If you need an idea for an indoor kid activity on a cold, snowy day or rainy day…then this is for you! Challenge the kids to timed contests. I found that ten minutes was a great time limit for 10-12-year-olds. Younger kids need about 5-10 minutes more than that. Give them a set number of toothpicks and marshmallows. Some contest theme ideas are: monster, animal, tallest structure, most sturdy structure, and best looking. Encourage creativity and thinking outside the box! I did have a package of gum drops to use for this activity, but they tasted too good and didn’t make it to the “construction area.” Oops!
This was my entry for “coolest.” It is supposed to be a house with trees and snowmen.
Here are the entries from the “tallest structure” contest. Luckily the judging was done right before the winning one (mine) collapsed.
As you can tell, these are not the best photos ever. When I started the activity, posting it online was not my intention. Sometimes I have to make due with my camera phone. It still gets the idea across, so that is all I need. Right?
