Look Through Any Window

Materials:

• Pencil and paper
• art supplies

Even when you're cabin-bound, the world outside is constantly changing. Here's an activity your child can begin in the morning, continue at intervals (say, every hour) throughout the day, and finish at dinnertime. Have him or her look out the window (the same window each time) and write a paragraph or draw a picture about what he or she sees at that moment. Emphasize changing or moving items (clouds, cars and trucks, pets, etc.). During each "window-watching" session, your child can update his or her notes or draw a new picture.

You can have your own "parallel" window-watching sessions. Accompany your child to the window every hour or so and write descriptions or draw "photos" of what you see. At the end of the day (or activity), compare your vision of what's out the window with your child's. Discuss the changes each of you saw. Not only is it likely you noticed some different things, but it's also possible that you and your child have entirely separate views of the very same neighborhood.

More on: Arts & Crafts Activities for Kids: Project Ideas

Excerpted from:

© 2005 by Steve and Ruth Bennett. Excerpted from 365 Unplugged Family Fun Activities with permission of its publisher, Perseus Books Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

To order this book visit perseusbooksgroup.com.