic play experience:

Range top, Microwave, Oven, Refrigerator, Sink, Dishwasher and Double Cupboard.

Features include turning knobs, clock, dry-erase board & more.

This fabulous kitchen will provide children with hours and hours of imaginative play and the colors are gender-neutral so it’s perfect for both boys and girls! Great for the classroom, daycare centers and children’s rooms or playrooms at home.

The Guidecraft All In One Now Kitchen is now available here at A Kid Place. This is sure to be a huge seller for the holidays so be sure to order early enough to avoid disappointment, should it sell out.

Rainy Day Activities for Kids: Creativity Day

When rainy weather forces the kids indoors, don’t let boredom rule the day. With a little forethought, you can have ready-made activities for those times when your kids and their friends are house-bound. Consider keeping a “rainy day box” at the ready, stocked with basics such as construction paper, poster board, old magazines, glue, tape and crayons. For more versatility, include ribbon, yarn, crepe paper streamers and child-safe scissors. When dark clouds gather and you hear the distant rumble of thunder, don’t worry. With your “rainy day box” and a little imagination, your kids may decide that playing indoors is the most fun of all.

Have a creativity day! Have each child make a book. Cut pages out of poster board. Cut pictures from old magazines and glue to the pages. Then, have children write captions for each picture to create a story. Help younger children as needed. Cover each page with clear contact paper and tape each page together to form a book. Or you could use a hole-punch to make three holes on one edge of each page and string yarn through the holes to bind the books. Let each child take a turn reading their story out loud while showing the pictures to the listeners.

Cut out pictures of cartoon characters or animals from old magazines or comics. Glue the cutouts to poster-board and then glue to a popsicle stick to make puppets. Have a puppet show. Let the kids make up a story or a play to act out with their puppets. Providing the voices for a variety of characters can be hilarious for kids!

Use paper bags to make masks. Place the bag over the child’s head first to locate the correct locations to cut out the eyes, nose and mouth. Let children decorate the masks with glitter, markers, sequins, cotton balls, feathers or any craft items you have on hand. Another way to make a mask is to use paper plates. Punch holes on either side to run string or yarn through and after the kids have decorated them, they can be tied on.

Make a memory box. Use an empty shoebox. Cover the box with contact paper or construction paper. Glue on decorations such as dried, pressed flowers, glitter, sequins, pictures or words cut from magazines or even photos. Cover all this with clear contact paper. The box can be used for anything they choose such as photos of friends, birthday cards, notes, letters or memorabilia such as ticket stubs from special events.

Form a marching band complete with flags and music! Make a drum using a coffee can. Use wooden spoons as drumsticks. For, cymbals, two pot covers clanged together work perfectly. Put beans or macaroni in an empty oatmeal cylinder, tape the lid closed and shake. For a stringed instrument, cut a hole in the cover of a shoebox, tape the cover on and stretch rubber bands over the box. Strum the rubber bands. For a flag, tape crepe paper streamers to a stick or dowel and wave in the air. Now, line up and parade through the house with flags flying and music playing!

If you have small dinosaur toys or jungle animal figures, use a shoebox to make a diorama of their habitat. Color the background first or cut paper to make a background of blue sky. Glue on cotton balls for clouds. Decorate the interior of the shoebox with trees and grasses made from construction paper, yarn, felt or other material.

Start a story by providing a simple beginning and let each child help to complete the story. For instance, you could say, “When I was walking through the park, I saw a black and white cat with her kitten.” The children then add to the story, taking it wherever their imaginations may go.

Rainy days inside don’t have to be boring. Children learn by using their creativity to entertain themselves and to make something they can use or display. So, when storm clouds threaten, bring out the “rain day box” and let the fun begin!