Help with thinking of imaginative games for GC

Tie a ribbon to a small stick to dance with and wave the floaty ribbon.

Cookie making

Get a wide tray and pop in some cornflour and get them to explore the texture when they add water, it will be liquid when in the tray but solidify when they scoop it and then back to liquid when returned - fascinating.

Buy some, or Google a playdough recipie - good for all ages, at this time of year it’s fun to add a pot of glitter to it for festive dough.

Hettymaud I learnt a similar game while I was a college. A wonder bag, as in I wonder what I’ve got in my bag, have a feel etcetc. A great game. Don’t forget cooking with play dough, (easily made lots of recipes on line) and a really great one Gloop! Cornflour and water mixed together on a tray or similar. It’s very very satisfying! Add

A tea party for Teddy or a favourite doll? It's most fun of course if you have a dolls' tea or coffee service handy, but otherwise plastic beakers will do.

An ordinary slice of bread, buttered and cut into doll sized slices will go down a treat.

Remember to give Teddy a bib!

Making dens and playing shops kept my grandchildren happy for hours.

My friend comes over with her small folk and they have wonderful fun emptying out my big button box into a bowl, then they sort them into colours. They also love playing with old phones - calling all their friends, Grandparents, each other. When the weather allows, they can 'paint' the fence with brushes and water - or draw with chalk on the path - easily removed when it rains.

Going back to the shop, I bought a cardboard shop from Hobbycraft that requires colouring in. And don't forget the toy money and debit card.

Current play thinking is "loose parts" so lots of random things, preferably in natural materials.
Wooden blocks, pine cones, wooden spoons, cotton reels, clothes pegs, buttons, ribbons, tweezers, bowls, colanders. Practise golf balls (the plastic ones with holes in). Chopsticks. Pipe cleaners with dried penne pasta and Cheerios for threading. Paper plates. Crayons.
Add in a roll each of eyes and mouth stickers (Amazon!) and let their imagination run...

Have a cinema day. First choose your film on DVD or Netflix (other services are available). Then make a poster to advertise it. Pop some popcorn in the microwave, then put some in little bowls (could decorate little plastic tubs if the attention span will run to it). Make tickets and sell them to each other, along with the popcorn. Then watch the film, pausing halfway through for a small ice cream. Afterwards, draw a picture of their favourite bit of the film. Lunch can happen anywhere in the agenda. I’ve done this with 4yo and 6yo, and the whole thing lasted all day!

Thank you all for the great ideas plenty of choice now to have fun