My kids and I like to take part in Unplug Your kids challenges and we’ve missed them lately. I was busy being miserably sick all last week but I saw today that the theme was happy and I thought that seemed too good of a theme to pass up! So I’ve gathered my gang and asked them all to compile a list of things that make them happy.
Here’s 125 ways to be happy, a few from each of us….
From Victoria (age 10)
- Sledding
- Ice skating
- Skateboarding
- Playing on the computer
- Bike riding
- Riding a scooter
- Making jewelry
- Reading funny books
- Climbing trees
- Hanging upside down
- Hanging right side up too
- Playing soccer
- Playing baseball in the yard
- Playing football (at least what we think is football) in the yard
- Swimming
- Going to the ocean
- Being with friends
- Volunteering at the animal shelter
- Laughing
- Dessert
- Programming on Scratch
- Dogs
- Doing crafts
- Running
- Jumping
From Anna (9)…
- Painting
- Building snowmen
- Doing art
- Shopping
- Catching tadpoles
- Playing in the mud
- Using mom’s computer
- Playing Webkinz
- Choosing earrings
- Designing clothes
- Chewing bubble gum
- Playing with beads
- Playing with Barbies
- Playing with Littlest Pet Shop
- Reading Encyclopedia Brown
- Collecting bottle caps
- Playing with friends
- Snuggling with Mama
- Chatting with Dad
- Gmail
- Painting my nails
- Doing makeup
- Singing and dancing
- Songwriting
- Taking pictures
By Jack (age 5)….
- Getting presents
- Drinking tea with Mom
- Doing good deeds
- Playing mini golf
- Building with blocks
- Doing crafts with Mom
- Making necklaces
- Play on the swingset
- Playing with marbles
- Walking on a balance beam
- Using silly putty
- Cooking
- Growing flowers
- Going on walks
- Collecting nature
- Playing video games with friends
- Holding rats
- Bird watching
- Reading picture books
- Playing at the park
- Using little people at Grandma & Grandpa’s
- Eating macaroni and cheese
- Doing flipsy-doodles (flipping upside down holding Daddy)
- Sitting on Mama’s lap
- Flint knapping
I’ll answer for Alex (22 months)…
- Dancing
- Blowing bubbles
- Hammering things
- Playing "find the phone"
- Making music
- Climbing
- Doing whatever his big brother and sisters are doing
- Playing hide and seek
- Eating snow
- Throwing balls
- Watching toddler videos on you-tube
- Nursing
- Drinking with a straw
- Looking at picture books with Mom or Dad
- Getting tickled
- Tickling
- Cuddling with Mama
- Singing made up songs
- Jumping while Victoria swings him
- Riding on toy cars
- Drawing
- Doing the "ladies go to market" ride with Victoria
- Going down slides
- Taking baths
- Getting kisses to make owies better
And from me…
Things that make me happy to do with my kids….
- Getting/giving pedicures
- Reading really fun read-alouds
- Exploring new places
- Beach combing
- Doing altered books
- Learning new things together
- Road trips
- Playing in the sprinkler
- Puddle stomping
- Gardening
- Going to the zoo
- Making home videos
- Going to small town museums
- Having picnics
- Running in the rain
- Whistling with blades of grass
- Going on neighborhood treasure hunts
- Bringing treats to neighbors
- Playing whiffle ball with friends
- Hiking
- Feeding apples to the elk and bison in Redwood Falls
- Watching them act in community theater
- Having wacky fun like eating dessert without our hands
- Learning new things from them
- Hugs and kisses, all I want 🙂
what 4yr olds should know
I happen to be part of one of those “fancy preschools” you are mentioning. Did you evrer consider doing any research before bashing all schools into one? Our school takes the approach of using imaginationa nd learning through play and experience – in fact any quality early childhood setting would not and should not be teaching children by rote memorization! Early Childhood Educators know this to be true – It is amazing to me how many people think they are experts on childhood because they have children!