Tip—Tap into your young child’s imagination with a fantasy theme day.

Okay, have you been trapped inside long enough now? Even in the most mild states, January can be more of an inside-activity month. For those of you cooped up and for those of you who are simply bored now and in need of a new idea, Sandi Dexter recommends having a “Magical Fantasy Day.”

Dexter, preschool educator and author of Joyful Play with Toddlers: Recipes for Fun with Odds and Ends, says you can pull it off with a minimum of effort and with materials you have at home.

Tools—First, invite a few kids and have each of them bring a cape. (If someone doesn’t have one, a towel or piece of fabric safety-pinned under the chin works admirably well.) “A bit of costume helps children’s imaginations run wild,” comments Dexter. Magic wands and crowns help complete the costume and make fun projects for the afternoon.

Magic Wands: Cut star shapes from light-weight cardboard and tape a large tongue depressor or craft stick on one side. Children can decorate the star with shiny stickers or color it with gold and silver crayons. Tie some crepe paper streamers to the wand.

Royal Crowns: Cut lengths of heavy paper long enough to go around a child’s head. Each length should be about five inches wide. Children can color them with markers and crayons. Remind them that crowns often have jewels of different colors in them. After you cut them out, put each child’s decorated crown around his or her head and tape to fit.

Magic Playdough: Make a batch of playdough before the party. (There’s a great recipe in an earlier tip.) Add sparkling plastic confetti (not metallic—it can cut) instead of food coloring. The playdough will be white, but will shine where light hits the confetti. Provide star cookie cutters for the children to make magic star cookies.

Royal Dining: Finger gelatin is a tasty, colorful treat that can look like jewels. The children can pretend they are eating rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and amethysts. To make it, follow the directions on the box of flavored gelatin.

You may not even need the above activities once children are in costume and playing. Invite them to play Kings, Queens & Knights and watch their imaginations take over.

You’ll find more practical tips you can use right now in Joyful Play with Toddlers: Recipes for Fun with Odds and Ends by Sandi Dexter.

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