Way Too Much For Daddy To Do

A good way of having fun and tiring loved ones out

ADDED July 05, 2009

kids activities

Length: About 30 to 45 minutes of kids drawing, setting up, and practicing. 15 minutes of kids supervising their poor dad.

Parental Involvement: Mom explains the concept. Maybe helps hang up the signs. Dad does whatever he is told.

Kids Should Be Able to: Have ideas for simple activities. Some drawing and/or writing.

Here's an easy activity that will provide your little ones with some fun and excitement. For this one, you'll need some art supplies . . . and the absence of one or more beloved family members. (For demonstration purposes today, we'll be using Daddy as the example absent person.)

The activity, then, is to make way too much for poor Daddy to do.

So let's say that Dad is out of the house, returning at some later time. Your kids' task is to create many, many assignments for him to perform upon his return. Tear some blank pieces of paper into quarters, and help your kids write (or draw) a chore for Daddy to do. For example, on one piece of paper, you could have, "Spin around in a circle." On another piece of paper: "Jump up and down six times." Other ideas:

Touch your nose.

Bark like a dog.

Clap your hands behind your back.

And so on.

The idea here is get the kids' minds going and coming up with as many different, unusual and funny things for dear old Dad to do. Shoot to have at least ten different things to do. Have the kids tape the pieces of paper up in different rooms of the house.

When Dad returns, the kids should grab his hand and lead him from sign to sign. The children should make sure that their Dad performs each activity satisfactorily.

While of course Dad is being put upon for this activity, the good news is that it will inevitably add to the kids' eagerness and excitement for his return to the home. The kids will boisterously welcome their father back . . . so he can get busy doing their bidding. (Oh, and more good news: once the kids have hung up all the signs, they definitely need to test everything out themselves. This could lead to them getting some energy out, too.)

We have had excellent results with this one. My kids' mom, the "victim" of our first go 'round, was a very good sport. She counted to 100, did ten jumping jacks, and even rolled on the rug. Somebody, though, taped up a sign that said, "I love you, Mommy," and though that technically isn't a chore, a demand, or an activity, and therefore not supposed to be part of the game, it made her quite, quite happy. There were big hugs all around.

Have fun tiring Dad -- or Mom, or some other special loved one. And if any of the kids are doing this activity for me, I sincerely hope one of the signs says, "go to bed early!"