I'm often asked about activities to keep kids amused while they're patching. These are some really simple and inexpensive activities and games for patching kids. 

Super Simple Pom Pom Game

I saw this awesome sorting game on the web a few months ago. It was a pie that had all different coloured 'fillings' that the child has to sort. Then I saw the price tag (upwards of $50!) and I thought to myself, surely there's a more economical way to achieve the same outcome?

A little trip to Sam's Warehouse (although it could have been Crazy Clarks, The Reject Shop etc they're both awesome for stuff like this), and $5 later and I had the Super Simple Pom Pom Game!! And Dane loves it. I only bring it out once a week so the fun doesn't wear off but it does the trick.

So here's what you need:

1 big bowl (mixing bowl, bucket, whatever you have around)

2 bags (or more if you like) of coloured pom poms - from memory these were about $2 a packet

1 pair of mini tongs - about $1 a pair but the real littlies could just use their fingers

8 or so plastic cups (again whatever you have around the house)

All you need to do is put all the pom poms into the bowl and the kids have to sort them into separate colours.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy (as Dane would say).

The lesson? We don't need to spend a fortune to help our kids with their visual development.

Feel free to send me your great visual game ideas so we can share them with other patching families. 

The Duck Game

So this game actually originated from Dane's speech therapy activities. Basically whenever he got something right he got to fish a duck out of the 'pond'. But if it was just for patching, he could have gone crazy with it. It was really just one big bowl of water, some plastic ducks and a little fishing net from the $2 shop. And away he went!

Maybe it will inspire a fun patching game for you. It's amazing what you can do with a few cheap bits and pieces, what you have lying around the house and your imagination!

Yep, I think he likes this one!